Student Organizing Manual (2015 - 2016)

STUDENTORGANIZING MANUAL

2015 - 2016

STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY

INTRODUCTION

SSDP HISTORY3TABLE OF CONTENTS

5

1 1

9

1 0

1 2

7

4 MEET THE STAFF

RECRUITING MEM-

BERS

CHAPTER ACTIVITY

TRACKER (CAT)

SSDP POINTS

2015-201T6

ORGANIZATIONAL

OBJECTIVES

CAMPAIGNS

CHAPTER STRUCTURE

GETTING STARTED

1 5

1 6 EVENTS

MEETINGS

1 7

1 8 MEDIA

FUNDRAISING

2 0

2 1 CRISIS RESPONSE

LOBBYING

2 2 ALUMNI

1 4 RETAINING MEMBERS

3

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT SSDP

HISTORY

This Student Organizing Manual was created for you by SSDP staff members who founded and managed SSDP chapters on

their campuses and have advised hundreds of SSDP chapters, many of which have successfully pursued policy changes at

the campus, local, state, and federal levels. This manual will guide you on how to establish your SSDP chapter, recruit & retain

members, plan meetings, organize & execute events, and ultimately help end the war on dugs!

Mission:

Students for Sensible Drug Policy 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. SSDP

mobilizes and empowers young people to participate in the political process, pushing for sensible policies to achieve a safer

and more just future, while fighting back against counterproductive Drug War policies, particularly those that directly harm

students and youth.

Values:

SSDP neither condones nor condemns drug use, rather we respect the right of individuals to make decisions about their own

health and well-being. We encourage honest conversation about the realities of the drug war. We promote youth civic engage-

ment as a critical tool in reforming drug policy. SSDP respects the diverse experiences and identities of our constituents. We

develop leaders who advocate for policy changes based on justice, liberty, compassion and reason.

In the fall of 1996, members of the Student Drug Reform Movement (SDRM) began to chat over the internet using a Drug

Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet) discussion page. In 1997, the Rochester Cannabis Coalition (RCC) at the Rochester

Institute of Technology applied to become the first official student organization dedicated to fighting the War on Drugs; RIT

denied RCC’s application and ultimately expelled the lead organizer, Shea Gunther (‘98), who would go on to become an SSDP

founder. In winter 1998, SDRM members at University of Massachusetts-Amherst hosted a conference for about 50 students,

many of whom would go on to join Shea in founding SSDP.

That conference led to the First National Gathering in Washington, DC the following year, where attendees decided to col-

lectively to form SSDP into a national organization and elect a board of directors comprised of one representative from each

of the five schools that had chapters operating under the SSDP name (Hampshire College, University of Wisconsin-Madison,

George Washington University, American University, and Rochester Institute of Technology). SSDP undertook a series of ac-

tions and events which contributed to partial repeal of the Higher Education Act Aid Elimination Penalty (HEAAEP), our first

political victory:

January 2000 – First National Action. At and around the College Convention 2000 in New Hampshire, SSDP students pro-tested the HEAAEP.

Spring 2000 – First Loan Replacement Program. Hampshire College instituted the first HEAAEP loan replacement program and its president was the first to come out against the HEAAEP.

March 3, 2001 – Legislation to Repeal. A coalition of U.S. House Democrats introduced legislation that would repeal a mora-torium on federal financial aid to college students with drug convictions, citing denial of aid for 8,162 students that school year.

March 15, 2001 – “Students VS. the Drug War.” An article featuring SSDP appeared in Rolling Stone. HEAAEP victim Marisa Garcia was profiled and the article marked SSDP’s big break into public awareness.

Spring 2001 – Colleges Urge Change. Five Oregon colleges passed resolutions urging changes to the HEAAEP. Thirteen leading education associations representing admissions officers, community and state colleges, financial aid administrators and student groups sent a strongly worded letter outlining flaws in the HEAAEP to the head of the DEA.

February 2002 – Souder Confronted About HEAAEP. Members of SSDP attended an event to get long-awaited answers from Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) about the HEAAEP legislation he authored.

April 9, 2002 – Yale Begins Reimbursement. Yale became the fourth college to reimburse students who have lost aid due to the HEAAEP.

006 – Partial Repeal of the HEA. Congress, responding to pressure from SSDP and other advocates, scaled back the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty, taking away its “reachback effect” so that it would only af-fect students convicted for offenses that occur while they are enrolled in college and receiving aid.

MEET OUR STAFF

B E T T Y A L D W O R T H

Executive Director

S TA C I A C O S N E R ( ‘ 0 5 )

Deputy Director

D R E W S T R O M B E R G ( ‘ 0 9 )

Program Director

L A U R E N P A D G E T T

Development Officer

J A K E A G L I ATA ( ‘ 1 1 )

Outreach Coordinator

Mid-Atlantic, Northeast,

International Regions

S C O T T C E C I L ( ‘ 1 0 )


Southeast, Southwest Regions

F R A N C E S F U ( ‘ 1 1 )


Pacific Region

T Y L E R W I L L I A M S ( ‘ 1 1 )


Heartlant, Mountain, Midwest Re-

gions

B R I A N O R T I Z ( ‘ 1 3 )

Campus Coordinator

California

GETTING STARTEDNote: these steps may not necessarily happen in this order. Work with your Outreach Coordinator to develop the most sensible

plan for establishing an SSDP chapter on your campus.

1. Complete the New Chapter Application

Your first step toward becoming an established chapter of SSDP is to contact the SSDP national office by filling out a new

chapter application. You can find the application at ssdp.org/chapters/start. Once you complete the application you will re-

ceive a welcome email from your SSDP Outreach Coordinator, who will guide you through the steps outlined in the following

pages.

2. Become a recognized student organization on campus

In order to become an established chapter you will attempt to become an official student organization as recognized by your

campus administration and/or student government association. Very likely, your school has the requirements for becoming an

official student organization listed on its website. Typically, this process includes the following three steps:

Paperwork: Your school will require some paperwork from you which will very likely require that you write and submit a

Chapter Constitution or Student Organization Charter. Templates, which provide a foundation so you don’t have to start

from scratch, are available at ssdp.org/resources/sample-materials.

Find a Faculty Advisor: Typically, your school will also require that you find a faculty advisor or staff advisor to oversee your

chapter activities. See step 3 for tips.

Demonstrate student support: Your school may ask you to gather a number of signatures in support of your efforts to start

an SSDP chapter on your campus. Remember to collect contact information, so that you can invite anyone who signs your

petition to your first meeting.

3. Find a Faculty Advisor

Research the Faculty: Be sure to check your school’s website for faculty bios: you may find that various professors at your

school have studied or worked on drug policy, law, criminal justice reform, or other intersecting issues. When inviting a fac-

ulty member to be your sponsor, make sure that you are prepared to clearly explain SSDP neither condones nor condemns

drug use and that our goal is to promote open, honest, and rational discussion about drug use and drug policies.

