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1) What is BU Advocacy Day and why are we going?

BU Advocacy Day is a day for information sharing and good will, we are not "lobbying" or asking for money for projects. This year (2008) will mark the seventh anniversary of BU Advocacy Day in Albany. Darryl Wood, Local Chapter President for UUP, originally brought the idea for BU Advocacy Day forth to former Vice President Kelly. Word of the plan spread quickly and soon CSEA Local 648 stepped forward to join with the University and UUP in sponsoring and planning this event. In our first year, about 80 volunteers made the trip to Albany and last year we had just over 100. This year, we hope to take even more volunteers. So, what is BU Advocacy day? It is a day when Binghamton University shines in Albany thanks to the outstanding efforts and support from UUP, CSEA, the Administration and all of our volunteers.

2) What will we be doing?

Teams and Teams of 2 will take information to legislative offices:

1. A set of collector cards - with themes and messages important to the University
2. A useful gift as a token of our appreciation for visiting with us

Some in our delegation will work in the display areas and some will be support staff
All of us will promote Binghamton University
It is ok to not have all the answers?we can always get back to the person(s) we are visiting with correct ones
You will attend a legislative reception from 5-7:30 p.m. where you will continue to work to make our legislative guests feel welcome
You will feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride when our long day is over!

3) What is a team?

Teams are composed of 5 or 6 members, one each from the following categories:

Student
Faculty member
Alumni or Community member
Administrator
Staff member
Alternate (who will serve on the team, if one of the other members of the team is ill or unable to participate on March 4th)

The members of the team will work together to form a strategy for scheduled meetings with Legislators in Albany to promote Binghamton University.

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4) What is a "team of 2"?

"Teams of 2" are composed of 2 members of our delegation from any category, whether student, faculty, alumni, administrator, staff member. Also delegation members who are primarily there to aid in our display or to provide support may participate in this activity and visit as few or as many offices as time will permit. Delegates who are on regular teams may also participate in this activity during "down" time when they do not have a scheduled appointment.

These "teams of 2" work together to visit Legislative offices in Albany, where we do not have pre-set appointments, to promote Binghamton University. Since they do not have a scheduled appointment, they will be dropping in on offices and may or may not have the chance to see a legislator or a legislative staffer, but they will be able to leave some gift items and remind the offices of our reception that evening.

5) Do I need an ID to get into the Empire State Plaza?

YES, preferably your driver license--Security in the Empire Plaza has been heightened. Also, bring your personal business cards. They could come in very handy to give at your meetings and at the reception. You might also want to put one in the thank you cards we are preparing for you to give to the legislators after your visit. Metal detectors have been installed as you travel to either the Capitol or the Legislative Office Building, similar to those at airports. Coats will need to be removed and keys, cell phones, PDA’s, etc. will need to be removed from pockets.

6) How should I dress?

Since we are representing the University and attending an evening reception, we should plan to dress in business attire. For men, a suit or a sports coat and tie or nice pants and shirt with a tie would be appropriate. Women, a business suit, or dress pants or skirt with a nice blouse or top is appropriate. Student Athletes, please wear your warm-up suits if you are comfortable doing that. Otherwise, let’s leave our ball caps, and casual clothes at home. If you do wear another form of hat, please remove it during visits. BUT, be sure your shoes are comfortable enough to help you get through the day—we will be doing a lot of standing and walking.

7) What if we wake up to a blizzard on March 4?

Hopefully we will have some advance warning, but if conditions are such that we won't be able to make the trip, please call the snow line 777-SNOW or check the Binghamton Web site that morning when you get up at: http://www.binghamton.edu/home/updates/snowline.html, or you can access this information from the home page at http://www.binghamton.edu and click on the snow icon in the right column.

8) What happens if the nation is in the midst of a military action on March 4?

It is possible that for security reasons, our trip could be cancelled entirely. Hopefully, we will have some advanced warning regarding this possibility.

9) How are we getting there?

Via Shafer Buses that are equipped with Restrooms, TV & VCR, and are air conditioned, if the weather is hot. Smoking is prohibited at all times on the buses. Please help us keep each bus clean—we will have garbage bags on board. We will also have bottled water available on the buses for the ride up and back. You can feel free to grab a bottle as you exit the bus to carry with you, if you wish.

10) Can I or should I bring my cell phone?

Yes, they can be helpful to try to reach you or your team during the day. If you are bringing a cell phone or pager with you, please plan to turn it off or mute the ring when we are in our meetings with the legislators and political groups, but remember to turn it back on between meetings in case we are trying to reach you. Be sure you give us your cell phone number on the form you complete.

11) Do I need cash or credit cards?

All meals will be provided, so you won’t need to bring unnecessary cash or credit cards with you. (However, you must bring a picture ID with you, preferably driver license.)

