Dear (your state legislator) (Go HERE to locate your MA state legislator)

I’m writing to encourage your support for Governor Healey’s DRIVE Act (H.4375, An Act to preserve and advance Massachusetts’ competitiveness in discovery, research, and innovation for a vibrant economy). This groundbreaking legislation would make Massachusetts the first state to respond to the Trump Administration’s politically motivated cuts to higher education. The DRIVE Act proposes a $400 million investment, including $200 million from the Fair Fund Share Amendment, specifically designated to replace lost federal funding for public colleges and universities. Passing this bill would:

• Create a financial safeguard to protect research, discovery, and innovation in our public higher education institutions from reliance on federal dollars, allowing Massachusetts to remain a global leader in healthcare, innovation, and life-saving discoveries.
• Ensure public colleges and universities in Massachusetts remain affordable for everyone.
• Provide competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain the talented faculty and staff essential to maintaining high-quality education.
• Develop a highly skilled workforce to drive the state’s economy forward.

Please vote in favor of the DRIVE Act when it comes up and encourage your colleagues to do the same by expressing your support directly to them. The Massachusetts Teacher Association supports this bill and you should too.

Sincerely,
Your name, street address, town & zipcode

“Hi, my name is [Name], and I’m your constituent in [Town], calling to urge you to support Governor Healey’s DRIVE ACT: H.4375.

The DRIVE ACT would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to counter the Trump Administration’s higher education cuts. It invests $400 million – 200 million from Fair Fund Amendment Funds – to offset federal cuts to public colleges and universities.

Passing this Act will help keep our higher education strong and independent, ensuring our state remains a leader in education, research and innovation.

Please vote to support the Drive Act when it comes up, and urge your colleagues to do the same by voicing your support directly to them. The Massachusetts Teacher Association supports this bill and you should too.

MASSACHUSETTS FIGHTS FOR
PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION
Federal Attacks on Students, Staff and Faculty at Public Colleges Hurt Us All

THE PROBLEM: The Trump administration is sowing chaos in our state’s public higher education system by freezing and canceling federal funding that supports research and other academic pursuits and programs such as TRIO Student Support Services. The federal administration is using false claims of racial bias and prejudice to end its support of public higher education. Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake for public colleges and universities.

THE SOLUTION: Governor Maura Healey’s proposed DRIVE Act makes Massachusetts the first state in the nation to address the Trump administration’s politically motivated attacks on higher education. DRIVE (H.4375 An Act to preserve and advance Massachusetts’ competitiveness in discovery, research, and innovation for a vibrant economy) is a $400 million investment, which includes $200 million from Fair Share Amendment funds specifically earmarked to backfill federal cuts made to public colleges and universities. The funding to public higher education must extend beyond research cuts to also include other jeopardized academic programs and student support services. To further insulate public higher education from attacks coming from the federal government, Massachusetts needs a long-term funding strategy to increase state investment in public colleges and universities. The Legislature and Healey administration can use funds raised by Fair Share to further protect students, faculty and staff at public colleges and universities.

WHY FIGHT: Access to high-quality higher education drives economic and social mobility, making it a crucial tool for reducing systemic inequality rooted in racism. The state’s economy also relies on having a highly educated workforce. Since the state created free access to community colleges and other financial assistance programs, enrollment is up in all sectors of public higher education, including more students of color and students older than 25. Many are pursuing degrees and training in STEM fields and other areas linked to the needs of employers. About 78 percent of the students graduating from public colleges and universities stay in Massachusetts, to the benefit of our communities across the state.

*from Massachusetts Teachers Association