In 1999, Eastern Michigan University asked the Michigan Legislature for money to help renovate Pray-Harrold. The answer was "no," so EMU asked again in 2000, and in 2001, and in 2002 and, well, you get the picture. The request was denied every year. In the meantime, the legislature has approved brick-and-mortar project funding at every other university in the state at least twice.
Pray-Harrold did make Gov. Jennifer Granholm's preliminary list in mid-January, with help from the EMU Caucus, one of the EMU Office of Governmental Relations' newest tools for reaching lawmakers.
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ADVOCATING EMU: Freman Hendrix, Eastern
Michigan University's chief governmental relations
director, makes a presentation about the EMU
Caucus, which was formed shortly before the holiday
break. The caucus is a group of EMU faculty, staff,
alumni and student goverment that advocate for EMU
in Lansing. |
Just before the holiday break, the office sent an e-mail inviting faculty, staff, alumni and members of student government to join the EMU Caucus, a group that will respond on EMU's behalf when the University needs to get a message to key lawmakers in a loud and unified voice.
More than 160 persons signed up within the first 48 hours.
"The idea here is to bring together all the stakeholders that are concerned about the future of EMU," said Don Hazaert, assistant director for governmental relations. "In the past, we tried to organize alumni...This is an attempt to build a larger tent."
Obtaining funding for Pray-Harrold has been the caucus's top priority since the group began forming in early 2007, said EMU Chief Government Relations Officer Freman Hendrix. But it's not the only big-ticket item on the radar. Caucus members have been asked to make sure their legislators know about other needs at EMU: support for a doctoral nursing program, a $100 million science complex at Mark Jefferson and renovations to Strong Hall.
EMU Alumni Association President Jerry Gemignani was one of the first to join, signing on in November as soon as he heard about the caucus. A 1994 political science graduate, he's happy to remind legislators that he loves EMU — and that he votes.
"The way I look at it, from an alumni perspective, is every day my education is worth what the perception of the University is," said Gemignani, a 1994 political science graduate. "Whatever we can do to continue making that a positive and powerful perception, that will only enhance the value of that degree."
Most of the higher education issues decided by the state legislature involve money in one way or another, but Hazaert said the EMU Caucus could really be used to advocate the University's position to anyone, on any issue — from federal higher education issues to economic development in eastern Washtenaw County.
The group will eventually include local businesspeople and a wide cross section of students.
There's plenty of room for the caucus to grow, but Hazaert said the focus is on quality over quantity. It's not just about sheer numbers. He's far more interested in pulling together a group of people who'll actually write that letter, make that call or send that e-mail. The government relations office will provide background for caucus members on issues as they come up, and the office is working on a system that will connect caucus members with legislators at the click of a mouse.
"A lot of key legislators in Lansing have openly said in the past that they're going to punish Eastern Michigan because of the University House and other items that didn't meet with great favor. In my opinion, that punishment has been laid unfairly on the backs of the students," Gemignani said. "It makes you a little frustrated, but that's good because it's kind of a call to action."
