Briefing for UMBC Advocates - 2008

1. BEFORE YOU GO

Invite your legislators to join you at the UMBC Annapolis Reception by sending an e-mail from our legislative action web site. When you fill in your home address, the site will prepare and send this e-mail message to your local public officials:

I hope to see you at the UMBC Legislative Reception February 6, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., at Loews Annapolis Hotel.

I look forward to thanking you personally for the Legislature's partnership in creating a Higher Education Investment Fund that assures that students have access to affordable, high quality education at UMBC and other campuses.

To RSVP or learn more about the reception, please contact Bernadette Darby at 410-455-3703 or darbyb@umbc.edu.

2. KEY TALKING POINTS AT THE EVENT

When speaking with public officials, the best case for their support is the experiences of our students, graduates and partners. Sharing your story or the story of students and partners you work with is a great way to open your conversation with a legislator.

There are also several important points to make about support for higher education and UMBC:

• Dedicated Funding Source: Thank you for creating the Higher Education Investment Fund. This investment in brainpower will have a strong return through workforce development, teacher education, and economic development based on university R&D.
  
  
• Affordable Access to Quality: I ask you to support the Governor's budget for public higher education, which provides a tuition freeze for undergraduates for the third straight year AND support that allows universities to maintain high quality programs and services.
  
  
• Effectiveness and Efficiency: I recognize that these are tight times for Maryland's budget. UMBC is helping to save the State money through effectiveness and efficiency measures totaling $28M over five years and special programs such as Choice and the Center for Health Program Development and Management that produce savings in such costly areas as healthcare and juvenile services.
  
  
• Performing Arts and Humanities Facility: Thank you for providing capital budget support to design the UMBC Performing Arts and Humanities Facility. Virtually every undergraduate will use the new classroom space for general education in the Humanities and the performing arts spaces will serve the region as a cultural destination. We look forward to breaking ground in FY 2010.

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