Your Online ASU Legislative Connection
Volume 1 Issue 3

Dear ASU Advocate Friend,

We would like to extend a “welcome” to the new members of the Sun Devil Advocate Network. And we hope there will be many more of you in the coming months. We look forward to working with you to educate our elected officials about the importance of Arizona State University and higher education issues.

Even though the legislature isn’t currently in session, you can make a big difference in our advocacy efforts right now by identifying friends, co-workers, relatives, neighbors, or fellow alums that share your same passion for Arizona State University.

So please take a few minutes and e-mail or call folks you know and give them our web site address—www.sundeviladvocates.org—tell them you’re an advocate, explain to them what it means and tell them they too can become an advocate in three easy steps:

1.) Go to www.sundeviladvocates.org
2.) Click on the link “Become a Member.”
3.) Fill out the quick and easy form and in less than two minutes they’ll      become an official member of the Sun Devil Advocacy Army.

Advocacy Steering Committee (ASC) Update

The Advocacy Steering Committee (ASC) held its inaugural meeting on September 29th. Twenty-eight members of the committee came together to begin a dialogue on strategies for the Alumni Association’s advocacy efforts. Additionally, Scott Smith, Director of State Relations gave an update of ASU’s proposed legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session. A more detailed description of these priorities will be included in the next Sun Devil Advocate Network News.

ASC members are helping us to organize, recruit, educate, and motivate advocates. They’ll also help us to advocate at the legislature and host receptions for fellow alumni to meet their legislators. Right now, the ASC is helping us before the start of the 2005 legislative session by recruiting as many members as they can to the Sun Devil Advocate Network.

The ASC’s next meeting is scheduled for January 2005 immediately prior to the start of the 47th Legislative session.

The Sun Devil Advocate Network expands its on-line efforts.

We are proud to announce the “opening” of ASU’s Legislative Alert Center. You can access it by visiting: http://capwiz.com/azsu

This additional page to our web site will allow you to receive updates on current legislation affecting ASU. In addition, you’ll be able to send emails and letters to your legislators as well as other elected officials on the local, state, and federal levels. The Alert Center is provided through a partnership of the ASU Alumni Association and Capitol Advantage. The Legislative Center is not a new website, rather a component of our current website, www.sundeviladvocates.org. If you have some free time, please visit the new legislative center. As we approach the upcoming legislative session, the center will become a valuable tool in assisting you in helping Arizona State University.

2004 Presidential Debate At ASU

As you may have heard, the third and final Presidential Debate between President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry was held on the ASU campus. The debate was held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 13 in Gammage Auditorium. Bob Schiefer, CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent, was the moderator for the debate.

While many will argue over which candidate “won the debate,” almost all will agree that the event was a resounding success for the ASU community. It allowed the university to shine on an international stage and showcased the caliber of school ASU is.

During the days surrounding the debate the campus was abuzz with political activity. From the national news shows taping all across campus to the throngs of students running around with competing political signs and messages, it was clear, ASU students care about politics.

For those not lucky enough to secure a ticket to the debate, there was a simulcast from Gammage Auditorium to the Wells Fargo Arena. The local media was on hand to interview students and others in the audience after the debate, plus there were live speakers and entertainment before the prior to the debate. The event was a resounding success saw over 7,000 in attendance.

For a complete wrap-up on the debate and related activities, please visit the debate website at: www.asu.edu/debate.

Closing Thoughts

Increasing our army of advocates will increase our visibility at the state Capitol.

So please take some time today and make it a goal to recruit just one person you know to become a member of the Sun Devil Advocacy Army—because the reality is this: A larger advocacy army will greatly increase our ability to convince the 90 members who make up the Arizona Legislature that higher education (and notably Arizona State University) should be a priority year in and year out.

We hope this newsletter has been helpful and especially informative. As in our past newsletter, we want to thank you for your participation in the Sun Devil Advocate Network. If you have any suggestions, comments or observations you would like to share with us, just click on this link advoteam@sundeviladvocates.org and let us know.

Thanks again,

Jeff Grant
Advoteam Leader

P.S. If you want to become an active member of the ASU Alumni Association, one of the best ways you can give back is through membership in the ASU Alumni Association. The annual dues of $45 offer an affordable way to help build ASU’s reputation. Visit www.asu.edu/alumni/membership or call 1-800-ALUMNUS.

P.S.S. If you have a different e-mail address you would prefer us to use, just e-mail us at advoteam@sundeviladvocates.org with your new e-mail address and we’ll make the change.

If you don’t want to receive further issues of this electronic newsletter, send an unsubscribe e-mail to advoteam@sundeviladvocates.org with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line and the message field.

Sun Devil Advocate Network
(480) 965-5041 or (480) 965-4078
ASU Alumni Association PO Box 873702 Tempe, AZ 85287-3702
advoteam @sundeviladvocates.org

No public funds were used in the design or distribution of this newsletter.