• Writing Your Legislator
• Letter Format
• Addressing your Legislator
• Addresses and Phone Numbers
• Personal Visits

• Letters (e-mail or regular mail)
• Phone calls
• Personal visits

Take advantage of the following tips when you make your contacts. Remember that the HHE staff is always willing to answer questions and provide background.

• Be Sure to date mail, including your name, address and telephone number on letter and envelope
• Be brief and to the point. Write one page with a short opening and two to three paragraphs on the subject.
• Be friendly. Being rude, sarcastic, or threatening accomplishes nothing.
• Be issue focused. Discuss only one issue per letter.
• Be candid and personal. Use your own words; avoid form letters. Do not credit others with your thoughts on an issue.
• Be certain about documentation. Include details pertinent to the issue.
• Be appreciative. Out of more than 5 million Hoosiers, only 150 become elected officials to the House and Senate.
• Be solicitous of a reply. Ask, Will you support higher education? To ensure a reply, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.
• Be informative to the HHE staff. Call your staff contact or Kirk White at (800) 937-3448. We need to track the communication network.
• Be proactive. Put a date on your calendar for an anticipated reply. You may need to write again.

DATE
INSIDE ADDRESS	The Honorable......................
SALUTATION	Dear......................................
1st PARAGRAPH	(State the issue) I have resided in your legislative district for (X) years. I have an interest in bill......................................
2nd PARAGRAPH	(Briefly state reason for your support of higher education.)
CLOSING PARAGRAPH	(Urge support of funding for IU and higher education in Indiana.)
SINCERELY, NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE

State Senator
  The Honorable.................
  Indiana State Senate
  Statehouse
  200 W. Washington St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46204

State Representative
  The Honorable.................
  Indiana House of Representatives 
  Statehouse
  200 W. Washington St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46204

Governor
  The Honorable Joseph Kernan
  Governor, State of Indiana
  Statehouse Room 206
  Indianapolis, IN 46204

Statehouse 200 W. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46204	Governor's Office The Honorable Joseph Kernan Room 206, Statehouse Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 232-2457 FAX: (317) 232-3443 e-mail: jkernan@state.in.us
Senate Switchboard (800) 382-9467 (317) 232-9400 FAX: (317) 278-2600	House Switchboard (317) 232-9600 REP: (800) 382-9841 DEM: (800) 382-9842

The personal visit:
Another effective way of getting your message across is to personally visit your representative. Most members of the General Assembly return home on the weekends. Take time to call or visit them and talk about the session events. If they have introduced legislation, show an interest in their efforts.

If business or vacation brings you to Indianapolis, be sure to call the HHE office in Bloomington. We will assist you in setting up an appointment with a legislator if necessary. We can also provide you with updated information, statehouse office numbers and names of key legislative staff, voting records and a checklist of issues for you to discuss.

In order to maximize your effectiveness, we can help you pinpoint the issues you wish to discuss with your representative. Call us at 1-800-937-3448 or 812-855-0921, or e-mail to: hhe@indiana.edu.

Preparation for a Personal Visit:
Here are some suggested steps to take before, during, and after a meeting with a lawmaker or his or her staff.

• Prepare for the meeting.
  Check the HHE website for the latest Action Alerts and issue descriptions.
• Don't be nervous or intimidated.
  Remember two things: 1) You are a taxpayer and a voter in the legislator’s home district and elected officials work for you; and 2) You are active in promoting higher education and can be confident in the information that you have.
• Be respectful.
  The lawmaker does hold an important office and deserves your respect. Don't make threats (For example, don't say, "If you don't do what I ask, my 300 family members will not vote for you next year.")
• Be Concise.
  Stick to the issue you want to discuss and don't get technical. Remember the KISS (keep it simple) principle.
• Remember that all politics are local.
  If you can illustrate a point by giving an example in your home district, or how higher education has had a positive impact on you or your family, use it.
• Don't argue.
  If he or she disagrees with you, state your views, listen politely to the opposing position, and when you depart, thank the lawmaker for his or her time, saying you hope to work together on another issue in the future.
• Don't overstay your welcome.
  A meeting usually lasts 15 minutes and no longer than 30. The length of the meeting is dictated by the lawmaker's schedule and interest. As a result, be sure to budget time so that you can ask the questions you want or request the action you want the lawmaker to take.
• Leave a handwritten note.
  If you miss your legislator, or he/she is unable to meet with you because of a last-minute vote, be sure to leave a personal note. Receptionists or legislative aides at the Statehouse will be sure your note is delivered. Briefly describe your higher education issue and thank them for their support. Always include your home address so that they will know that you are from their district.