Legislative Liaison

In response to a need to strengthen communication between the ASCCC and local senates, the body passed Resolution 17.03 S15 Establishing a Local Legislative Liaison Position. When establishing the legislative liaison position, academic senates should create a structure to best serve the needs and interests of the faculty at their local colleges. For example, the position may be held by one faculty member, shared by two faculty members, or may consist of a small group of faculty with one faculty member acting as the primary contact. Any of these models are well suited to fulfilling the intent of the resolution. To provide assistance in implementing the resolution, the Legislative and Advocacy Committee prepared legislative liaison position guidelines that academic senates may modify to best fit with their local governance structure. The responsibilities of the Legislative Liaison(s) may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

  • Attend local senate meetings and report regularly or as requested about legislation and legislative issues.
  • Facilitate or act as a resource for local discussions of legislation and contemplated legislation.
  • Identify legislation issues of particular local concern and convey those to the Legislative and Advocacy Committee.
  • Communicate opportunities and, at times, the urgent need for faculty participation in legislative activities.
  • Collaborate with local senate officers to create and or improve a mechanism for the most effective communication with faculty on campus about legislative issues of common concern.
  • Serve as a conduit between the local faculty and the Legislative and Advocacy Committee representatives in the area.
  • As funding permits, attend state-level events and meetings (ASCCC, FACCC), participate in panels or make presentations as appropriate.
  • Monitor the legislative listserv (legliaison [at] listserv.cccnext.net (legliaison[at]listserv[dot]cccnext[dot]net)) and the Legislative Updates webpage and report to the local Academic Senate and, as determined to be appropriate in collaboration with local senate officers, faculty at large on campus.
  • Work with local student organizations and advocacy groups to help them with their efforts as well as encourage them to join in efforts led by others.

The responsibilities noted above are only suggestions that local senates should consider when selecting a faculty member.  The Executive Committee understands that many local senates and faculty in general have limited resources and time; thus, liaisons can do as little or as much as they have time and resources to do.  There are, however, two most basic expectations for the Legislative liaison:  1) sign up for the ASCCC Legislative Liaison listserv; and 2) communicate with the local senate and faculty the statewide conversations relevant to his/her college.