When duty calls, members of the Old Dominion University Alumni Legislative Network spring into action.

If an issue affecting the university surfaces in the Virginia General Assembly, the network can set off a chain reaction of phone calls, e-mails and personal visits to let legislators know that a sizable constituent base is concerned.

Walter Valencia '93, an Arlington-based marketing consultant who currently serves as the Alumni Association's vice president for government relations, was still fairly new as a board member when he was pressed into service on behalf of the network. One of his first duties was to travel to Richmond for the opening of a legislative session to help voice the university's concerns with his legislators.

Armed with background information given him by the university's Office of Alumni Relations, Valencia made the rounds and introduced himself.

"It seemed like an easy thing," he said. "They got to know I was not some passive citizen. I've always been a political news junkie, so to tell my reps how I felt was pretty invigorating. It was a great rush to have people listen to you."

About 300 alumni work through the network on behalf of Old Dominion, said Claire Geiger Ackiss, interim director of alumni relations. They visit legislators in Richmond, send e-mails and make phone calls in support of their alma mater.

And when the network talks, legislators listen.

"The network has been invaluable," said Ackiss, who also serves as the university's coordinator of government relations. "It doesn't take a lot of time on the part of our volunteers individually, but as a group they can have a powerful impact."

The network played a role recently in helping the Board of Visitors and the Hampton Roads legislative delegation convince the governor to restore funding for the Engineering and Computational Sciences Building, which had been at the top of Old Dominion's priority list, along with faculty raises, Ackiss said.

Responding to situations like the budget impasse, the network has been a success - so much so that a handbook about legislative network written by the alumni relations staff has proven to be a hot commodity at other universities.

"I don't consider it a secret," Ackiss said. "It's something that all schools in Virginia could use. If we work together, we could have a bigger impact."

Valencia believes the network could even widen into a group that goes beyond the state's borders. The political science graduate said he has received calls from alumni outside Virginia wanting to know how they could help.

To find out more about the Alumni Legislative Network, contact cackiss@odu.edu, or call 888-ODU-3435 or 757-683-3097.

- James J. Lidington