University professors get lesson in lobbying

Faculty members from colleges and universities across Virginia converged Jan. 14 on the State Capitol to urge legislators to support higher education.

During Higher Education Advocacy Day, hosted by VCU, about a dozen professors visited with lawmakers and urged them to protect higher education from more state budget cuts.

“A large issue for us is funding in the state,” said Ernie Ackermann, a computer science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. “Over the past few years, the state funding for higher education has decreased, I think, 24 percent.”

Ackermann said Virginia ranks poorly among the states in higher education funding.

“In the Southern region, we’re dead last,” he said. “We want to see if we can stop that trend.”

The day’s events began with a meeting that included officials from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, which oversees public colleges and universities.

For VCU, legislative priorities include financial aid and compensation for faculty and staff. Nearly 70 percent of VCU students rely on financial assistance. According to VCU’s Office of Government Relations, SCHEV is seeking an increase of about $20 million in financial aid for 2011.

Brian Turner, a member of the American Association of University Professors, helped prepare the faculty members to meet one-on-one with legislators.

“It is important for the members of the General Assembly to know who we are,” said Turner, a political science professor at Randolph Macon College. “We are not just part of SCHEV; we are individuals.”

Kirsten Nelson, the communication and government relations director for SCHEV, said visiting each legislator’s office is like going trick-or-treating.

“Talk about your successful students,” Nelson said. “Talk about how you’re contributing to Virginia.”

Raymond Jirran has been retired for 12 years from Thomas Nelson Community College and has been attending the Higher Education Advocacy Day for eight years. He said he is worried legislators might cut retirement benefits.

“They won’t be able to pay our retirement, so that’s my alarm,” Jirran said as he got ready to speak with Sens. R. Edward Houck of Spotsylvania and John Miller of Newport News and Delegate Watkins Abbitt of Appomattox. Jirran also planned to approach Delegate Tom Gear of Hampton.

“My closest relationship is to Delegate Gear. He’s part of my Lions Club; his chief of staff is a former student of mine,” Jirran said.

Jirran said it is important that faculty members understand what is happening at the Capitol.

“The real thing that’s happening here,” he said, “is the faculty themselves is grasping what’s going on.”

The day before Higher Education Advocacy Day, the General Assembly convened for a two-month session to write a state budget. Lawmakers must find $4 billion to balance the budget.