Welcome to the Platform CommitteeHere’s your crash course guide to what you signed yourself up for.

What's a MSCSA?

The Minnesota State College Student Association (MSCSA) is an association of Minnesota’s public two-year college students, which works to ensure accessible, quality, and affordable public higher education while providing students with representation, leadership development, and communication across the state.

Purpose and Drive Advocate Empower Provide Facilitate Establish Ensure Promote

Cool Story Bro. Now What Is My Job?

The Platform Committee recommends what stances the MSCSA should take towards various policies relating to higher education in Minnesota and at the federal level.

We are the “think tank” that researches topics important to students and get all the facts so we can make informed decisions.

We are the platform and legislative experts for our regions, providing legislation updates to our regions and assisting advocacy events, .

We craft yearly agenda of “goals” we want to push for this year, whether it is Textbook Affordability, The Achievement Gap, Transferability of Credits, or the State Grant Program (financial aid).

What’s on your calendar?

Platform Committee meeting dates Conference Dates Regional meeting dates Platform report due dates; yes I WILL

be keeping track of who turns in reports and if their late ;)

Topic issues research timelines

Questions,Inquiries,

Clarifications?

Federal Legislative Issues (Article II)

Supports:◦ Financial Aid

Expanding the Pell Grant Lowering loan interest rates Streamlining the Federal

Application for Student Financial Aid (FASFA)

◦ Student Benefits Reauthroization of the

Higher Education Act of 1965 Expanding work-study

opportunities Increasing child care

opportunities on or around composes.

Expanding tax credits and deductions for students

Opposes:◦ Reducing or limiting financial

aid programs ◦ Use of Social Security Numbers

as identification numbers◦ Repeal of the “90/10” rule

State Legislative Issues (Article III)

Supports:◦ Cost of Higher Education

Increased state funding/investments to public colleges/universities

Legislation which reduces tuition

Changes to the state grant formula which benefit students

◦ Student Rights and Benefits Student’s rights to organize

on a state and campus level Increasing child care

opportunities on or around campus

Opposes:◦ The sale or provision of

student’s personal information

◦ Making student life or student association fees optional

◦ Cuts to public bus services to any educational institutions

◦ High-tuition/high financial aid models of funding

◦ Instructors receiving “gifts” from publishers for using their textbooks

Local and Campus Issues (Article IV)

Supports:◦ Student Empowerment

Student right to be a part or the decision making process (especially in regards to tuition and fees)

Students being in control of how student life finds are used

◦ Access Credit-weighed registration

for classes Disability services and

facilities Voting information, forms,

and polls Digital and financial literacy

training

Opposes:◦ Any fee or restriction to the

access or use of a student’s financial aid, state grant, student payroll, or stipend funds

◦ Restrictions to a students ability to vote

◦ Discrimination of any group or class

◦ Use of tech fees not in the benefit of all students

International (Article V)Supports:

◦ Students obtaining temporary Social Security Numbers

◦ Campuses utilizing their discretionary authority to granting “in-state” tuition to international students

◦ International students paying “in-state” tuition after 12 months of residency

◦ Campus-level advising services to international students

Opposes:◦ The collection of the

SEVIS fee from international Students

Minnesota State College and Universities “MnSCU”

(Article VI)

Supports:◦ Two Year College Student

Representation On committees which

affect students On Chancellor and Vice-

Chancellor Search Committees

On the Board of Trustees In the decision-making

processes.◦ Uniformity in the System

Instructor evaluation process

Academic Credit Transfer Quality Standards for

Hybrid/Online

Opposes:◦ Campus mandate of payment

of fees/tuition before the course start date

◦ Construction of revenue projects without local student support

◦ Use of third party product/services which hinder student’s access to education

Questions,Inquiries,

Clarifications?

Time to Brainstorm!

Legislator Randevú

Three Steps to meeting with your Legislators

1. Who is My Legislator2. Making Contact3. Show Up in Style!

Sept 1: Who is My Legislator?

To find out who is your legislator, simply google “Who Represents Me MN” and click the link

Click on the “district finder” link

Enter in your personal address and hit enter

You now have found your Legislators!

Step 2: Making Contact

Make a call or send a email to your Legislator’s Legislative Assistant and let them know your looking to set up a meeting with your legislator

IMPORTANT!!!

BE POLITE! Staff are the ones who decide if you get on the legislators calendar. If you are rude, do you think they’ll want to put you on the legislators busy calendar?

Step 3: Show up in Style!

Do your research! You should know your Legislators:

Name

Party

Committees

District

Legislative Assistant

Biography

Know the Agenda Items Your Advocating For!

Dress for Success

Business Professional is the dress code. Pro-tip if you wouldn’t wear it to a interview, don’t wear it to a Legislator meeting!

5 minutes Early is Late

Meet up with your group at least 10-15 minutes before your meeting near the meeting location, but don’t hover in front of the door.