Student activist groups generally hope to compel change but they may not always know effective ways to do it.
To discuss useful forms of expression and persuasion, the UW-Madison Student Leadership Program invited members of campus organizations to talk about helpful activism strategies Tuesday.
Jon Mitchell, a UW-Madison junior and activities chair for the College Democrats, said the challenge to organize members and create a unified plan.
\We've had good ideas but no one knew how to follow through on them,"" he said. ""First you need to figure out what resources you have and know how you're going to use them.""
Mitchell said the two strategies that have been effective at publicizing his group's message are writing editorials to state and campus newspapers and inviting high-profile or notorious speakers to campus.
Other students suggested taking their cases straight to legislators. Megan Larson, a UW-Madison senior and member of the Poverty Action Network, said students should not be afraid to take their cases directly to politicians.
""We're right here in Madison, in the state capital. We can lobby [politicians], we can make appointments to go in and talk to them, we can meet their aides,"" she said. ""To really change things you have to go to the legislative level.""
Larson said her office once got a call from Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who said he had received ""a lot of letters"" and wanted to follow up. The student asked how many letters he got, and Feingold replied, ""Ten.""
""Ten letters was a lot? See, that shows that contacting them really does make a difference, that they do pay attention,"" Larson said.
Some students expressed skepticism that politicians read e-mails and letters or respond to phone calls, but Larson said the key is numbers.
""It's word of mouth-if they get a lot of calls, they'll hold press conferences, call committee meetings, include the issue on the city council agenda. That's how you know your group is making a difference,"" she said.
The university encourages students to be politically and socially active.
""All it takes is three students to form a student organization. You get free web space and you're eligible for funding, a minimum of $200,"" said Renee Alfano, assistant director to the UW-Madison Student Organization Office.
""Students here are very passionate,"" she added. ""That's what makes this such an exciting place.\
