Example: Formal Letter to Elected Officals
This may be one more formal letter, drawn from the work of your advocacy committee. Each version requires several general yet crucial components. First note the template below, which will need your particular additions in order to become a useful letter of advocacy. Writing to an elected official is a big step, yet know that your response may vary widely depending upon the official’s locus of control and the availability of support staff and resources. Click here to find your policymaker’s contact information.
[Your Address/Contact Information]
[Date]
Legislator's Office
Dear (State Legislator/Mayor):
On [date], I [observed] a [circumstance out of compliance with Title IX]. I am disappointed because our [college site.] has [not performed as it should, is wrong] because [state the problem as you understand it giving as much detail as possible].
A school is obligated to ensure that the overall benefits and treatments of the male and female programs are comparable. [The example that follows focuses on treatment of athletes. If your group’s concern is related to opportunities to participate or funding (you want a girls’ varsity soccer team) please target that in your statement.] The treatment categories include: equipment, facilities, publicity, scheduling, coaching, travel and daily allowance, training (medical), [tutoring, recruitment, housing/dining—typically in higher education] and support services.
To resolve the problem, I would appreciate your [state the action you require]. Enclosed [is a copy/are copies] of the [documentation, supporting resources] that supports my concern.
I look forward to hearing from you as well as a resolution to this problem. I will wait for [set a time limit] before seeking help from [an attorney; the State Title IX Coordinator; the Office for Civil Rights]. Please contact me at the above locale, e-mail address or by phone [give numbers].
Sincerely,
[Name]
A Concerned College Student, Athlete and Community Activist
cc: [send copies to other related parties]
Now let's look at our sample letter to a City Mayor.
1150 17th St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Cparent@emailaddress.net
October 25, 2009
Mayor Matters
The Mayor's Office
Dear Mayor Matters:
Thank you for being an elected official who focuses on issues plaguing students in today’s schools and colleges. My concern, the gender disparities for athletes at Nofair University stems from a lack of compliance with Title IX. A school is obligated to ensure that the overall benefits and treatments of the male and female programs are comparable. The treatment categories include: equipment, facilities, publicity, scheduling, coaching, travel and daily allowance, training (medical) and support services.
I have spoken with many people in varied job roles about these issues, but their lack of corrective actions obligates me to request your assistance. As I have explained to our athletic directors and administrators, the unequal treatment of female athletes at Nofair U. is unlawful. The problems, including poor equipment, unsatisfactory facilities, limited funding and insufficient coaching, are all violations of Title IX. The men’s programs do not face any of these limitations. Some women’s teams even raise money to cover travel and food, while the men’s teams receive full funding for all they do.
As citizens, we expect our students to learn many different lessons in higher education, including the valuable lifetime lessons athletes experience through sports. However, allowing programs to discriminate by treating women unfairly sends a terrible message and should be quickly corrected. While some officials might avoid working on this problem, I know that with your help we can accomplish the needed changes. I will contact your office in the next week to find the name of a legislative aide who will monitor and track your response to my request.
Sincerely,
Needa Chance
A Concerned College Student, Athlete and Community Activist, Nofair University
cc: All concerned parties
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