It is amazing how many doors university administrators can open—and close---for campus ministers. One university scheduled a meeting for its campus ministers, but all except one were too busy to attend. Now, when the university has a question or wants to discuss religious issues, they call the minister who made time for the meeting. One campus minister told me he hosts a luncheon as his building every year where he grills steaks for the staff of the university recruiting office. It was during one of these luncheons that the recruiters learned the minister would visit with prospective students interested in religious activities. So, now they him know whenever these opportunities for outreach come up.
One way to relate to university officials or meet them in the first place, is to show up at university events. If they are having a public reception for a guest speaker, go. When they hire a new coach and hold the big press conference, be there. You might be pleasantly surprised who you stand next to, and what you learn. On the flip side, most university officials don’t know what a resource you are until they have a chance to get to know you. For instance, does anybody in Student Affairs know who you are, and that they can trust you? You are the best “free resource” they have, but many of them don’t realize it. When they do realize it, you might be surprised at the doors that open to you. By the way, remember the lone campus minister that showed up for the meeting with school officials, the next summer he had the choice spot during the student organizations fair and the other religious groups were all complaining about their bad locations. Wonder how that happened????
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