Tasks and Strategies of In-house Lobbyists in American Colleges and Universities

Abstract

How do in-house lobbyists for American colleges and universities compare with other types of lobbyists in their roles, tasks, and strategies? To answer this question 105 in-house lobbyists were surveyed using an instrument that reiterated key questions asked in earlier researchers' studies on private or special interest lobbyists, such as the gun lobby, and public interest lobbyists such as consumer, or environmental groups. This replication of research with other types of lobbyists made it possible to compare and contrast the tasks and strategies of in-house lobbyists with those of other types of lobbyists. Also 20 indepth on-site interviews of in-house lobbyists were conducted at universities across the country to learn more regarding their roles, tasks, and strategies; and interviews were conducted with ten presidents from among those 20 universities to provide another viewpoint on the roles, tasks, and strategies of inhouse lobbyists in universities.