Be clear about what the advisor’s role would be: Potential faculty advisors may be concerned they will not have time to be

an effective sponsor for you. While having an advisor who is heavily engaged in your chapter activities, meetings, and events

is very beneficial, many SSDP chapter advisors are minimally involved with chapter activities beyond the initial paperwork. If

you are unable to find an enthusiastic and engaged advisor, it’s O.K. to make it clear to busy faculty that they will not need

to spend any time working directly with your chapter if they are unable to do so. Your Outreach Coordinator is here to help

fill those gaps.

Be persistent: Finding an advisor can often be the most difficult part of becoming an officially recognized organization on

campus. If you are having trouble, don’t be discouraged.

4. Create a Social Media Presence

We recommend that every chapter create a Facebook group and/or page and Twitter account to share drug policy news, SSDP

announcements, and chapter updates among their networks. Please be sure to send your Outreach Coordinator a link to any

accounts you create so they can follow you and include links on your chapter’s page on our website.

5. Become an Official SSDP Chapter

When you become an afficially recognized organization on campus OR have your first meeting, you are now an official chap-

ter of SSDP! Official SSDP chapters are listed on our website, receive an SSDP email address, and are recognized with a

welcoming blog post. Official chapters also get some cool perks, including exclusive access to the SSDP CAT store and career

opportunities, on-call guidance and support from SSDP staff, organizing advice, educational resources, networking, training,

and eligibility for conference scholarships.

We hope you are as excited about telling the world about your chapter as we are! When your Outreach Coordinator is writ-

ing your chapter formation announcement, they may ask to do a short interview with you and/or send you some questions

to answer. Feel free to prepare a few paragraphs about why you decided to form an SSDP chapter and what you would like

to accomplish as a chapter leader and beyond. And be sure to send your Outreach Coordinator links to your chapter’s social

media pages so they can promote your work!

What if I Don’t Have Time to Start a Chapter? Become an SSDP Ambassador!

Maybe you are interested in SSDP and committed to ending the Drug War but don’t think you can commit to organizing and

building an SSDP chapter. Let your Outreach Coordinator know that you are interested in being an SSDP Ambassador. As an

Ambassador, you get to participate in SSDP’s drug policy reform campaigns without forming an official chapter.

GETTING STARTED (CONTINUED)

S E N S I B L E T I P

SSDP staff can help you decide

which option (chapter or

ambassador) is right for you.

Student ambassadors represent SSDP

on campus and in their local commu-

nity, distribute SSDP literature, work to

address policy goals from an individual

standpoint, submit op-eds and LTEs to

campus papers, and may identify stu-

dents with the time and resources to

establish a chapter of SSDP. In return,

SSDP provides limited staff support as

well as the full breadth of SSDP benefits

including access to the SSDP CAT store;

policy change, community organizing,

and educational resources; networking,

training, and career opportunities; and

application for student scholarships to

attend select national events.

CHAPTER STRUCTUREThe way you choose to organize your chapter’s leadership is up to you. No matter what structure your chapter decides to use,

it’s important that everyone is on the same page about expected roles and responsibilities at the beginning of each semester.

This can help prevent conflict if everyone knows exactly what the chapter expects of them, and if a leader is no longer able to

fulfill their duties, they can find a replacement or inform the President that they will be stepping down. Here are some sample

roles, responsibilities and duties of officers (feel free to use these as they are or adapt to your chapter’s needs):

President

Meets with administrators and communicates with SSDP’s national office

Leads development of the organizational vision, goals, and strategies for the chapter

Facilitates officer and regular chapter meetings

Supervises all group activities

Reserves rooms, AV equipment, etc. for meetings and special events

Is aware of important deadlines and shares information with the chapter

Is a reliable source of information about drug policy reform

Builds and maintains strong relationships with other student groups, legislative bodies, alumni, other organizations

Facilitates and implements ideas for meetings, events, initiatives, recruitment, policy change, outreach, etc.

Keeps records pertaining to meetings, events, members, committees, finances, schedules, etc.

Speaks to local media (National media requests should be handled by SSDP staff. Contact your Outreach Coordinatorim-mediately if you are contacted by national media.)

Manages Executive Board (officers) including running officer meetings, delegating tasks to officers, ensuring completion of deadlines, and facilitating communication among officers

Oversees budget process with Treasurer (including attending funding request meetings and assisting with completing fund-ing requests, supplying documentation, etc.)

Ensures online information about the chapter is accurate and complete (including Facebook groups, email list serves, na-tional SSDP website, etc.)

Vice President

Assists President with all of their duties and responsibilities, including communicating with the SSDP national office

Is able to take over presidency should the President be unable to fulfill any of their duties or responsibilities

Directs efforts towards organizational vision, goals, and strategies

Treasurer

Keeps track of finances in detail

Is aware of important funding deadlines and communicates relevant information to other officers

Submits budgets to appropriate campus bodies each year or semester

Distributes funds to speakers, vendors, and other entities

Keeps track of incoming donations, fundraising dollars, etc.

Keeps inventory of materials (both for fundraising and for general use)

Secretary

Attends all meetings or arranges for a replacement

Prints and distributes agendas prior to each meeting

Updates and manages the chapter’s email list

Collects new member information as necessary

Records meeting minutes for both Executive Board and general meetings

Disseminates minutes after each meeting as appropriate

Additionally, large and active chapters will want to consider other positions which will contribute to effective chapter manage-ment and activities. Examples include:

Vice President of Event Planning

Reserves rooms, AV equipment, etc. for meetings and special events

Identifies opportunities for collaboration with other student organizations on campus or in the community for events

Manages and maintains the organization’s social media outlets

Maintains contact with local media/news outlets, conducts outreach to local news/media outlets, and updates leadership team with possible PR opportunities


Vice President of Membership

Recruits and trains new members and officers

Plans organizational social gatherings

Serves as a resource and facilitates bonding between all chapter members


Additional officer/chair positions

Helps determine agenda items for each meeting

Assists officers with duties and responsibilities

Recruits and trains new members of the chapter and Executive Board

Helps maintain website and other online information

Advises and monitors officer activities and group progress

Certified Peer Educator (coming soon!)

Conveys factual information about drugs and drug policy, including resources for students

Facilitates small-group educational programs in residence halls, in fraternities and sororities, for other student groups and high schools, and during Orientation Week

Provides students with informal counseling and professional referrals

Plans campus-wide events in collaboration with other student groups, academic departments or community organizations

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CAMPAIGNSEach SSDP chapter has the autonomy to determine what campus-based initiatives to work on based on knowledge of the local campus community. Your outreach coordinator will help you determine if the initiatives that your chapter would like to focus on are a mission fit for SSDP and help you outline what steps you should take in order to pursue your campaign initiatives. Be sure to review the campaigns section of the SSDP website at ssdp.org/campaigns for more details about the rich menu of activities listed below.

