Students For Liberty Executive Board Member Clint Townsend has put together this comprehensive spring semester action plan. This list of suggestions will provide you with a detailed starting point to begin organizing for liberty all spring long!
Leading a successful pro-liberty student organization is a full time job. There are many
challenges you will encounter throughout the semester, but some of these hurdles can
be partially avoided if your group has a well thought out plan for the semester ahead.
There are a number of resources mentioned throughout the following semester outline that organizations from across the country will provide at little or not cost to your campus group, so be sure to check them out!
Strategic Action Plan: Spring Semester
January
Welcome back! You should be doing some flyering on campus leading up to the first meeting. Students For Liberty has a few templates you can use here and here. There are new transfer students and everyone has a new schedule, so your group has the opportunity to gain an influx of new members. If possible, try to keep your meetings in the same place and same time as the fall semester. This will reduce confusion and increase attendance. Make sure the first meeting of the semester is entertaining and worthwhile. Consider purchasing pizza and drinks for the first meeting. Go over the schedule for the semester, what the goals are, and get input from the members about what they’d like to see. Everyone in attendance should get an idea of what the group is about, what principles we support, why these principles are important, and most importantly how fun and exciting advancing liberty can be. Think about hosting a back to school party during the first or second weekend to encourage members to get to know one another better.
It is best to schedule your group leadership meeting in January before projects and homework become very heavy. During this meeting you should delegate responsibilities for the semester, set goals, and brainstorm innovative ways to attract positive attention towards your group.
Also, January is internship application season. There are a number of opportunities with deadlines rapidly approaching. In a handout or PowerPoint presentation, show your members the numerous opportunities available. Students For Liberty has a comprehensive list of internships, and we also encourage you to apply for the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program (KSFP) or Koch Internship Program (KIP).
February
One of the main goals of Feb. is to get as many students to attend the International Students For Liberty Conference (ISFLC) as possible. Not only will the conference provide valuable educational resources to bring back to your campus, but it’s also incredibly fun and will help your members get to know one another and become more tightly-knit. Remind members at every meeting of the ISFLC. Explain hotel/travel accommodations, cost, speakers, resources, opportunities, etc. February is the time to start inviting speakers for the semester ahead. You can contact organizations in your area by referring to SFL’s speakers network.
Some February events:
- Thursday, Feb. 2nd – Ayn Rand’s Birthday: Do something Objectivist related. Check out these Objectivist-related resources here and here.
- ISFLC, Feb. 17-19 – If you will be absent from a group meeting due to ISFLC, you might consider allowing any remaining student leaders screen a movie. SFL has a resource available for your event!
March
March is Women’s history month. This provides a great opportunity to reach out to women on your campus. Try asking for resources from these organizations:
1. Ladies of Liberty Alliance (www.iamlola.org) – The mission of Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA) is to build a female leadership base through education and fellowship, and to cultivate and empower the community of liberty-minded women.
2. iFeminsts (www.ifeminists.com) – A project of the Independent Institute, ifeminists.com is a resource to learn more about the impact of women on the libertarian movement and the role that individualism plays in a truly feminist philosophy.
3. Feminists For Free Expression (www.ffeusa.org) – “Feminists for Free Expression (FFE) is a group of diverse feminists working to preserve the individual’s right to see, hear and produce materials of her choice without the intervention of the state ‘for her own good’.”
4. Capitalist Chicks (http://capitalistchicks.com) – Capitalist Chicks believes “that Capitalism is the only moral and practical economic system.” The organization seeks to “change the perceptions of who and what a capitalist is”, taking it away from the evil, greedy businessman to a real world, open category that men and women both enjoy.
5. National Rifle Association (http://www.nrahq.org/women/index.asp) – there are particular events and classes for female gun-owners that may be of interest to your members.
March Event Idea:
March 19th – Anniversary of the Iraq War: Do something anti-war related. Maybe host a forum on libertarian foreign policy or stage a protest against America’s current wars. You might contact antiwar.com to inquire about free resources.
