Lobbying at WWU N I C O L E B A L L A R D – A S V P F O R G O V E

Lobbying at WWU N I C O L E B A L L A R D - A S V P F O R G O V E R N M E N T A L A F F A I R S

Lobby Days State: Western Lobby Day (WLD) - January Western Intersectional Lobby Day (WILD) - February Bellingham/Whatcom County: Local Lobby Day- April/May Possible new additions this year: Administration Lobby Day Graduate Student Lobby Day

Graduate Student's WLD January Timeline Local February February WILD March/April Admin Lobby Day April

Where does the agenda’s come from? An agenda for students, by students Student priority survey was sent out to get student feedback Legislative Affairs Council (LAC) meets once a week to create the agenda and will also give final approval before We meet with stakeholders across campus to get input into our agenda The agenda will go through the Student Senate and the Executive Board as an information item and as an action item, so it is offi cially an opinion of the Associated Students of WWU WLD is planned by the Vice President for Governmental Affairs WILD is planned by the Ethnic Students Center (ESC), Environmental and Sustainability Programs Offi ce (ESP), and Student Advocacy and Identity Resource Center (SAIRC) representatives on LAC

College affordability, student loan forgiveness Environmental Justice Mental Health Resources/Reform Support for survivors of sexual assault Priorities from Survey Creating a more inclusive campus Anti-racism training Racial discrimination on campus Sexism and gender discrimination Support and resources for undocumented students, DACA Meeting Basic Needs (Possibly under COVID relief?) Food insecurity Housing insecurity Student Healthcare Funding Ethnic Studies Institute at WWU

WWU Student liaisons Jude Ahmed- AS Offi ce of Civic Engagement (OCE) Director of Legislative Affairs Lobbies our state agenda’s and proposals year round Sometimes called a DOLA [email protected] Stephen Cooper- AS OCE Civic Involvement Coordinator Connects students to the AS’s advocacy [email protected] Natale Szbros- AS OC Local Issues Coordinator Facilitating Local Lobby Day and regularly connects students to issues in Bellingham and Whatcom County [email protected]

Resources Past Agendas 2019-2020 WLD WILD 2018-2019 WLD WLD (Jan. 11th) WILD WILD (Feb. 1st meeting) Local