Call 911 Good Samaritan Policies (AKA Medical Amnesty)Good Samaritan Policies (aka GSPs or Medical Amnesty policies) are life-saving measures that enable people to make respon-sible decisions by shielding them from punishment when they call for medical help during an emergency related to drugs in-cluding alcohol, since the threat of punitive policies can often cause hesitation during confusing and stressful party situations. This is a policy you can enact on the campus, local, or state level.

On the Record Project This project seeks to get politicians on the record about their stances on drug policy. With support for legalizing marijuana higher than ever before, and 76% of likely voters saying they feel the War on Drugs has failed, the time is ripe for students to speak truth to power and get politicians on film answering tough questions. Campaign season presents many opportunities to get electeds and hopefuls On the Record at campaign events, debates, and other public forums.

Global Drug Policy In the 2015-2016 school year the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem, scheduled for April 19-21 in New York City, will provide a special opportunity for SSDP members to represent the youth voice in the global drug policy debate. Additionally, international chapters and chapters of our sister organizations, Canadian Students for Sensi-ble Drug Policy and Students for Sensible Drug Policy UK, are working across the globe to change policy in their own countries.

Amending the RAVE Act The Amend the RAVE Act campaign was launched in August 2014 by Dede Goldsmith, whose daughter Shelley died a year earlier due to heat stroke after taking MDMA at an EDM show. The goal of the campaign is to amend the 2003 Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (better known as the RAVE Act) in order to make music festivals and concerts safer. This would be achieved by adding language that would allow event organizers and venue owners to implement harm reduction practices and safety measures in order to reduce the risk of medical emergencies, particularly those associated with drug use. You can learn more at www.amendtheraveact.org.

Fighting Student Drug TestingThe federal government has recently ramped up its campaign to encourage schools to implement drug testing regimes and even offers grants to fund them. Meanwhile, representatives from drug testing companies are increasingly arranging presenta-tions in front of local school boards to promote their products. As a result, some schools require students to submit to drug testing if they want to participate in any extracurricular activity. Suspicionless student drug testing has been shown to be costly; ineffective; sometimes dangerous; and detrimental to the necessary trust between students, teachers, and parents.

Lowering the Drinking AgeAmerican youth alcohol policy is a perfect example of drug policy with unrealistic expectations and serious unintended conse-quences. Our current policy attempts to prevent underage drinking by criminalizing youth who consume alcohol before they are 21 years old, but primarily results in increasing the harms of alcohol consumption for those under 21. Today, more than 90% of high school seniors claim that alcohol is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain, and nearly half acknowledge drinking in the past 30 days.

AMPLIFYAMPLIFY is a project of Students for Sensible Drug Policy that connects student activists with artists who support our mission to get students involved in reforming drug policy. The project works by creating a mutually beneficial relationship between SSDP and artists where both parties help to promote each other. SSDP chapters throughout the country are able to act as street teams for artists who are part of the AMPLIFY project. For example, when a band is coming through your city, your chapter can put up fliers, create facebook event pages, and pass out handbills to promote the show. The artists then give your chapter free passes and a table at their live show where you can pass out information, collect email addresses, and sell t-shirts. It’s a fun and exciting way to amplify your activism! Just visit the AMPLIFY website to sign up for a show near you and to find our detailed guide on how to make the most of your AMPLIFY experience: ssdp.org/amplify.

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S T R E N G T H E N I N G T H E

N E T W O R K

We will expand our network with active presence on 290 campuses — including 175 established chapters as well as interim chapters and Ambassadors — with 4,000 active members in the United States.

We will continue to develop and grow the SSDP Alumni Association program, more strongly con-necting students to Alumni members, keeping Alum-ni engaged as advocates, and developing Alumni as philanthropists. Membership will grow to more than 200 members, resulting in a total of $33,648 in an-nual income.

The SSDP Ambassador program will provide a meaningful opportunity for individual students to support and participate in SSDP even if there is no chapter on campus.

Our Campus Campaign program will strategically leverage drug policy initiatives, leading to a 100% increase in the number of active campuses, 800% increase in the number of students we communicate with, and 300% increase in number of chapter mem-bers & Ambassadors by December 2016 in targeted states.

We will provide resources and support to our inter-national chapter network.

We — staff and members — will collaborate with al-lies from across the political spectrum and non-drug policy reform groups to spread our message of re-form.

We will actively engage our supporter base through regular, meaningful, and carefully curated contact.

We will seize compelling opportunities to address audiences concerning drug policy reform and to en-gage in public debates.

2015 - 2016 ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

M O V E M E N TB U I L D I N G

B R I N G I N G P E O P L E

T O G E T H E R

Our staff will utilize professional best practices in event planning, execution and evaluation.

Noting that SSDP will be sponsoring Model UNGASS at the Drug Policy Reform Conference in November 2015 near Washington, DC, we will support local chapters in hosting regional conferences during the Fall 2015 semester when the opportunity is appro-priate.

We will facilitate, in collaboration with allies, training opportunities to further legislative reform in at least two states.

We will successfully execute SSDP2016 Conference in April 2016 in Washington DC with at least 500 attendees.

We will connect donors, alumni, and student mem-bers through networking receptions in major cities.

C R E AT I N G S A F E S P A C E S

A N D F O S T E R I N G D I V E R S I T Y

We will provide a welcoming, open, and safe space for all stakeholders, including those that stand in conflict on other issues, and work to ensure that a wide range of perspectives are represented. We will actively seek out opportunities for collaboration with other organizations, including non-drug policy re-form groups and those beyond our traditional allies.

P U S H I N G T H E P O L I C Y

E N V E L O P E & S P E A K I N G

T R U T H T O P O W E R

We will provide our membership with timely oppor-tunities to take action on state and federal legisla-tion, meet with elected officials or decision makers concerning drug policy reform, and provide resourc-es to change campus and local policies.

Through our online action center, we will generate thousands of communications to government of-ficials.

Our staff will publish and maintain data on campus drug policies and Call 911 Good Samaritan policies to serve as expert resources on these issues, and chapters will educate their communities or cam-puses about harm reduction policies, practices, and services.

H I G H L I G H T I N G O U R

S T U D E N T S A N D

T H E I R W O R K

We will highlight our students and their work through effective storytelling to donors, alumni, and the pub-lic — improving depth of data collected — and in hun-dreds of media reports, letters to the editor, and op-eds including referring media to student members as often as possible.

We will improve our strong, unified, and professional brand and all team members will endeavor to adhere to brand principles. Our website will remain function-al and content will be up to date.

