Memo

Date:
To:
From:
RE:

9 Nov 2011
BUS 2200 Colleagues
Holly Langton
RFPResearch Project to Inform College Students on the Benefits of Caucus Participation to
their Education and their College Experience

Overview
I propose that we inform college students about political caucuses and how we as students
benefit by getting involved in our neighborhood caucuses. This project will have multiple
benefits for the BUS 2200 student.
Elected officials make policy decisions directly affecting usas college studentsevery day.
Delegates from our neighborhood caucuses nominate who our candidates will be. Higher
educations priority with delegates, and subsequently the elected officials they choose and the
policies those officials enact, directly affects our college experience and in the end, our futures.
Through the development and advertisement of a student information website, BUS 2200
students will benefit in our own higher education experience through increased student action
at caucuses. We will also learn communication skills necessary for advancement in the business
community.
Business skills we will develop during this project are:
1. designing and developing an effective website.
2. analyzing and motivating our audience.
3. writing effectively, i.e., creating content, format, style and tone meet our readers needs
for information and readability.
4. developing and implementing a marketing plan.
5. networking with political insiders, school administration, and student body government.
Rationale
Its highly probable that students have not had any significant experience with Utah politics or
our electoral system. Information is a powerful precursor to action. The connection between
our everyday lives and the actions of our elected officials is not always apparent. We need to be
aware of how the decisions of legislators directly affect our experience in higher education and
how our involvement can change those outcomes. In a recent SLCC pledge drive over 4,000
students expressed an interest in strengthening public education policies directed by public
officials. This project gives students the tools they need to successfully pursue that objective.

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9 Nov 2011
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The benefits for college students will be:

understanding the Utah Caucus system and how to participate.

understanding how participation makes a difference.
gaining accountable representation on public policy issues affecting higher education.

Many delegates views are different from those of the active voters. For example,
fifty percent of Republican active voters strongly agree elected officials should
increase funding for public education i.e., your education, while only twenty-three
percent of Republican delegates strongly agree elected officials should take this
action. (Dan Jones and Assoc. 2010).
achieving a better-quality higher educational experience.

State legislatorsnominated by delegatesare responsible for allocating funds to
support higher education. These allocations affect the number of course offerings a
college can offer, expenditures for libraries, computer support, operating expenses,
even the social aspect of college life such as student organizations and athletics.
realizing improved economic opportunities as a result of obtaining a better education.

The benefits to BUS 2200 students will be:

enjoying all the same college student benefits listed above.

participating in networking opportunities with important Utah policy decision-makers,
elected officials, political advocates, college administrators and student government.
learning how to design and develop a website including a downloadable brochure.
learning how to develop an advertising plan, write a variety of business communication
documents including; memos, press releases for college newspapers, newsletter articles and
other skills needed to publicize a project.
providing needed education to other students on a topic that will positively affect their
education and ultimately their economic livelihood.

Plan/Time Frame
Methodologies
To inform students about Utahs caucus system and motivate them to participate, we will:
conduct applicable research to inform students on the caucus system; interview political
insiders, elected officials and advocates on their thoughts and experiences with caucuses; and
design and market a website to communicate our information. Getting the word out to

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9 Nov 2011
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students will entail engaging the school newspaper, writing school newsletter articles and
gaining approval to publicize our project to students via the school email system.
We will also meet with SLCCs student body officers, encouraging them to utilize our website
and our downloadable student information brochure during their caucus training sessions.
Finally, we will communicate with SLCCs Political Science Department, requesting that they
involve their students in our effort.
NoteMotivating students may be the most difficult part of the project. Educating students on
the importance of participating to enhance their educational experience and advance their
economic standing, unfortunately, may not be enough. Creative brainstorming will be necessary
on our part. Perhaps we can highlight some celebrity students who attend their neighborhood
caucus or important student mentors whom we can include.
Time Frame
Week 1

Weeks 2-3

Weeks 4-5
Weeks 6-7

Craft group expectations, create a detailed outline, develop interview

questions, distribute assignments, tasks and due dates and begin
research
Continue research , conduct interviews, develop our website and
downloadable student take to the caucus brochure

Finalize website, brochure and begin media blitz as outlined in the

marketing plan
Complete the media blitz and finalize any loose ends. Finally, organize
the class presentation, practice and present.

Personnel
I prefer to let the group decide how to split up the assignments. Additionally, depending on the work
load the groups members are willing to take on, the needed group members can vary greatly. Its my
opinion that the optimal number of group members would be five. However, a committed smaller
group could accomplish the projects goals, or a larger group could expand the amount of outside
contacts thereby adding more detail and ultimately more interest to the project.
Reference
Dan Jones and Assoc. (2010). The 2010 priorities survey of party delegates and voters. Utah Foundation.