Remember that spring break is during March so be sure you plan around that. I have previously scheduled a speaker during spring break by mistake, so take this into consideration.
Now is time also to start thinking about when and if you will host a leadership forum or forum for freedom. Your local Campus Coordinator will be able to assist you with this. Historically, the Texas forum has been scheduled during late March or early April. Check with the rest of the student leaders from around the state to determine when is the best time. You will need to make room reservations with the student activities center several weeks in advance, so make sure you get on this before or immediately after spring break. You will also need to make reservations at a cheap restaurant for dinner after the forum. Students For Liberty may be able to sponsor your dinner, so check with your local Campus Coordinator or Regional Director. In the past, we have tried to make the forum a two day event starting on Friday evening going through a post-forum party on Saturday evening. We got together as a group on Friday to watch the premiere of Atlas Shrugged and then had our forum the following morning.
April
April events:
- April 12th – Tax Freedom Day: Each year, the Tax Foundation publishes a report, in which they have calculated the date on which the average US taxpayer has worked long enough, to earn enough money, to pay all of his taxes for that year. For obvious reasons, the Tax Foundation refers to this date as Tax Freedom Day. Consider staging a protest against high taxation or the mounting federal debt. Young Americans for Liberty has previously helped YAL groups by providing resources for such an event.
- April 15th – Tiananmen Square Protests: In 1989, thousands of students took to the streets in Tiananmen Square to protest the dictatorial Communist regime. They were calling for liberalization of the country’s policies and specifically for democracy in China. The protests are better known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre for the government’s brutal tactics in silencing the people and killing many in the process.
- April 20th – Drug awareness day: Hand out free brownies? Host a speaker? Construct a makeshift prison showing non-violent offenders. SFL could help you with a protest grant!
- April 22nd – Earth Day: You might modify this graphic to use on a flyer.
Organizations to check out:
1. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc) – The mission of LEAP is to reduce the multitude of unintended harmful consequences resulting from fighting the war on drugs and to lessen the incidence of death, disease, crime, and addition by ultimately ending drug prohibition.
2. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (http://norml.org) – NORML’s mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.
3. Students for Sensible Drug Policy (http://ssdp.org) – SSDP is an international grassroots network of students who are concerned about the impact drug abuse has on our communities, but who also know that the War on Drugs is failing our generation and our society.
4. Marijuana Policy Project (www.mpp.org) – “MPP and MPP Foundation envision a nation where marijuana is legally regulated similarly to alcohol, marijuana education is honest and realistic, and treatment of problem marijuana users is non-coercive and geared toward reducing harm.”
5. Drug Policy Alliance (www.drugpolicy.org) – “DPA Network is the nation’s leading organization working to end the war on drugs. We envision new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights and a just society in which the fears, prejudices and punitive prohibitions of today are no more.”
6. American Civil Rights Institute (www.acri.org) – “The American Civil Rights Institute is a national civil rights organization created to educate the public about racial and gender preferences.”
Organizations to check out:
1. Property and Environment Research Center (www.perc.org) – “PERC is the nation’s oldest and largest institute dedicated to improving environmental quality through markets and property rights.”
2. Competitive Enterprise Institute (www.cei.org) – “CEI is dedicated to advancing the principles of free enterprise and limited government. CEI believes that individuals are best helped not by government intervention, but by making their own choices in a free marketplace.”
May
The semester is coming to a close. The bank account should have enough money in it to be able to purchase the materials needed for outreach to freshmen during summer orientations. You should be hosting your final meeting in the first week of May. Have a relaxing, fun meeting and purchase some cheap pizza and cokes. Go over all the accomplishments of the semester, ask members what their goals are going into the summer and fall. Say farewell to everyone graduating. Remind everyone that the meetings will continue to be at the same place and same time in the fall. Encourage everyone to stay in contact with the Facebook group. Maybe suggest a summer study group for those who will be staying in the area.