Our online presence will continue to grow: Facebook posts will reach an average 10,000 users

Our website will receive more than 190,000 unique visitors and 390,000 pageviews. Additionally, our total YouTube views will surpass 2.3 million,and Twitter followers will grow to over 22,000.

E D U C AT I O N A N DA D V O C A C Y

E D U C AT I N G A N D

E M P O W E R I N G S T U D E N T S

We will provide students with a rich menu of activi-ties to undertake and resources to support them, including changing marijuana and other drug pro-hibition policies to be more sensible and less puni-tive, promoting harm reduction/overdose prevention practices, providing evidence-based drug educa-tion, and teaching students about international drug policy, human rights, racial justice, civil rights, and their constitutional rights.

We will provide students with training in the three pathways of chapter building, policy change, and training and education through:

Skills-building workshops with a total of 500 at-tendeesOne on one support by outreach staff to 500 studentsKeeping resources/educational materials up to date and making them more easily accessible and navigable.

We will mentor and guide our students through the leadership pipeline by providing training and re-sources in chapter building, community organizing, and leadership skills development.

We will connect our students and alumni with op-portunities for professional development, including volunteer opportunities and employment with allied organizations, through the Career Services Program and distribution of information about compelling op-portunities.

We will effectively utilize our special consultative status with the United Nations to ensure that the youth voice of the drug policy reform movement is represented at the 2016 UNGASS, through the Fall 2015 Model UNGASS event, and at other UN events where drug policy is a central topic.

We will continue to facilitate active youth participa-tion at relevant conferences and events, such as the Drug Policy Alliance’s biennial Reform Conference.

D E F I N I N G H I G H - Q U A L I T Y

A C T I V I S T S A N D C H A P T E R S

Overall, a majority of our chapters will be high-quali-ty, meaning the chapter:

(1) earns 75 Points by engaging in a campaign to change at least one drug policy at the campus, local, state level, federal, or international level through activities such as lobbying, submitting letters to the editor, passing student government resolutions, changing a policy, and submitting a case study on a policy change campaign;

(2) earns 50 Points through educational activi-ties such as hosting educational events, hosting film screenings or debates, distributing educa-tional materials, and engaging in direct service volunteering.

(3) earns 75 Points through chapter-building activities such as attending leadership trainings, hosting regular chapter meetings,, recruiting and training officers, tabling on campus, and build-ing/maintaining relationships with other organi-zations on campus.

SSDP Ambassadors will be considered high-quality when they earn 20 points each semester through similar activities.

A M P L I F Y I N G O U R M E S S A G E

Through a partnership between SSDP and the music community (the AMPLIFY project), SSDP students will reach out at concerts and music festivals to re-cruit new supporters, provide on-site harm reduc-tion, and educate the public about harm reduction policies, practices, and services.

The Outreach, Recruitment and Diversity Committee will create and/or compile resources to assist chap-ters navigating diversity issues on their campuses, which staff will make accessible to chapters.

We will make every attempt to ensure that SSDP-sponsored events, including conferences, provide a welcoming environment for all of our members and potential members and strive to provide recognition of all lived experiences.


This list only includes programmatic

objectives. To see the full objectives

for 2015 - 2016, please visit:

ssdp.org/about/strategy

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Starting this year, chapters have access to a cool new tool called the Chapter Activity Tracker (CAT) to record activities and receive Points for your work. Through the CAT, SSDP chapters submit information about chapter activities and track progress toward becoming a Star or Rockstar Chapter -- and even to track how close you are toward earning rewards, because SSDP Points can be used to buy t-shirts, conference registrations, care packages, and more!

The point of all of this is to more easily quantify your accomplishments, and we’ve tried to make it as easy as possible to do just that. To get started, email your Outreach Coordinator, or go to cat.ssdp.org


Compete with other chapters!

See how you stack up:

cat.ssdp.org/leaderboard/

CHAPTER ACTIVITY TRACKER (CAT) AND SSDP POINTS

Star and Rockstar Chapters

Once official, chapters are able to reach STAR or ROCK-STAR status through earning larger number of points.

You will become a STAR Chapter when you earn 75 policy change points, 50 educational points, and 75 chapter-building points (per year).

You will earn ROCKSTAR Chapter status when you earn 150 policy change points, 100 educational points, and 150 chapter-building points (per year).

SSDP Ambassadors reach ROCKSTAR status when they earn 40 points (per year) through similar activities.

Point-earning activities include:

Distributing educational materials on campus

Attending a leadership or lobbying training

Facebook group/online presence

Tabling on campus

Recruiting students to your chapter

Direct service volunteering

Writing & submit LTE/op-ed

Getting a LTE/op-ed published

Recruiting and training officers

Submitting content for the SSDP blog

Passing a student government resolution endorsing pol-icy reform

Recruiting and training your next chapter President

Changing a policy on campus or at the local or state level

Submitting a case study on a successful or unsuccessful policy change initiative

This list will change throughout the school year as more actions are added and as we engage our student network in specialized campaigns.

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One of the most important parts of managing your chapter is recruiting new students. The best way to make your chapter

sustainable is to continually attract new members and to train your existing members to do the same. Every time someone

joins your SSDP chapter they give your chapter a better chance to have an impact on policy, increase student safety, positively

influence the campus community, and spread the message of reform. Your ultimate goal is to create a vibrant and active chap-

ter which is welcoming to people of varied interests and backgrounds who may be outside of your social circle. The following

strategies will help get the word out, and you can be creative about other ways you recruit new members.

Be sure to check our more comprehensive recruitment resources online at ssdp.org/resources/recruitment/

Tabling

Tabling is a very effective way to get the word out about your SSDP chapter and recruit new members. Set up a table in a high-

traffic area of your campus so that you can talk to students about the War on Drugs and why you are starting an SSDP chapter.

Pass out materials to prospective members and collect contact information to add to your listserv. It is also a good idea to

make a sign, a banner, or flyers so you can effectively display messages connected with the SSDP mission and the SSDP logo.

RECRUITING MEMBERS


Get out from behind the table! SSDP

sells itself, you just have to get out

tere and be excited about sharing

this excellent organization with

your campus!

Use your care package materials

Your Outreach Coordinator will send you a care package of SSDP ma-

terials which will include promotional items like SSDP stickers, book-

marks, and brochures to hand out and use to educate your peers.

Build your email/membership list

Tabling, educational events, and campus actions will help you build

an email list using an SSDP sign-up sheet. Not every student whom

you make contact with will join your chapter, but you can still en-

courage them to sign up to receive email alerts and reminders about

SSDP-related actions, meetings, and events on campus.

Professionalism is key

Cover your table with a table cloth when-

ever possible since it makes you look more

professional. Wear an SSDP (or other drug

policy reform) shirt if you have one. Stand

up instead of sitting down, and always ap-

pear friendly and approachable.

