Why should my group join the Progressive Student
Network?
 
The PSN exists for progressive student activists from
different campuses to come together, share their
experiences, learn from each other, and organize
campaigns on the regional and national level.  PSN also
publishes a newspaper, Progressive Student News, which
comes out approximately quarterly (or whenever we get
enough money together!).
 
The PSN can provide your campus group with an
opportunity to share experiences with other student
activists who work on the same issues you are working
on.  You can learn different strategies and ideas that
other campuses have tried, and find out what has worked
and what hasn't.  You can also learn about other issues
that you may not be as familiar with that other students
are working on.
 
The PSN puts you in touch with student activists who
have years of experience, as well as students who are
just starting to get politically active.  PSN provides a
forum to learn from history, learn from our practice,
and to discuss different political viewpoints and
theories on the left.  The PSN is open to everyone
interested in progressive political change.
 
The Progressive Student News is a valuable resource that
you can use in your group.  It is a good educational
tool, and it connects your work on your campus with
other student activism around the country.  Progressive
Student News is great for literature tables, and for
giving to people who are interested in learning about
the student movement.
 
The PSN does not have a huge budget, and is very weak in
the center.  In other words, there is not a well staffed
National Office with people who can handhold you through
the process of starting a new group or provide you with
tons of materials for free.  But this lack of a central
bureaucracy allows the local campus affiliates to retain
maximum autonomy, and assures that when the movement
grows, it will grow from the bottom up with as much
grassroots participation as possible.
 
Basically, the PSN is what we make it.  If your group
joins the PSN, it will immediately have two votes on the
PSN Steering Committee, and can play a role in shaping
the activities and the future of the network.
 
The PSN will provide your group with as much help as we
are able to with our limited resources.  But PSN also
allows your group to retain local autonomy to work on
whatever issues you want, and take whatever positions
you want.  There is no "PSN line" that local groups are
forced to uphold.  While political positions are
certainly discussed in PSN, and sometimes a formal
position on an issue is voted on and approved as the
"PSN position," local groups do not have to agree with
these positions to be active members in the network.
 
Affiliating with PSN means being in contact with and
working with other progressive student activists.  It
means building a national student movement from the
ground up-a movement based on progressive student groups
coming together regionally and nationally.
 
There are no formal dues to be a PSN affiliate.  But
maintaining a national network does cost money.  So if
your group can afford it, or can do fundraising, please
send $30 (or whatever you can afford) to the PSN at 2526
N. Fransisco #1, Chicago, IL 60647.
 
If your group does not want to formally affiliate with
PSN, but wants to stay in touch, and be on the mailing
list to get information on upcoming meetings and
activities, just send us your name and a way to get in
touch with you (address, phone number, email, etc).  We
hope to hear from you soon!
 
Study and Struggle!
 
Progressive Student Network
National Office
2526 N. Fransisco #1
Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 278-5376
 
PSN via email:
gwpsu@gwuvm.gwu.edu