12) What's the first thing to do when we get to Albany?

We will proceed directly to Meeting Rooms 2 & 3, which we have reserved for the entire day for our delegation. This will be a space to re-group between meetings or a place to relax when you don't have another assignment. We will have a couple of people staffing the space all day, so that we can leave coats, boots in the room. This will also be the location where teams can pick up additional gifts, and where Teams of 2 will gather before heading off on their visits. Folks working the display area can drop their coats and head for the display areas.

13) What about lunch and dinner?

Because of the large number in our delegation, lunch, which will be a full buffet in the Albany Room, will be in two shifts. Likewise, sandwiches and salads late day will be in shifts, and your work at the reception will be in shifts. If you go to Albany in Bus 1, you will be the first shift to eat lunch, the first to eat at 4, and the first to relax at the Reception. If you are on Bus 2, you will be the second shift to eat lunch, the second to eat at 4:45, and the second shift to relax at the Reception.

14) What can I do with my coat/purse/briefcase?

We will be able to leave our coats and boots in Meeting Rooms 2 & 3 until 5:30 p.m. ONLY. By that time, you will need to move any of your personal items to the coatroom in the Albany Room where our reception will be held. There will not be anyone assigned to watch things in the Albany Room coatroom, so leaving valuables there is at your own risk. If you would prefer, you can leave items on the bus. Purses and briefcases should be either left at home, or be small enough that you won’t mind carrying them around with you all day. Even though we will have people assigned to Meeting Rooms 2 & 3 all day, please don't ask them to personally guard your laptop, cell phone or other valuables.

15) What things will we need to take on the Team visits?

Team Leaders will have a tote bag containing the things you'll need for your visits. Those items include an itinerary for the day, the schedule of your team appointments, ID badges, a card that you can give to your legislator that will tell him/her the number of students and alumni in his or her district, maps, a notebook for taking team notes and extra collector cards, etc. Also included will be lists of your team members with titles that you can hand to the receptionist as you arrive at your appointments. Your team will also want to take enough gifts for your first few visits before lunch then come back to Meeting Rooms 2 & 3 for additional gifts for the afternoon. Again this year we will have pre-printed thank you notes that everyone on the team should sign to thank the legislator you are visiting. These will be mailed the following morning. If you are a part of the "teams of 2" you should sign your thank you note and leave it that day.

16) What if I get separated from my team, or get lost?

Ask for directions to the North Concourse area of the Empire State Plaza. Our display will be set up there and one of the site people will be able to help you. Maps will be provided in your packets at Orientation and can be found on the web page. If you need to leave your team, please let at least one other team member know where you are going. The extra security that has been set up will cause delays, so keep that in mind as you travel to both the Capitol and Legislative Office Building.

17) What if our team needs a rest spot between meetings?

We have reserved Meeting Rooms 2 & 3 and LOB 211 all day until 5:30 p.m. We will have coffee and pitchers of water there all day. Also, there are two cafeterias (one next to the Albany Room and one located very close to Meeting Rooms 2 & 3). There are also various coffee shops and fast food restaurants on the concourse level, as well as some other shops.

18) What if first aid is needed?

We will have first aid kits on the buses, in Meeting Rooms 2 & 3 and in the North Concourse area that will contain bandages and ointments for minor cuts, ice packs, headache remedies and antacids. In addition, there is a nurse’s station on the Concourse level.

19) Why are we having food to eat just prior to having a reception?

We are having the food prior to the reception so that we can concentrate on our guests during the reception. It is hard to try to eat and drink while answering questions and engaging our guests.

20) What is my role at the legislative reception?

We are there to work to promote Binghamton and we should greet our guests warmly and engage them in conversation. We will be asking for people to rotate being the "First Greeter" at the reception. In this role, you'll be the first person to shake hands with folks after they receive their name badge at the registration table. Likewise, we will have half of our delegation working the room during the first half of the reception to welcome and engage our guests in conversation. These folks may then relax during the second half of the reception. Then we will reverse the process and have the folks who were relaxing at the beginning of the reception get up and work the latter half of the reception. You should feel free to have a beverage and something to eat, when it is your turn to relax at the reception. If it is your turn to work at the reception, then you will mingle with our guests just as you would if hosting guests in your home. You will be tired by this time of the day, but please resist the temptation to sit with your friends all evening. Remember, we will have sandwiches and salad just prior to the reception, so that we can concentrate on talking with our guests at the reception. This year we will have name badges for our guests that will be different from our badges to help identify our guests to us immediately.

21) Where can I find information on our Albany legislators?

We will have a notebook with information on all NYS Senators and Assemblymembers available with us on site in Meeting Rooms 2 & 3. If you would like to do so prior to our trip, you can also look up additional information on the web for our New York Senators and for our New York Assemblymembers.
Also see links to these sites on our BU Advocacy day web site.