What to Say

Find talking points on drug policy issues

on the SSDP website. Current events and

news regarding SSDP and drug policy are

good places to start. Be sure to sound en-

thusiastic about being involved with SSDP

and encourage other students to join.

When someone approaches your table, say hi and ask, “Have you

heard of Students for Sensible Drug Policy before?”

If they say no: tell them about SSDP and your chapter

If they say yes: ask how they heard of SSDP. Ask, “What drug policy

issues are important to you?”Find out what interests them and make

sure to invite them to your next meeting or event!

Make sure to follow up

Take all of the email addresses you collected and add

them to your chapter roster, email blast list, and any other

relevant lists immediately.

Invite your email list to join your chapter’s Facebook

group.

Send a follow up message as quickly as you can to en-

list new members while they are still excited about your

conversation. In your follow-up messages, be sure to ask

questions like “What drug policy issues are important

to you?”. This will help you tailor your future events and

meetings to the topics they are interested in.

Work on your pitch

You should be able to pitch what SSDP is and why stu-

dents should join, in 30 seconds or less. Talk to your Out-

reach Coordinator for help developing your personalized

pitch.

RECRUITING MEMBERS (CONTINUED)

There may be other campus organizations who will want to work with your chapter. Check your school’s website for a complete

list of campus organizations.

Students groups disproportionately impacted by the drug war are a natural ally. If your campus has active student groups

which focus on economic, racial, or social justice issues there will likely be some overlap with your goals. Reach out to them

to partner on a meeting or event.

Politically oriented organizations like Young Democrats, Students for Liberty, College Republicans and others may want

to collaborate with your chapter.

Health and wellness organizations on your campus may also be interested in drug policy reform, whether it’s your campus’

health services program, a sexual health and violence student group, or counseling and psychological services. And even

if they aren’t, you may be able to engage with them in a meaningful way that starts a productive dialogue on your campus

concerning drug-related services and policies.

Attend meetings of these organizations so you can make an announcement about the formation of your SSDP chapter, recruit

new members, and learn from other successful organizations on campus.

Submit your Chapter Roster to your Outreach Coordinator

Once a semester, your Outreach Coordinator will

request a chapter roster, which helps us accurately

measure the size of our student network. Use your

sign-up sheet to create a roster and send it to your

Outreach Coordinator.

ssdp.org/resources/chapter-rosters/

I M P O R TA N T

16

Outreach to other campus organizations

Other Recruitment ActivitiesAsk your professors if you can make a 2 minute announcement about SSDP at the beginning of your classes and pass around

a signup sheet.

Attend new student orientations and club fairs designed to connect students with campus organizations. Be sure to bring

signup sheets and SSDP materials to distribute to students.

Start up random conversations with people at your student center or in the dining halls.

Distribute flyers and/or handouts and post them on bulletin boards.

Attend events about intersecting issues and, if you ask a question, be sure to introduce yourself as a member of Students for

Sensible Drug Policy. Even better: talk to the organizers and offer your chapter’s help as co-presenters.

Socialize and make new friends.

Do your best to organize social events outside of your core SSDP chapter activities. One of the best way to get buy-in from

your chapter’s members and encourage follow through is by developing friendships with your chapter’s members and facilitat-

ing friendships between them. Building friendships is a critical component to making sure that members stay with your chapter

and are motivated to follow through with delegated responsibilities. Nobody wants to let down their friends!

RECRUITING MEMBERS (CONTINUED)


Your NUMBER ONE priority as a chapter

leader is to find a successor so your chapter

can continue to thrive after you graduate.

Check out our leadership transition guide here:

ssdp.org/resources/leadership-transition/

Passing the Torch

As chapter leaders, one of your primary responsibilities

is to make sure that your chapter lasts after you gradu-

ate. Recruiting freshmen and sophomore students is a

key part of this. Keep an eye out for active members with

leadership potential, and encourage them to take on a

leadership role in the chapter.

For many chapters, leadership transitions take place to-

ward the end of the spring semester (when officer elec-

tions occur), but it can happen suddenly, gradually, or at

any time. If someone is the perfect fit to be the next chap-

ter leader, let them know explicitly by saying, “Because of

of your passion, attention to detail, and ability to execute,

I can really see you as the next chapter leader.”

There are many other “torches” to be passed that lie out-

side of primary chapter leader responsibilities. Anytime

senior chapter members have mastered a task, the next

step should be to transfer that knowledge to new mem-

bers and encourage them to take ownership of that task

moving forward. The ultimate goal is for everyone in your

chapter to be engaged in continual learning and personal

growth.

Make sure to talk to your Outreach Coordinator BEFORE

you pass on the torch so we can help you with your lead-

ership transition. We’re here to help!

17

RETAINING MEMBERSWhile recruitment is the main goal of forming your chapter, retaining those members is the cornerstone of your chapter’s con-

tinued success. Members will stay with your chapter if it is fun, exciting, and rewarding. By staying organized, holding effective

meetings, and engaging chapter members in compelling educational opportunities and campaigns, you will be able to keep

your members engaged and coming back.

Stay Active

If your are not holding meetings and events regularly it will be easy to lose members. It is up to your chapter’s leadership team

to create opportunities to engage with your chapter members and the larger campus community. Make it easy for your mem-

bers to know when to expect meetings to take place by announcing meetings well in advance or, preferably, holding meetings

on a regular schedule such as Wednesdays at 7pm or the third Thursday of each month at 8pm.

Create an Inclusive, Engaging Dialogue

The most successful SSDP chapters strive for a strongly inclusive decision-making processes. Chapter priorities and actions

should be based on the interests of the chapter members and, ideally, emerge from an engaging dialogue among membership

about what to focus on.

Ask for Feedback from Chapter Members

Effective leaders seek regular feedback, so encourage chapter members to give honest viewpoints about their experience as

members, leaders’ performance, the decision-making process, and the goals the chapter would like to accomplish so that you

can make sure you are providing them with an enriching experience that builds their desire to be a part of SSDP. Members

should also be encouraged to share their stories of why they joined the chapter and whether or not their expectations as a

member are being met. Remember that, as chapter leaders, you are essentially a volunteer leader: The best way for you to keep

your “volunteers” happy and engaged is to make sure they feel heard and appreciated.

Delegate Responsibilities

Give your new chapter members responsibilities so you can show them how important they are to your chapter and generate

buy-in from your members. Do your best to tailor your delegation to fit the skills that your members have to offer. For example,

if you have a member who is studying graphic design or marketing, have them make posters or flyers for tabling and upcoming

events. A business or accounting major might be able to manage your fundraising efforts and help you develop a budget for

your chapter. When you delegate a project, tell them, “You own this.” Be consistent in following up with your members to see

how they are feeling. Some members may stop showing up if they feel like they don’t have a stake in the chapter’ priorities, if

they want to do different projects, or if they feel their help isn’t needed.

Take Care of your SSDP Family

Students who change the world together, stick together. SSDPers nationwide are connected by a shared commitment to jus-

tice, liberty, compassion, and reason. Start a mentor/mentee program with older and newer members of your chapter. Chal-

lenge everyone to have a 30 minute conversation with each other. It can be harder to create a culture of care when your chapter

gets bigger and bigger, but it’s definitely worth the effort.


Ask your members what motivates

them. Ask yourself what motivates you

to put your time and energy into SSDP.

Make it Fun!

The best way to get your chapter members to engage - and keep com-

ing back for more - is to have fun and make it a priority to ensure that

your members have fun.

It will be up to you and your chapter members to approach your meetings and events with positive energy and enthusiasm.

Ending the War on Drugs is serious business and contemplating, discussing, and living within its reality can be overwhelming.

The best way to avoid burnout and keep people hopeful about the future is to have fun and enjoy a laugh and a smile as often

as you can.

18

MEETINGSAs you are planning your first meeting, focus on the content and make a plan for your meeting. Collaborate with active mem-

bers to find out what topics and ideas they would like to discuss at the first meeting. Start by briefly introducing about SSDP

and its mission, then discuss how that will translate to action on your campus.

Preparation takes time - sometimes more time than the meeting itself - so start to prepare at least a week before your next

meeting. First, select a date and time that is convenient for the people who want to attend the meeting. Then, choose a location

that is on campus and accessible to students. Create a Facebook event or send emails so students can save the date and time.

Hold a Leadership Meeting

Allow time for your chapter’s core leadership to meet before or after each general meeting to ensure that you are all on the

same page. Make these leadership meetings open to anyone who wants to be involved in the leadership and planning of the

organization so people don’t get the impression that you are an exclusive organization.

Set an Agenda

At leadership meetings, come up with an agenda for the next general membership meeting. Include introductions, announce-

ments from chapter leadership and SSDP national leadership, topics of discussion, and anything else you might anticipate

coming up at the meeting. When planning for meetings, always ask yourself: How will this meeting contribute to our chapter’s

campaigns and events?

Establish Meeting Responsibilities

If you don’t have a secretary or moderator, ask a volunteer to take notes and and a volunteer to moderate the meeting. Both

are important responsibilities that should be carried out by someone other than the chapter president. Notes can be given to

absent members and used to plan the next meeting, while the moderator can ensure that the meeting is moving along in an

efficient manner.

Promote!

Never, ever, underestimate the power of flyers, Facebook, emails, and tabling. Publicize your meetings online by creating a

facebook event. Update your status to let people know the time, place, and location of the meeting. Get the word out about

your meeting by tabling and handing out quarter-page flyers with meeting information. Make announcements in your classes

and put up posters around campus. And never underestimate the power of sidewalk chalk!

Remind Members About Upcoming Meetings

Send an email and Facebook reminder to members about the meeting several days in advance with the date, time, location,

and any other important details. Include the agenda and ask for additions. Send an additional reminder on the day of the

meeting, especially if it is an important meeting. Make phone calls or send text messages to core members to ensure that they

haven’t forgotten.

Additional Meeting Tips

Start on time - Wait no more than 5 minutes for people to show up. Waiting longer will set the precedent that it is okay for your

members to show up late. Avoid this by setting the standard that meetings will always begin on time.

Pass around a sign-up sheet. This will allow

you to generate an email list and keep track

of how many people are attending meet-

ings. Bonus tip: Pass around a computer

with the chapter roster spreadsheet so

people can add their information directly,

and you can skip data entry!

Offer food or drinks. Don’t be afraid to

bribe people with food and drinks! If you

don’t have any money in your budget for

food, ask core leadership members to pitch

in a few bucks for some pizza and soda.

19

EVENTSOrganizing an event can be a very fun and engaging way to attract new members to your chapter, because public events are

much more appealing than going to a meeting of an unfamiliar organization with unfamiliar people. Events like film screenings,

guest speakers, or debates draw people in and give them an opportunity to learn about drug policy. At the event, you can pass

around the sign-up sheet; talk about SSDP’s mission and the chapter’s policy priorities; and announce the date, time and loca-

tion of your next meeting. Two or three people should share the responsibility of organizing the event -- it’s important to make

sure public events are successful, and sharing the responsibility will mean no one feels overwhelmed.

Event Ideas

Screen a movie or documentary about the drug war or an intersecting issue

Host guest speaker

Hold a panel discussion with professors, staff, students, local advocates and professionals

Host a debate on campus

Hold a “Know Your Rights” event

Organize a rally or demonstration

Host an SSDP social event at a local restaurant or cafe

Hold a chapter fundraising event

Register voters

Past Chapter Events That Have Been Successful

Voices of Change: Building Stronger Communities through Drug Policy Reform

Visionary Art Auction

Urban Crime Fighters: How Our Drug Laws Affect Your City

The War on Drugs is a War on Women

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition: Why Cops Want to Legalize Drugs

Film Screening: The Union: The Business Behind Getting High

The War on Drugs is a War on Us: Why Students are Fighting Back

The War on the Environment: Why Our Drug Laws are Killing the Amazon Basin

Just Say Know: Reality-Based Drug Education

Incentivize attendance

Ask professors to offer extra credit to students who attend

Try to partner with a local business to sponsor your event by providing food or giveaways for attendees

Book the event

The lead organizer should pick a date, time, and location that work for the chapter, the speaker, and the university. Check with

the university calendar and other student organizations to avoid competition with other meetings or events likely to attract the

same audience. Start planning your event early. The more time you have to plan, the better your event will be. You should also

expect to navigate an approval process to reserve a space for your event that can take weeks on many campuses. Be prepared

to have your events loosely planned at least a month in advance.


Check out ssdp.org/resources/ for a

more comprehensive list of

recommended documentaries,

events, and other activities

20

FUNDRAISINGApply for Funding

As a student organization recognized by your school, your chapter has the opportunity to apply for funds through your stu-

dent government, activities board, or other funding body. This is an easy way to get hundreds or even thousands of dollars to

help your chapter buy materials, put on events, or travel to SSDP conferences. Typically, you will have to submit requests for

funding by a certain deadline. Take some time to research these dates and of all the guidelines for submitting your completed

funding request. Many organizations will be competing for funds, so don’t wait until the last minute. Some SSDP chapters have

been able to get upwards of $15,000 a year in funding from their schools by understanding the budgeting process and making

sure all deadlines and requirements are met. Remember, this is your money! It is included in your tuition. DO NOT miss budget

deadlines or pass up the opportunity to get funds from your school. Visit ssdp.org/resources for a sample chapter budget to

help you get started.

