Welcome
Welcome to the Office of Governmental Affairs' (OGA) web site. The OGA reports directly to the President of the University. As the Special Assistant to the President, I am joined by four full-time lobbyists representing the University in Harrisburg and Washington, DC. Daily personal contact with elected and appointed officials and staff is an essential part of our operation. The effectiveness of our office is based not only upon our knowledge of the structure and functions of the governmental entities, but also upon a keen awareness of the political culture and those involved in the political process. The primary goal of our office is to facilitate positive interactions and communications between the University and state and federal agencies to further our mission as Pennsylvania's legislatively-designated Land-Grant University, which is charged with a tri-part mission of teaching, research and service to the Commonwealth.
Penn State's long-standing policy and procedures state that official University governmental contacts will be made through the OGA, thereby giving the elected and appointed officials one point of contact and one voice for the University. The OGA monitors legislative developments and provides accurate and timely analyses of proposals and the potential positive or negative impact on Penn State students, faculty, staff, or research interests. For this, we depend heavily on the expertise of our faculty and staff.
Please feel free to browse through our web site and contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Michael J. DiRaimo, Special Assistant to the President for Governmental Affairs