Carolina Action Network - Carolina Alumni Association

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Carolina Action Network

Contact information | Helpful Links | Advocacy Center
University Current Funds Budget Graphs

What CAN one person do to stop the decline of public support for public higher education? Consider joining the Carolina Action Network (CAN), a group of Carolina alumni just like you who want to make sure the University of South Carolina continues to provide a quality education for everyone. CAN works to inform state legislators and policymakers why a strong USC benefits the entire state.

Carolina Day at the Statehouse 2008

Thank you to the more than 250 alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of USC who joined us on March 26, 2008, for our annual Carolina Day at the Statehouse.

We spoke to more than 30 senators and nearly 50 representatives in person regarding our concerns for funding the University.

We would like for you to keep the following talking points in mind when you are contacting your legislators:

HOUSE
THANK YOU for your support of the USC system in a tough budget year.
In particular: for South Carolina Light Rail (1) and Centers for Economic Excellence or Endowed Chairs (2).

SENATE
PROTECT USC and higher education from futher budget cuts.
WE NEED their supprt of SCLR (1) and Endowed Chairs (2)

BOTH HOUSES
FACAILITIES: We remain hopeful that when the economy makes a recovery, the SC General Assembly will remember that the USC system and other hight education institutions are in dire need of the state's assistance in renovating our building facilities to meet the needs of our students and faculty.

Footnotes
(1) South Carolina Light Rail (SCLR)
a high-speed network that will connect the three research universities and eventually other institutions to improve and increase research capabilities; a collaborative project among MUSC, Clemson, and USC.
(2) Centers for Economic Excellence or Endowed Chairs
Program funded from lottery proceeds, serves the public interest by bringing jobs and high tech industry to the state. All lottery funds are matched by non-state sources. Benefits all three research universities.

The 2007-2008 University of South Carolina
Current Funds Budget

Revenues

Expenditures

What do advocates do?

Our advocates are a network of volunteers who work together to increase awareness regarding particular legislative issues. They communicate with their elected officials in various ways including e-mails, letters, phone calls, and personal visits. No meetings or membership fees are required; however, we invite you to consider becoming a member of the Carolina Alumni Association. The Alumni Association simply communicates with the advocates whenever we need their support in contacting legislators on particular issues of interest to the University of South Carolina.

What is required of an advocate?

No meetings or membership fees are required; however, we invite you to consider becoming a member of the Carolina Alumni Association. Becoming an advocate for the Carolina Action Network can take as little or as much time as you have to give. We will notify you as a part of the network whenever particular legislative issues arrive, and you will simply contact your particular legislators by using a pre-written e-mail message or your own, by calling their office, or by meeting in person.

Why become an advocate?

Anyone with an interest in the University of South Carolina can become an advocate. Our network includes alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of the University.

Becoming an advocate for the Carolina Action Network means that you are taking an active part in letting our elected officials know how you feel about selected legislative issues.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Shelley H. Dempsey '99 MEd, '04 MBA (E-mail)
Director, External Relations and Education
Carolina Alumni Association
Columbia, SC 29208
(803) 777-3986 (w)
(800) 476-8752 (TF)
(803) 777-6263 (f)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LINKS: