Preparation and Strategy
Unified Effort
Baylor is in contact with DC based lobbying groups and other contacts to help us finalize the trip’s itinerary.
As you begin to plan your time in DC, please consider refraining from scheduling your own visits separately without keeping us informed. This makes it difficult to manage the conference’s overall schedule and significantly increases the risk of redundancy as multiple groups seek time with similar representatives. Our presence is strengthened when we coordinate together.
On Tuesday, when selecting meetings pertaining directly to your state and region, you are welcome to schedule your own meetings. Please inform us of your schedule as you plan so we can coordinate all parties accordingly. If you would like assistance scheduling state day meetings, simply contact the conference planning team at Big12SG@baylor.edu. We'd be happy to assist your team with identifying representatives to meet with.
We welcome your input as the itinerary is devised.
Strategic Priorities
During the annual Big 12 Student Government Conference, Baylor fielded input from across the Big 12 about strategic priorities for the trip to Washington. The following issues were identified as areas of focus for 2023.
The Cost of Higher Education
Education beyond high school is increasingly unattainable for many Americans unless they incur debt to acquire a degree. This places a graduate at a significant disadvantage early in his or her career. Though institutions themselves are certainly partly responsible for curbing expense, Americans need law makers to consider sustainable methods to support student efforts to better themselves. Despite recent critique, research has shown that earning a college degree is beneficial not just for increased personal economic opportunity but individual growth as well – the college experience works by and large. We must work together to strengthen America’s ability to provide access to the highest levels of education, which drives innovation, strengthens the nation’s economy, and develops the citizenry.
Mental Health
According to a recent American Psychological Association article, “During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem, according to the Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide” (Lipson, S. K., et al., Journal of Affective Disorders, Vol. 306, 2022). It is well documented that a similar rise in mental health issues is prevalent across the country. Students need the attention of lawmakers, who can help fund initiatives and design policy that supports the total health of students.
Additional Initiatives
We welcome your input as we devise the strategy for the conference. If there is an issue you believe is pertinent to member institutions or a group within the Big 12, please send our planning team a message (BIG12SG@BAYLOR.EDU) articulating the priority so it can be added to the conference's overall strategy.