Getting the City Council to Pass a Resolution

Getting your city council to endorse the reform resolution (sample resolution) is the first step your campus can take towards reforming the Higher Education Act of 1998. This will show Congress that your community supports overturning the provision of the HEA that denies or delays federal financial aid to drug offenders.

These step-by-step procedures are based on the feedback we've received from college activists working in the field. So your constant input is essential to the national planning of this campaign. We strongly encourage you to get in touch with us at (202) 293-8340, or e-mail Chris Mulligan at [email protected].

1. Hold a meeting with an organization you belong to, or contact individuals to meet at a library, home, place of worship, civic hall, local college, or other space. Invite people to speak their mind and ask questions about HEA reform.
   
2. Contact your local newspaper(s). Tell reporters about your efforts, as well as the national campaign. The earlier in the process you do this, the more attention you will focus on the issue and the more effective you will be. It only takes a few minutes to bring a press release down to your newspaper's office and offer yourself to be interviewed as a local contact. This article will lend credibility to your efforts. (See HEA Media Guide: How to Write a Press Release and How to Pitch Your Story.)
   
3. Build a community-wide coalition. Contact leaders of other organizations and ask them to endorse the resolution as well. Ask if you could give a brief presentation during one of their meetings in order to persuade them to join up. For example, local chapters of the ACLU, NAACP, and NOW, whose national organizations have already come out against the HEA drug provision, should help. The strength of the relationships you establish with such sympathetic groups is a key to victory.
   
4. Set up an information table in a local bookstore, coffee shop, supermarket, or a centrally-located public space to collect signatures on copies of the petition. This will give you an excellent opportunity to perfect your persuasive skills and invite more people to your meetings.
   
5. Customize and submit an op-ed to your local paper in advance of your city council presentation or first meeting to raise awareness and add more credibility to your campaign. (See HEA Media Guide: How to Write an Op-Ed.)

1. Mail an information packet to all council members one week before the hearing. Get the mailing address and phone numbers of every member and drop off the following info. The packet should include a typed and signed one-page cover letter with a brief explanation of who you are and why your are contacting them, a list of frequently asked questions, and a list of organizations supporting repeal. You should also enclose a copy of the original Drug Provision, a copy of the repeal bill with cosponsors, and an article from a major publication about the Drug Provision.
   
2. Call each Council member a few days after sending the packet to make sure they got it. If you get their voice mail, be ready to leave a concise message explaining who you are and why you are calling. If they answer the phone, be ready to deliver a brief pitch and answer any questions. This is a great opportunity to establish personal connections with individual council members or their staff, which will make them more likely to support you when they vote.
   
3. Send a media advisory to your local papers a few days before the scheduled hearing. Follow up by making phone calls to local reporters the day of the hearing, and encourage them to attend. (See the HEA Media Guide: How to Write a Media Advisory.)
   
4. Reach out to all of your allies to attend the hearing, and remind them several times to come. The size of the crowd you assemble shows the council that you in fact represent the interests of your community. They will hesitate to vote against you if they see you have the community on your side.
   
5. 1. If you've done the previous steps, the hearing should be much less stressful, and the chances of your SG passing the resolution will be much higher. Make sure you know your arguments, and bring extra materials and articles for those who don't have them (See HEA News Archives).

1. Key points to make: Get familiar with What is wrong with the new provision by checking out our website and take a close look at some of our Quick Responses to Tough HEA Questions.
   
2. Let your council know they can make a difference.

1. If the resolution passes send out a press release immediately. Edit our sample press release and have it ready to fax to your press list as soon as you get the good news. Don't wait more than a day to get this out, and prepare yourself to be interviewed.
   
2. 1. If the city council tables the vote or votes against endorsement, find out what happened and respond. Stay in the game. Talk to the council members and find out who's with you and who's against you. Become involved with local politics and work to get those who would support HEA reform elected.
   
3. Contact us and let us know how it went. If the resolution passed, please send us a copy of the official SG meeting minutes. It is important for us to have the backup if we are ever asked to prove the endorsements. Additionally, the collection of the documentation from all the endorsing municipalities looks pretty impressive.