Departmental Support

If you have an idea for an event on campus, check with departments about co-sponsoring the event. Departments on campus

often have large budgets to fund speakers, movie screenings, conferences and more. Set up a meeting with a department head,

present your idea, and ask if they will partner with your chapter on planning, promotion, or funding.

Sales and Raffles

If you’re unable to request funds or your request is not approved, you may have to raise money on your own to support your

chapter activities. To have a successful sales fundraiser, members must be very dedicated and establish concrete sales projec-

tions. Possible sales items include baked goods, t-shirts, coffee, or novelty items. Advertise any fundraising event as effectively

as possible; use banners, posters, flyers, chalk, radio spots, newspaper advertisements, and Facebook to get the word out.

Note: different school have different rules regarding raffles. Make sure you’re allowed to host a raffle before doing it.

More Bang for Your Buck

Sometimes it takes money to make money! If your chapter is short on available funds and needs working capital to start a fun-

draising event, there are some options:

- See if your school offers underwrites (loans).

- Identify co-sponsors, i.e. other campus organizations or department sponsorships.

- Use personal funds which can be reimbursed following the event.

- Contact local business about sponsorships. Many SSDP chapters have successfully forged partnerships with local busi-

nesses to donate food for meetings & events or to sponsor chapters by providing travel funds for students to attend SSDP

and other conferences.

If you need help with raising money, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your Outreach Coordinator, faculty advisor, or student

government - that’s what they’re for!

Partnering with Local Businesses

Reach out to local businesses near campus, especially if you think they might like your mission. Some restaurants will be willing

to donate food for your chapter meetings and events. Other businesses may want to sponsor your chapter members’ travel

to conferences and events, provide space in their business for your materials, or donate free ad space in their publication. Be

creative! It never hurts to ask.

Sensible Society and Other Ways to Donate to the National Organization

SSDP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. Every dollar we use to operate the organization comes from tax-deductible donations

from members of the public who are interested in ending the War on Drugs. Be sure to review the website resources on ways

to donate. You never know when you might have a chance encounter with a person who may be in a position to make a one-

time or a recurring donation to SSDP. For those who are interested in recurring monthly donations, refer them to the Sensible

Society.

21

Letters to the Editor

The easiest and single most effective media activity you can do is write letters to the editor (LTEs). Because LTEs are among the

most widely-read parts of newspapers, many people will learn about SSDP’s issues every time you get a letter published. It also

feels really good to see something you wrote in print, and to realize that you are making a difference by educating hundreds

or thousands of people (depending on the size of the paper). And best of all, LTEs are generally 150-300 words long, so once

your research is complete, writing a letter is fast. Take a look at a copy of the paper before you start writing so you can see

what kind of letters they usually publish, and be sure to check for print guidelines. Always include your full contact information

(name, phone number, address, and organizational affiliation) below your letter so the paper can confirm your identity. Your

chances of publication will be greater if you are writing in response to a previously published article, editorial, column, Op-Ed,

or another LTE, but it is certainly possible to get LTEs published out of the blue. If you’re writing in response to a previous piece,

you can dispute or elaborate on a point that was made, or highlight some aspect of the issue that wasn’t covered. You usually

have a better chance of being published if you live in the geographical area being covered by the paper, but local papers often

print LTEs from people outside of their immediate readership areas. Once a letter is written, you can alter it slightly and send

it to several papers, multiplying your effectiveness with just a little more effort. However, you should avoid sending the exact

same letter to more than one paper in a given geographical area.

Opinion Pieces

Op-Eds are opinion pieces from outside writers that are selected for publication by newspapers. Op-Eds are longer than LTEs,

usually 600-800 words. As opposed to LTEs, papers usually only accept Op-Eds from “important people,” such as heads of

organizations, public officials, celebrities, and experts. You can easily make the case that you do have special expertise on

the issue because you are a student advocate affected by the policy about which you’re writing. However, you may have to

ghostwrite a piece for someone else to sign, depending on the newspaper. For example, you may want to think about asking

a professor, student government leader, your college president, or someone affected by drug policies to edit and sign an Op-

Ed that you’ve drafted from their perspective. Take some time to review the Op-Eds section on the SSDP website at ssdp.org/

resources/lte-tips/

Editorials

Newspapers’ editorial boards frequently take official positions on matters of public policy. As activists, we can influence edito-

rial boards to write in favor of drug policy reform. This is especially easy on campus. Get to know the editors of your campus

paper and provide information about issues they care about. You can also influence off-campus papers to write favorable

editorials:. Put together concise and captivating email pitches and follow up with phone calls. At some papers, the editorial

board may request that you meet with them in person to lobby for your position. Bring some concise written materials to leave

behind. Also consider bringing someone who has been individually affected by the Drug War to show the personal importance

of reform.

Press Releases

If you want reporters to write stories about SSDP you should send them press releases, especially when your chapter does

something particularly newsworthy like host an event, launch a campaign, or achieve a victory. You should also send out press

releases in response to news developments related to drug policy so that reporters can include SSDP’s position in articles. Your

press releases should be constructed just as you’d want ideal articles on the topic to appear; simply pretend you’re writing what

you want the paper to print. Press releases should generally be confined to one page. Put SSDP’s letterhead on top to make it

official. Take some time to review the press releases section on the SSDP website at ssdp.org/resources/press-releases/

MEDIA


Become friends with your school

newspaper’s staff. Having friends in

the campus media will make it much

easier to get your stories published.

22

MEDIA (CONTINUED)Interviews with Reporters

When doing interviews, remember that anything you say can be quoted! Take some time to prepare in advance to nail down

your core message and talking points. Stick to these during the interview. Try to anticipate potential questions, partly by think-

ing about some of the common arguments against our position. Practice being interviewed with a friend beforehand and come

up with some effective responses to these questions and arguments. Formulate sound bites (5-12 seconds long) in advance

and practice saying them naturally. Repeat them throughout the interview. You will probably only get a small quote in print or

appear on TV or the radio for a few seconds, so you want that brief comment to sound credible and convey the seriousness

and importance of the issue. Remember that anything you say can be used against you in the court of public opinion, no matter

how friendly the reporter seems – so don’t say anything you wouldn’t want to appear in print or on the air. Sound bites should

include compelling action verbs, i.e. “Students are being FORCED out of school.” Deliver some sound bites in the form of ques-

tions: “Why would we want to remove at-risk students from school?” or, “How, exactly, will closing the doors of education help

solve our nation’s drug problems?” Never make up an answer or lie to a reporter. Instead, pledge to find the answer and get

back to him or her later. Use the economy of expression when doing an interview – keep it simple. Don’t get bogged down in

small and boring details unless a reporter asks for more in-depth information. Speak slowly and clearly while delivering sound

bites and answering questions. Dress conservatively, especially for TV interviews. You don’t want to go through all the trouble

of setting up an interview and then alienate the audience with your appearance.

