Erik Guerra

Social Movements

MW 3:30-4:45 P.M.

START Event: Push Polling

Like most of the social movements tactics push polling was completely foreign to me. I had never pushed polled or even heard of push polling. Once introduced to this technique I understood the nature of some phone calls I would receive at my home. I was most worried about this event in particular. I felt odd calling people I didn't know. I was also nervous delivering information regarding the rise of tuition to strangers over the phone.

I signed up to push poll during twelve o'clock and one o'clock. I would say that the first three minutes I was just adjusting to how I should go about the push polling. After that everything went completely smooth. Within the first ten minutes I was able to reach a caller who was interested in completing the survey our group and Mr. Kubal created. This caller seemed really nice and this boosted my confidence to continue.

While push polling I came to find that fifty three percent of those who completed the survey had some college completed. Four out of the nineteen respondents who answered the level of education received question had a bachelors degree. Thirteen out of nineteen respondents claimed to have attended Fresno State. Fifteen respondents had family who attended Fresno State. Thirteen respondents knew that Fresno State's tuition has risen from $3,039 to $6,263 over the past five years. Only four out of nineteen respondents knew that the average student loan debt for the class of 2013 is $35,200. Most of the respondents seemed to think that the rise of tuition was a negative event. Most also believed that there could be some chages done so that tuition doesn't rise as frequently as it has. About fifty-eight percent of the respondents were Hispanic. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents also happened to be female.

Push polling was a good experience. I enjoyed talking to people who were interested in our cause. If I could, next time I would try to encourage the respondent to elaborate and feel free to speak more on any particular question.