Your Online ASU Legislative Connection
Volume 3 Issue 1

Dear ASU Advocate Friend,

Happy New Year!! Before we delve into the world of advocacy, we’d like to congratulate the ASU Sun Devils on their victory over Rutgers in the Insight Bowl. It was a hard fought game with a final score of 45-40. Good Job to the team. And a special thanks to all the fans who attended the pre-game rally at Alice Cooper’s Town. We estimated that over 1000 fans showed up at the tailgate.

The Arizona State Legislature recently kicked off its 47th Regular Session. There are many issues that are facing lawmakers. We are optimistic that the Governor and legislature will continue their support of higher education and ASU. We have included revised information on ASU’s budget request.

I am excited to announce that we have begun planning for the 23rd Annual ASU Day at the Capitol. This year’s event is scheduled for Monday, February 20, 2006. More detailed information follows in the newsletter.

Lastly, we have some information and a link to a recent study on the value of a college degree. Please take some time to read the study.
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Email Action Alerts — we need your help!

The Arizona legislature recently convened its 47th Regular Session. And just like the weather this week, things are starting to heat up. As the House and Senate begin to formulate their budget proposals, we’re going to need your help.

You will start receiving action alerts from us asking you to contact your legislators on a given issue. It is absolutely critical to ASU’s success at the legislature that you follow through on the action alert by sending the pre-written email communications to your legislators provided through our action alert system.

At this writing, we have 1,246 advocates. If all of you were to email your legislator via this simple to use process, it would make a huge difference! So the next time you receive an email action alert from us, we would greatly appreciate it if you could send the pre-written email to your elected officials. The two minutes it takes to submit your message could be the difference in swaying a crucial vote on an issue of importance to ASU.

ASU FY 2007 Budget Request

ASU’s President’s Office recently put the finishing touches on the FY 2007 budget request to the Arizona State Legislature. The priority investment items contained in the FY 07 budget requests are enrollment growth, critical facilities for the Polytechnic campus, building renewal/deferred maintenance and Biomedical Informatics department. The following paragraphs provide a summary of the aforementioned critical initiatives.

Enrollment Growth

Arizona State University is becoming the University of Choice in Arizona. Eight out of ten students choosing to attend Arizona’s university system, select ASU. Each of ASU’s campuses experienced significant growth between last spring semester and this fall semester. The Tempe campus grew by over 2,400 students or nearly 5 percent. The West campus grew by nearly 400 students, an increase over 5 percent. The Polytechnic campus grew by nearly 900 students, a whopping 22% increase. ASU’s freshman class for the fall 2005 semester contains 8,400 students. We are seeking an increased investment of $17.6 million in enrollment growth from the legislature in order to maintain academic quality and accommodate the increasing number of students seeking an education at Arizona State University,

ASU Polytechnic Campus – Critical Facilities

ASU is seeking a $7.5 million annual investment to cover debt service costs associated with adding approximately $103 million in core facilities at the Polytechnic campus to support enrollment growth at the campus and to create the academic facilities needed to transform the existing campus to a polytechnic campus.

Biomedical Informatics

ASU is seeking an additional $1 million investment in the base funding to augment the state’s initial investment in the new Department of Biomedical Informatics. The Arizona State System Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix provides a unique opportunity for the development of a world class Biomedical Informatics Department which will incorporate the studies of computer science, biology and engineering, to organize and analyze medical data

2006 ASU Day at the Capitol

On February 20th, the ASU Alumni Association is hosting the twenty-third annual ASU Day at the Capitol at Wesley Bolin Plaza, across the street from the State Capitol Buildings Complex. In conjunction with this event, we are hosting the third annual ASU Statehood Day at the Capitol and the ASU Exhibitor Walk. This event is a great chance for our legislative partners to learn about all the amazing things happening at ASU.

Although ASU continues to be entrepreneurial in its efforts to develop alternative revenue sources for its campuses, as a public institution, ASU still requires its major investor - the State of Arizona - to fund its core operating expenses.

This year’s budget priorities are intended to help cover these expenses. An essential component of the request is an allotment for enrollment growth to preserve access to ASU for qualified students. Another key facet of the budget request is an annual investment for the expansion of the ASU Polytechnic Campus.

We encourage all alums, families, and friends to join us at the State Capitol on February 20th. This truly is exceptional opportunity to advocate on behalf of ASU as well as learn about some of the innovative and exciting things taking place at ASU. If you would like more information regarding ASU Day at the Capitol, please call Carlos Pastor at (480) 965-5357 or via e-mail at carlos.pastor@asu.edu.

Phoenix Bond Election Update

On March 14th, Phoenix voters will be going to the polls to vote on the 2006 Bond Program. A total of seven propositions are on the ballot. One of these propositions will have a significant impact on the future of ASU. The Citizen Bond Committee has recommended that $184,000,000 be appropriated for the expansion of ASU’s downtown campus. We encourage all our advocates who live in the city of Phoenix to support the 2006 Bond Program, by voting “yes” on Proposition 3. If you would like to learn more about Phoenix’s bond program, please visit http://phoenix.gov/2006bond/index.html or www.PhoenixFuture.com.

The Value of Higher Education: Individual and Societal Benefits

According to a new study, The Value of Higher Education: Individual and Societal Benefits, the money you spent on your college degree enables you to earn $1 million more than you could with just a high school diploma.
That translates to a 12% return on investment, which is 70% more than you can make by investing in the stock market.
So, congratulations on your decision to attend Arizona State University. It’s one of the best decisions you made for your financial future!
Click here for a copy of the full report The Value of Higher Education: Individual and Societal Benefits

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 Advocate Network—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.

Thank you,

Jeff Grant, Director
ASU Alumni Association

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 email us at advoteam@sundeviladvocates.org with your new e-mail address and we’ll make the change.

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