Legislative Affairs Director
Time Commitment: 15 - 25 hour weekly.
Organizational Role
As a unit within the Oregon University System, a substantial portion of PSU’s revenue come in the form of tax
dollars allocated by the Oregon Legislature. ASPSU is of the opinion that higher education is a public good of
paramount importance, and should be prioritized accordingly by Oregon’s lawmakers. Unfortunately, OUS has
seen its funding decreased for the past quarter of a century. This systematic divestment from public higher
education has dire consequences for the students and student families of PSU. As such, the area of Legislative
Affairs shall endeavor to effect positive change for students at the state level by conducting grassroots student
voter campaigns, lobbying elected officials, and coordinating through OSA the organization of legislative action
movements with other student governments from around the state.
Duties and Responsibilities
First Month In Your Position
Get ahold of your new email (password and login), change email signature, get accustomed and separate both your personal and business email.
Ask for your business cards.
Ask for key for unofficial ballot drop-off box that's in the ASPSU office.
Reach out to all your new points of contact (OSA contacts, Alyson Kraus, Kevin Neely).
Learn how to prepare agendas and minutes, also learn about OPML standards.
Learn who your Senators are, their contacts, and their interests in being in your committee.
Learn what the President, Vice-President, and which directors will sit on the OSA General Assembly (GA), OSA Board of Directors (BOD), OSERRA, and OSCC. Learn what those committees do and have them filled immeadiately.
You work in conjunction with OSA, ASPSU, Government Relations Office, and the Oregon State Legislature - and their initiatives that relate to your organizational role.
Finally, establish an agenda/calendar that correlates with such initiatives.
You are tasked with...
Duties and Responsibilities
● Coordinate and organize ASPSU participation in lobbying visits to Salem with or without OSA
participation.
● Manage testimony development for legislative visits and conduct recruitment to ensure student voices
are heard in Salem.
● Prepare and update materials in conjunction with OSA to facilitate educating students on legislative
issues that impact PSU.
● Cultivate and maintain a good working relationship with state elected officials/candidates
● Monitor and track state legislation that affects PSU students
● Coordinate student voter outreach campaigns as necessary or as directed by the ASPSU President
● Coordinate ASPSU voter registration/education drive in conjunction with the Oregon Student
Association
● Coordinate ASPSU Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaigns
● Attend Higher Education Coordinating Commission meetings that take place in Portland, or send
designee
● Serve on the Oregon Student Association Board of Directors
● Chair the Senate Legislative Affairs Committee
● Recruit and retain volunteers
● Coordinate Field Work for on campus campaigns
● Lead and teach field volunteers and field interns
● Do field work (class raps, clipboarding, phone banking)
● Read and respond ASPSU relate emails within 48 business hours
● All directors will be responsible for clearly communicating resolutions by providing a formally
approved digital copy in word format to the Chair of the Senate, ASPSU Financial Director, and ASPSU
Publicity Director no less than 5 days before the regularly scheduled Senate meeting at which it should
be presented.
Board Duties (at the discretion of the ASPSU President & Vice President)
● Oregon Student Association Board of Directors
● Attend HECC meetings
● ASPSU Vote Committee
Points of Contact
● Any and all Oregon elected officials
● Members of the HECC
● OSA Members
Where you are expected
● Attend weekly executive meetings
● Attend bi-weekly senate meetings
● Chair committee meetings
● Sit on designated board or delegate senators to sit on designated boards
● Monthly one on one meeting with Executive Staff Director
● Weekly office hours
● Work on campaigns as directed by the President and Vice President
● Outreach to relevant contacts
Termly
Summer Quarter
Go to ASPSU summer retreat to organize and plan what ASPSU will be working at the start of the new school year.
Plan ahead towards the next Legislative Session (short or long). Get in contact with OSA to see what legislation to look forward to.
Fall Quarter
Depending on what year and time it is the first Tuesday of November is usually election day. Getting people to vote will always be an ongoing initiative.
Come December, prepare for the legislative session.
Get in contact with the Representative and Senator who represent PSU, also get in contact with any other Congresswoman/Congressmen that you might already have relations with.
Winter Quarter
If the Legislature is in session (The Oregon State Legislature convenes annually in February in the state capitol of Salem), then immediately figure out what legislation is being introduced. This is includes legislation that impacts higher education, higher education funding, food and housing insecurity, etc.
At some point you will want to have a Lobby Day (usually done with OSA), where you establish a group of students - either ASPSU student or non-ASPSU students - who will go to the Capital and meet with legislators and lobby them to oppose/support our initiatives.
Kevin Neely and Alyson Kraus may reach out during the session so you can come with them and lobby. If they do not reach out attempt to contact them.
Make yourself available to go to the Capital.
Remember: You work to support higher education - both the institution and its students. Keep your other interest aside.
Spring Quarter
In odd years, sessions may last 160 days, often referred to as "long session." During the "long session" the legislature approves a two-year state budget for the next biennium. In even years, a "short session" is held. A short session can last a maximum of 35 days.
Depending how long the session goes debrief the successes and the failures - what was able to pass and what died in committee and/or the floor. Use this to figure out your future initiatives for the next legislative session.
May has primary elections, push out a Vote OR Vote Campaign.
Ongoing
Ongoing.
Your initiatives established by those you work in conjunction with.
Weekly.
Make agenda
Make minutes
Meet with committee.
Attend Senate meeting.
Attend Executive Committee meeting
Monthly.
Meetings with Government Relations Office
Quarterly.
Legislative updates.
As needed.
Keep up with Oregon politics and legislation.
Points of Contact
Government Relations Office
Alyson Kraus
Director of State Government Relations
PSU Government Relations
503-725-9818
Kevin Neely
Vice President of Government Relations
OSA (Oregon Student Association)
Andrew Rogers --> He will get you in touch with the rest of the staff.
Executive Director
andrew@orstudents.org
Words of Wisdom
Get situated ASAP.
Get in contact with your new contacts.
Learn more about your role and your responsibilities.
Get organized.
Establish an agenda/timeline for your roles responsibilities.
Ask questions as needed.
Get ahold of documents you need to be informed on current matters.
This should be about 3-4 paragraphs at least, and should contain information about people you have reached out to, not just offices, initiatives you have furthered, and things you learned in the position that would have been better to know beforehand. Will help to inform the next section and overall planning the following years.
Director of [blank] | Reflection
Onboarding. This Information will be used for the onboarding checklist, and supplement the checklist for this position. It *might* not be on this page. Fill these sections with your thoughts about what onboarding should look like for your position so I don't have to send out 2 links for y'all :)
Starting in Summer
Reference words of wisdom.
Mid-Year
Learn as you go and do it ASAP.