Cultivating Relationships with Reporters

Reporters write articles for a living – it’s their job. They’re looking for interesting things to write about, and we have interesting

things to tell them, so don’t be afraid to reach out and pitch stories. After an interview, always follow up with reporters promptly

if you promised to get them more information. After a piece is published, send a short note or make a quick phone call to thank

a reporter for writing a fair and balanced article, or to politely point out any gross inaccuracies or glaring omissions that you

noticed. Once you’ve worked with a reporter, try to maintain the relationship. Let them know when you’ve got something new

going on.


You can always contact your

Outreach Coordinator to help you

prepare for an upcoming interview!

Additional Interview Tips

Make sure you have an idea of the length of the interview so that you can go through your bullet points and highlight the most important sub-points. If you have less time to answer interview questions than you an-ticipated, you will still be able to communi-cate your point effectively.

Always answer a related question you wanted to be asked as opposed to the exact question you are asked. Good in-terviewers will recognize that you are do-ing this and see it as a sign of experience. This often leads the interviewer to give you more time to answer. Don’t be afraid to use language like “I’ve heard that ques-tion asked before but the more compelling and important question in terms of student safety is ...”.

Focus on student safety. When asked specifically about drug use, if all of your answers focus on student safety, then lis-teners or viewers will be less inclined to in-correctly suspect that your agenda is pro-moting drug use.

Student reporters are always looking for stories, so as long as you have some-

thing to pitch, you should be able to get something in your school newspaper

without too much difficulty. Remember, nothing is “off the record.” Whatever

you say to a reporter, even a campus reporter, can be printed, so be careful

with your words. It might be helpful to request interview questions ahead of

time so you can think about your answers before you’re put on the spot.

Lastly, if you’re meeting with a reporter in person, make sure to dress

appropriately so you can give the best impression possible of SSDP;

don’t wear tie-dye or attire with pot leaves to your interview, for example.

23

LOBBYINGSchedule a meeting Find out who your representative and senators are by visiting congress.org or your state legislature’s website.


Lobbying is not as scary as you might

think! It’s actually pretty easy once you

breakdown the steps. For more guid-

ance, check out ssdp.org/resources/

1. Call the elected official’s local office (or DC office, if you plan to be there)

2. Identify yourself as a constituent by saying where you live

3. Ask to set up a meeting with the member. If the member is unavailable to meet, ask specifically to meet with “the aide who handles drug/health/human rights/criminal justice policy(as appropriate for the issue you are working on).”

4. Schedule a meeting with the elected official or the aide. Note that meetings with

aides can often be as effective as meetings with elected officals.

Be preparedCome to the meeting with specific talking points.

If you are in a group, make sure that you have already discussed which issues should be raised and that you are all in agreement on how best to articulate your position.

Rehearse responses to potential questions or concerns that might be raised regard-ing your position.

Be professional Dress professionally.

Never be late. Members and their staffers work at a frantic pace with extremely tight schedules.

Always address and refer to members as “Senator”, “Congressman/Congresswom-an”, or their state or local title.

Be courteous It’s polite to introduce information with phrases like “as you may know...”

When responding to concerns, do not be argumentative or confronta-tional.

When you’re asked a question that you don’t have the answer to, don’t guess or try to make something up on the spot. Say, “I’m not sure about

that, but I can get back to you.” Always be sure to get back to them.

Be specific Make sure to make a specific request (e.g. co-sponsor/ oppose/intro-duce/repeal H.R./S. ___).

If you are unable to refer to a bill number or law, be sure to make a very specific and limited request so that the member knows exactly how to address your concerns.

IMPORTANT: Follow up!Make sure to get a business card from the staffer handling your issue before you leave.

Offer to keep in touch on the issue, and offer yourself as a resource.

Write a brief thank-you e-mail to the member and/or staffer you met with, mentioning the date and subject of your meeting.

Inform SSDP’s National Headquarters of the results of your meeting so

we can keep track of all your chapter’s accomplishments.

24

CRISIS RESPONSEThere may come a time when your school or a member of your SSDP chapter becomes the focus of media attention. This can

happen as a result of a drug-related arrest, student overdose on drugs (including alcohol), or changes in school policy related

to drugs (including alcohol). Such events, particularly those not resulting in tragedy, can provide a compelling opportunity to

talk about why bad drug policy is more dangerous than drugs themselves, but are rife with potential problems for even the

most experienced media relations professionals. SSDP was founded in part to help protect young people from the harms that

can be associated with drug use and overly punitive drug policies, and our national staff is trained to help you in the event the

you or the students in chapter are in need of support.

Let the SSDP National Staff Know Right Away

If there is a crisis situation, as described above, make sure to let your Outreach Coordinator know right away (once everyone is

safe, of course). If you have trouble contacting your Outreach Coordinator, you can call the national office’s emergency hotline

at 202-393-5280 and choose extension 9 to be connected to any member of the staff. Be sure to communicate to your chapter

members that they should call you in the event of a crisis and that they too can contact the national staff for support in crisis

situations (once everyone is safe).

Forward Media Contacts to National Staff

In the event that a crisis situation occurs, DO NOT speak to the media unless and until you have received direct instructions

from the SSDP national staff to make an appropriate statement. It is important that you also instruct your chapter members

not to make any statements to the media, as such statements could prove problematic for students involved in the situation.


Always keep a first-aid backpack

on hand for emergencies.

26

One of the best parts of being an SSDPer is that you will meet hundreds of genuinely amazing people who you will form life-

long kinships with. Once you graduate, you can remain directly involved with the SSDP by joining the Alumni Association.

Alumni Association activities are centered around four key pillars:.

Connection: Alumni-managed networking events and networking groups on social media platforms connect alumni within

states or regions with each other regardless of age or school of graduation.

Mentorship: Alumni have opportunities to enter into formal one-to-one mentoring relationships with current students as well

as be appointed to “chapter adviser” roles to provide a consistent presence for chapters, which by their nature have transition-

ing leadership.

Advocacy: Alumni are encouraged to participate in actions and events alongside the student network.

Philanthropy: Through the Sensible Society, fundraising at events, and other opportunities, Alumni are able to support the

work of SSDP and ensure future cohorts of students are able to continue raising the youth voice against punitive and danger-

ous drug policies.

Visit ssdp.org/alumni/members/ to see a list of current members of the Alumni Association. Feel free to reach out to anyone

who went to your school, who is in your area, SSDP alumni are thrilled to serve as resources for you and your chapter.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION / LIFE AFTER SSDP

a) s

CREDITS

Staff headshots by Ben Droz

Student Organizing Manual 2015 - 2016.

Written by SSDP staff

STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY

202-393-5280

1011 O Street NW #1Washington, DC 20001

Documents

Student Organizing Manual (2015 - 2016)