Legislative background expected to benefit Angel

Many expect Marshall President Dan Angel's legislative background to be put to good use.

Within the first few weeks of taking office, Angel already has dealt with a serious budget cutback and now is faced with a legislative session that involves key issues for the university. "I think it is helpful to be familiar with the legislative process on a participation sch-edule rather than just an observation schedule," said Angel, who served three terms in the Michigan Legislature while working on its College and University Committee, responsible for setting policy for the state's 13 universities and 29 community colleges.

"I think it helps you understand the structure relating to the major committees that relate to what you're after," he continued. "Most people look at a legislature and say we have to converse with a 130 people and I'm not sure that is at all true. There's a leadership structure and you need to make sure you know who the players are in that cycle. For us they are the senate president, the finance chair on both sides, the house and senate, the education people and, of course, the speaker of the house."

"So I think what you try to do is locate within the structure who the formal leaders are first, and get to know those folks, and I have already met them all in the three weeks that I have been here. After that, you deal with your local delegation and I've already met with all of them as well." The biggest issue Angel is faced with is the NCHEMS (National Center for Higher Education Management Systems) report, which is being drafted into a bill and should be in today, Angel said.

"The bill that deals with the structure and funding of higher education ­ that's the biggest thing going for us this session," Angel said. "It's not so much what it says; it's what you are going to do with what it says."

The legislative session, which began Jan. 1, is scheduled to last until March 11.

Angel's major concern about dealing with the legislature in West Virginia is the shorter session compared to other states where he has worked.

"To go from start to finish in eight weeks means you can't dally at all along the way," Angel said. "Most states that I've been in do an awful lot in the last couple of weeks and I think here in West Virginia you're probably talking about the last 10 days, so if you haven't done your homework by the time that fast track starts, it's too late."

In his first four weeks as president, Angel has visited the Capitol five times, but says that is not a good representation of how often he will go to the legislature.

"I'm trying to feel out what's a good use of my time," Angel said. "I don't think the president should be the person there all the time. I think when you go in it kind of escalates the fact that you there, and not a staff member. And you have to be careful to not under use or over use your access."

Angel said he will be working with a team of five staff members who will be there more frequently than him. He will get daily advisories from them regarding issues.

"We try to work as a team," Angel said. "We have the advantage of having four or five people who've been around that process for a good while. So, we add my newness to their experience and hopefully that will be successful."