Rice welcomes participants in its new Community Action Network

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

Alumni, faculty, staff, students and other friends of Rice University are needed for a new outreach and advocacy effort called the Rice Community Action Network (Rice CAN!) to raise the university’s visibility and impact.

Through CAN, the Office of Public Affairs will share information about Rice’s priorities and provide talking points and other tools for members to use to communicate with friends, coworkers, elected officials and others.

”Every day Rice University’s Public Affairs team works with university leaders, faculty members, students and alumni to promote Rice in our communities and workplaces,” said Vice President Linda Thrane. ”There are no better advocates than members of the Rice community.”

Thrane noted that every year Public Affairs consults with Rice leaders to identify the university’s local, state and federal governmental priorities and then shares those goals with elected officials and works with them to win support.

”If CAN members also communicate with government officials, we have a better chance of making those priorities a reality,” Thrane said. ”The goal is to provide members with the tools they need to be effective Rice ambassadors. Rice may be a small university, but our faculty, staff, students and alumni can make a big difference.”

Rice CAN will be managed by Rice Government Relations Director Cory Kennedy and Public Affairs Executive and Special Projects Assistant Rachel Foster.

To join the Rice CAN team, go to http://rucan.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=becomeAnAdvocate.