How to Get Involved

There are a number of ways that you, as a member of the UH System community, or as a concerned constituent, can voice your support for higher education and the UH System and its four universities.

The 81^st Legislative Session runs from January 13 ^th through June 1^st, 2009. During that time, you can get involved in a variety of ways. A few suggestions include:

Send congratulatory letters to elected officials and indicate that you -- as a UH System student, alumnus or alumna, faculty or staff member, or as a friend of the UH System -- look forward to their support of higher education and the institution. Click here for a list of area state senators and state representatives. A list of legislative committee members will be available as soon as they are named.

Caution: If you are a UH System faculty or staff member, you must write your legislator as a private citizen, not using any state resources, including staff time, letterhead, postage, computing time, etc.

Keep current on breaking legislative issues and information and their impact on the UH System and higher education by checking this website regularly.
Submit a letter to the editor or an article to your hometown newspaper voicing your concern and support of particular issues facing higher education. Be sure to share a copy of your editorial correspondence with the UH System Governmental Relations Office, fax (512) 499-8789. This way, we can keep a coordinated record of our communication efforts during the session.
Keep those cards and letters coming! Continue to write your elected officials encouraging their support of the UH System and your university.
Get a group together -- or go by yourself -- and visit your legislator in Austin.

Caution: All visits to the legislators in Austin on behalf of the UH System should be coordinated through Grover Campbell, Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations, (512) 499-8787. A personal visit from a concerned constituent to his/her elected official can be very effective. When you visit, be sure to mention your affiliation with your university and that you are visiting in support of the institution.

If you are a UH System faculty or staff member, you must use your vacation time to visit the Legislature, unless you are on approved official business.

Always remember to be brief and to the point. Most likely, you will just be able to visit with a member of the legislator's staff. However, staff aides are important contacts and you should always share information with them. If you are planning a visit to Austin and would like to take some printed materials on your university and/or the UH System, please contact Barbara Ellis Stanley at 713-743-8317 or your university legislative liaison.

UH System Legislative Liaisons

Grover Campbell
Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations
512-499-8787
512-499-8789 (fax)

Laura Calfee
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations
512-499-8787
512-499-8789 (fax)

Chris Stanich
Executive Director for Planning and Policy, and Special Assistant for Governmental Relations
713-743-3232
713-743-7899 (fax)

Barbara Ellis Stanley
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Local Governmental Relations
713-743-8317
713-743-0118 (fax)