By Chad Ciocci, Fordham University
Collegiate conservatives face myriad issues when it comes to
activism: entrenched liberal bias on campus, organizational problems as well as
funding. But it is this last issue that
activists can do the most to change. Some
groups utilize direct mail campaigns, others campus fundraisers but many
overlook and underutilize on-campus funding resources. I spoke at CPAC 2010 on this topic:
Most
colleges and universities have some sort of funding mechanism for student
groups, typically financed by a student activities fee and the resulting budget
is divvied up amongst student groups who usually have to submit a budget and
appeal for funding. This is the process
activists must master on campus to get their liberal college to fund their
conservative activities, and below are three principles that will help you do
so:
- Don’t
assume roadblocks and impediments towards funding are necessarily liberal
bias on your campus. Indeed liberal
bias is prevalent on all but a few of America’s college campuses,
but it may not be what’s holding you up from getting funding for your
events. Liberals are fond of
bureaucracy, and they create plenty of it.
Learn the ins and outs of your system, meet and befriend people in
the right positions and master all of the hoops and hurdles you must go
through to get funding. The price
of ignorance can be tens of thousands of dollars and the success of your
activism.
- Network with other student groups and
people who can help you. Pro-life
groups, libertarians and others are natural allies who will cosponsor
activities with you and help you acquire more funding, but do not ignore
non-traditional allies as well.
Reach out to your business school, student business groups, lecture
series, deans, faculty departments and others who may not agree with your
philosophy, but nonetheless have an interest in sponsoring and aiding a
successful event that will get them publicity as well. When I hosted Newt Gingrich through Young America's Foundation at Fordham University I had created a network
of fifteen plus groups and individuals which included deans, faculty departments
and even a liberal groups! Not
everyone will necessarily contribute funding, but they will help market
your events and spread the good word because it will do good for their
reputations as well.
- Do not
passively accept the system as it is.
That is, although effective campus activists master the system that
exists, they must also change the system to benefit their cause. Many schools have a student-run budget
committee which allocates funding for student groups. Be pro-active in filling vacancies and
openings with students who are either out-right in favor of your cause and
will help you, or at a minimum with students who will give you a fair
hearing. There is no reason to
allow liberals to dominate the budget process and fund their own causes
when conservative activists have the organization and manpower to change
the system in their favor.
There are many more principles and tools that can benefit
collegiate activists, but the three mentioned above are the most
important. Practice and ingrain these in
your activism and you will almost surely have a bigger budget, better events
and more success.
