Lobbying for Higher Education: How Colleges and Universities Influence Federal Policy (Vanderbilt Issues in Higher Education)

'Lobbying for Higher Education: How Colleges and Universities Influence Federal Policy is about how the major higher education associations and the constituent American colleges and universities try to influence federal policy, especially congressional policy. In clear prose it explains how the higher education community organizes itself in Washington, how it lobbies, and how its major interest groups are perceived both by their own members and by public officials. The book focuses on the crucial development in 1995-1996 of a new lobbying paradigm, which included the greater use of campus-based resources and ad hoc coalitions.''The author, Constance Cook, used sources unique to this project: over 1,500 survey responses from college and university presidents (a 62% return rate) and nearly 150 interviews with institutional and association leaders.'--Jacket
Historically, many faculty and administrators in higher education have regarded themselves as above the fray--part of the national interest, not a special interest--and considered lobbying a dirty business unworthy of their lofty enterprise. Now that academia no longer enjoys all the respect and good will that federal policy makers once afforded it, that attitude has changed. The Republican sweep of the 1994 Congressional elections served as a wake-up call for the higher education community. In response, it made a spirited effort to gain attention for its own policy preferences.

Lobbying for Higher Education is about how the major higher education associations and the constituent American colleges and universities try to influence federal policy, especially congressional policy. In clear prose Cook explains how the higher education community organizes itself in Washington, how it lobbies, and how its major interest groups are perceived both by their own members and by public officials. The book focuses on the crucial development in 1995-1996 of a new lobbying paradigm, which included the greater use of campus-based resources and ad hoc coalitions. The most engrossing part of its story is higher education's creative response to the policy turmoil and disruption of the status quo that resulted from the shift in congressional party control.

The author, Constance Cook, uses sources unique to this project: over 1,500 survey responses from college and university presidents (a 62% return rate) and nearly 150 interviews with institutional and association leaders. Fortuitously, the 1994 electoral upheaval provided her with an opportunity to capture, analyze, and interpret the responses of her subjects in a period of unusually sweeping change.

Lobbying for Higher Education is a timely book with an interesting and important story at its core.

This book addresses ways the higher education community influences and is impacted by federal policy in the context of the decline of public confidence in higher education and budget constraints. A survey was conducted of 1,554 college and university presidents followed by 140 interviews with leaders in higher education. Results are analyzed in chapters on the following topics: (1) the federal role and structure for higher education policy making; (2) the history of the major higher education associations; (3) the erosion of public confidence in higher education and its implications for policy making; (4) criticism in the 104th Congress of academia and current policy issues; (5) the Washington higher education community especially the role of the American Council on Education; (6) the relationship between the major associations and their institutional members; (7) differences among institutional types; (8) lobbying strategies and tactics of the higher education community; (9) the effectiveness of interest groups; and (10) conclusions. The book concludes that challenges in federal relations will persist for the five organizations that compose the American Council on Education. Numerous figures and tables illustrate the data. Appended are the survey instrument, a comparison of survey respondents and colleges and universities in general, and a list of interviewees. (Contains approximately 220 references.) (BF) Higher education policies and representation A history of association lobbying up to 1990 Challenges in the early 1990s The arrival of the 104th Congress Coordination of the higher education community Organizational maintenance in the Big Six associations Federal relations differences among institutions The choice of lobbying techniques Success in the 104th Congress A new understanding of higher education lobbying An overview for college and university presidents.