AASCU, APLU, AACC and CASE are proud to sponsor the 26th annual Higher Education Government Relations Conference (HEGRC), which will be held Dec. 4-6, 2019, at the InterContinental Hotel in New Orleans. HEGRC is an educational forum for professionals whose responsibility is to foster effective governmental and community relations on behalf of public colleges and universities.
This year's theme of "Making the Case for Higher Education Amid Scarcity and Division" seeks to address the dual challenges of funding and political polarization. It reflects an era in which the country is experiencing economic expansion, yet state revenue growth is often limited and uneven. This has led to intense competition for new funding and requires higher education government relations professionals to use innovative, effective advocacy strategies to make the case for higher education to state lawmakers. The funding challenge is exacerbated by growing societal disagreements on the value, purposes and future of public higher education; entrenched political polarization; and the divisive influences stemming from the 2020 election cycle.
How can government relations professionals bridge divides and successfully achieve results for public higher education in this environment? This conference will explore innovative strategies and best practices in state higher education advocacy, coalition development, media relations, policy development, and messaging to advance the public higher education agenda. It will feature a diverse array of speakers from across the country to speak on issues relevant to government relations professionals today.