2012 Spring Campus Initiatives

Bringing a Member of Congress to Campus:

Effective pro-Israel political activism involves building ongoing relationships with members of Congress. Engagement during the fall semester naturally builds a foundation for deepening relationships during the spring. Inviting a member of Congress to campus to address the concerns of the pro-Israel community provides pro-Israel advocates with an opportunity to maximize their potential for direct and tangible impact on issues of legislative concern while drawing previously uninvolved pro-Israel students into the legislative dialogue. The campus visit is a key element in a year-round strategy of Congressional engagement that also includes: calling and corresponding with congressional staff; visiting members of Congress in their district offices; organizing legislative missions to Washington, D.C.; mobilizing student activists to support key Congressional initiatives; and pursuing key volunteer roles in Congressional campaigns.

Supporting Pro-Israel Congressional Candidates:

During the 2012 electoral cycle, pro-Israel campus activists will work to ensure that pro-Israel Congressional candidates receive significant student support in the form of Time, Talent and Treasure. AIPAC-trained campus activists will broaden the base to include previously uninvolved pro-Israel students in 2012 political activity while ensuring that politically-minded students understand the key issues most important to the pro-Israel community. To maximize their impact on the 2012 election, AIPAC-trained activists will support pro-Israel candidates of their choice by committing to solicit and mobilize a minimum of 500 volunteer hours and raise and deliver $1,000 dollars in a pro-Israel context. By getting involved in Congressional races, campus activists will interact with key political figures, build important relationships, and help influence policy-makers now and into the future.

Recruiting a Strong Delegation to Attend Policy Conference:

AIPAC’s Policy Conference is the largest annual gathering of the pro-Israel movement. Thousands of participants from all 50 states, including 1500 students from 400 campuses, take part in three of the most important days affecting Israel’s future. For AIPAC-trained student activists, bringing the strongest possible delegation to Policy Conference—while tapping new sources of support to help subsidize costs—is one of the best possible opportunities to strengthen the pro-Israel political movement on their campus and beyond. The strongest delegations will vary according to the particular circumstances and demographics of a given campus. They should almost always include the Student Government Association President and where appropriate other prominent campus leaders—such as heads of the College Republicans and College Democrats. Pro-Israel students should be recruited with an emphasis on bringing only those who have concretely demonstrated their commitment to advancing AIPAC’s legislative priorities and campus initiatives. It is especially critical that delegations include key up-and-coming pro-Israel political activists to ensure leadership continuity on campus. Policy Conference takes place March 3-5, 2013, in Washington, D.C.