What is Advocacy?

Advocacy is the process of educating and persuading people to support an issue or cause.

NACE advocates on behalf of its membership and the profession on issues related to the career development and employment of the college educated work force. Through its efforts, the association works to educate members regarding legislative and regulatory matters that may impact the profession, and advocates before governmental officials and the public for outcomes that best support the interests of NACE members and the profession.

Why is Advocacy important?

Failure to engage maintains the status quo and can even result in a loss of resources (budget cuts) or the creation of federal policies that negatively impact your work.

Policymakers are not experts on every issue. They depend on the experience and expertise of their constituents to help them make informed decisions and create positive change. 

How Does NACE Determine Issues for Advocacy?

See our advocacy and policy phliosophy and assessment tool.

The U.S. Capitol.

Lobbying vs Advocacy

Lobbying is one form of advocacy, comprising efforts to influence specific legislation with legislators and their staff.

Advocacy covers a much broader range of activities such as influencing executive branch actions to implement the laws and public education.

One way of differentiating between the two terms is to understand that lobbying always involves advocacy but advocacy does not necessarily involve lobbying.

How we currently advocate

Our Focus

Provide resources, toolkits, and trainings for members

Research-based content submission

Campaign, e.g., write op-eds, run social media campaigns

Write position and policy statements

Participate in coalitions (ACE; WHES)

Meet with government officials

Participate in and organize public sessions

Letter and position statement sign-ons

Not Our Focus

Lobby and work to pass legislation

Set up meetings with government officials for members

Organize and lead coalitions

NACE Advocacy Committee 

The Advocacy Advisory Committee takes the lead in identifying core issues for the profession; educates members regarding legislative and/or regulatory matters that may impact the profession; and advocates before governmental officials and the public for outcomes that best support the interests of NACE members and the profession. This includes issues of equity and inclusion in higher education, the workplace, and workforce development.

The Advocacy Advisory Committee considers issues of importance and advises on such issues to the membership. The committee ensures the association is appropriately representing the membership in legislative affairs and determines appropriate ways to communicate on behalf of and to the membership. Where needed, the committee will evaluate, and if appropriate, recommend positions and/or action on significant unanticipated issues brought by the membership.

Process & Proceedings

  • Monthly meetings
  • Written and oral public policy updates are provided during each meeting
  • Deep dive discussions related to public policy issues
  • Advocacy Action Team to deliberate and weigh in on NACE's response to sign-ons

NACE Policy Priorities

Learn more about NACE's advocacy priorities for higher ed and employment policies, legislation, and regulations.

Pell Grants

Increased support for two-year colleges

Internships

Classroom to Careers Act

College Transparency Act

DACA Legislative Solution

International Student Status and Processing

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Pay Equity

NACE Position Statements

  1. NACE Joins Higher Ed Associations in Asking Congressional Committees to Streamline SNAP Requirements for College Students Facing Food Insecurity

    In a letter to the chairs and ranking members of U.S. House and U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, NACE and other higher ed urged the officials to streamline SNAP requirements to make benefits more accessible to college students struggling with food insecurity.

  2. NACE Joins Other Higher Ed Associations in Comments to DOE About Third Party Servicers and Institutions

    NACE joined other higher ed associations to provide comments to the U.S. Department of Education regarding the department’s Dear Colleague Letter about third-party servicers and institutions.

  3. Position Statement: The Critical Importance of Institutional First-Destination/Post-Graduation Surveys

    NACE expects that all higher education institutions will assess the career and employment outcomes for their graduates though a first-destination/post-graduation survey.

  4. Unpaid Internships And The Need For Federal Action

    This paper examines the characteristics of a legitimate internship and the conditions under which such an experience can be engaged on an unpaid basis.

  5. NACE Position Statement: Tax Reform

    In this position statement sent to Congressional leadership, NACE explains its opposition to the elimination of Section 117(d) of the tax code.

  6. NACE Joins HE Associations in Supporting the Dream and Promise Act of 2019

    NACE joined with more than 35 other higher education associations in March 2019 to support H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019.

  7. NACE Position Statement: Classroom to Careers Act of 2019

    NACE endorses the bipartisan Classroom to Careers Act of 2019, which allows schools to support students engaged in cooperative education to use federal work/study funds to underwrite the compensation students receive from some private-sector firms.

  8. NACE JOINS HE ASSOCIATIONS IN SUPPORTING COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY ACT LEGISLATION

    NACE joined with other higher education associations in supporting H.R. 4674, the College Affordability Act.

  9. NACE Weighs in on Accreditation Provisions of CAA

    In January 2020, NACE expressed concern over accreditation-related provisions of the College Affordability Act to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

  10. NACE Advocacy: Coronavirus Legislative and Regulatory Issues

    In March 2020, as a member of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, NACE signed on to a number of position statements aimed at improving legislation ameliorating the effects of the coronavirus crisis or dealing with regulatory actions that may hamper the response.