Worried because you don’t know what Hill Day is going to be like? We have you covered. Here is a snapshot of what to expect on February 14. Make sure to sign up today at masfap.org under Training!
MASFAP will conduct Hill Day in the capitol building in Jefferson City. We will have a table set up where we can converse with elected officials and policy makers. The place we occupy is very public, so diverse types of capitol employees will walk by to ask who we are and what we do.
Beyond the table we set up to provide information, our Legislative committee will be arranging meetings with legislators, particularly those in charge of higher education matters. If you are interested in setting up a meeting to advocate for your district, you may get in touch with the MASFAP Legislative Committee by emailing [email protected] to do so. If desired, a member of the committee will be available to sit in on the meeting upon request. For the committee to be able to make any appointments for you and to be able to participate with you on your meetings, we need to have you register for the Hill Day Event just ASAP. To ensure the best level of support, please register for the event no later than Wednesday, February 8, 2017.
Although you might think advocating sounds a bit intimidating, financial aid officers make some of the best advocates. Not only are you aware firsthand of the difficulties families face in paying for higher education, you can take complex subjects and make them easy to understand. You are uniquely positioned to be advocates because you have an understanding of data from FISAP and other reports, which you can leverage to speak to elected officials. There is no one more equipped or qualified to advocate for our students. We need your knowledge and smiling faces to be present at MASFAP’s Hill Day table.
We have three main priorities this Hill Day for MASFAP:
- Introduce MASFAP to our elected officials in Jefferson City, so they know who we are and what we do
- Impress upon our elected officials and their staff that we are a great resource for them, as they try to figure out how Missourians save and pay for their education
- LISTEN to our elected officials when we ask them about the Governor’s recent cuts to education and how can we work together to be sure that all residents of Missouri are able to access and complete their education goals
We suggest that you discuss what you’re planning on advocating for with your institution’s staff member in charge of Government Relations. If they approve of what you are hoping to advocate for, we look forward to having you volunteer as a staff member for your institution. If they do not approve, we urge you to take the day off and advocate as a private citizen. The Legislative Committee can give you additional guidance on how to handle advocating as a private citizen.
Please consider attending MASFAP’s Hill Day as a volunteer. We, and Missouri students, need your support!
Stay tuned for a soon-to-come posting as to exact details on dress, meals and parking for the event!
2 THOUGHTS ON “HILL DAY: WHAT TO EXPECT BY WILL SHAFFNER”
Shelley Lester on February 3, 2017 at 1:08 pm said:
Several folks have signed up so far, which is awesome! Of course, there’s still room for more to join us. It begins at 7:30 a.m. and will end by 4 p.m.
Melissa FindleyMelissa Findley on February 2, 2017 at 7:26 am said:
How many people are signed up so far? I hope we have a great turnout!!