AASCU Policy Publication: Partnering for Prosperity

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is pleased to present Partnering for Prosperity: Advancing the Institutional and State Agenda Through an Effective Collegiate State Relations Program. The report reflects AASCU’s longstanding efforts in fostering optimal state relations and state policy enabling America’s public colleges and universities to fully serve the public good.

A product of the AASCU Task Force on Making Public Higher Education a State Priority, this guidebook builds on the task force’s previous work, Creating a New Compact Between States and Public Higher Education. It was further informed by experienced higher education state relations leaders.

The report calls on system and institutional leaders to redouble their efforts to create and sustain a robust, mutually-beneficial working relationship with state government leaders, as well as the wide array of constituencies vital to an effective collegiate state relations program. It serves as a “how-to” manual for presidents and chancellors and will prove to be an especially helpful resource for those charged with carrying out governmental and external relations, and public affairs responsibilities.

The report’s contents include:

• The “what” and “why” of state relations
• State relations in the contemporary context
• System and campus leadership in advancing a state relations agenda
• Building networks to link and mobilize key constituencies
• Elements to consider in creating a state relations program
• Six critical functions of an effective collegiate state relations program
• Four steps to institutionalizing a state relations program

Partnering for Prosperity can serve as a valued resource in our collective efforts to further strengthen the capacity of state colleges and universities—in partnership with state government—to serve students, employers, communities and states.

For more information on Partnering for Prosperity, contact Thomas Harnisch, AASCU director of state relations and policy analysis, harnischt@aascu.org / 202.478.4660.