The following statement was submitted by
the Student Assembly of the State University of New York (SUNY SA).
Last weekend, the SUNY Student Assembly
met at SUNY Oneonta for the second executive committee meeting of 2017. Oneonta
Student Association President Nicole Pereira and Executive Vice President
Darren Pikul graciously offered to host the Student Assembly for its February
gathering. Pereira and Pikul, both members of the Student Assembly’s Executive
Cabinet, shared that, “Oneonta's SA works hard to ensure that we are advocating
for our students as much as possible, a goal we share with the SUNY Student
Assembly. Having roles on both the campus and state levels really strengthens
the bond between both organizations.” Pereira continued, “We are proud to have
had this opportunity and hope that everyone enjoyed their time at the home of
the Red Dragons.”
Saben Durio, President of the Graduate
Student Association at the University at Albany, was appointed as an Acting
Graduate Division Representative for Doctoral Granting Institutions. When asked
about the appointment, Durio said he was “honored to join a team of such
passionate student leaders,” continuing that, “all the work that the SUNY
Student Assembly has done in light of recent events in the nation has truly
shown the level of dedication they have for advocating for students and their
needs.”
Arthur Ramsay, in his second year with
the Student Assembly, was confirmed as the Director of Communications for the
remainder of the year. Ramsay previously served the Assembly as Deputy Director
of Communications and Deputy Director of Academic Affairs. Additionally, Sarah
Petrak was appointed the Deputy Director of Communications. Petrak is a senior
at the University at Albany and works as a Legislative Aide in the New York
State Assembly.
Ramsay and Petrak have worked closely
with the Office of Communications at SUNY System Administration and look
forward to spreading the Student Assembly’s message. Chief of Staff Nicholas
Simons praised these appointments, noting “a strong communications staff is
integral to this organization. With the professionals we added this past
meeting, we're poised to elevate the student voice like never before."
Alivia Sheffield, Chair of the
Sustainability Committee, claimed a major victory when the Executive Committee
passed her resolution urging the federal government to continue the
environmental stewardship of the previous administration. “Now more than ever,
it is of the utmost importance that SUNY and the State of New York maintain and
continue their progress towards a more sustainable world,” said Sheffield. She
added that through the resolution’s passage, “students of SUNY are making their
voices heard on their expectations for SUNY to keep their promises in terms of
sustainability throughout any changes made by the current presidential
administration.”
The State-Operated Campuses Committee
also brought forward a resolution calling on the SUNY Board of Trustees to
guarantee a voting seat for students on all boards that regulate broad-based
fees. Alex George, a SUNY Oswego senior and University Colleges Representative
who crafted the resolution, noted its passage “strengthens our commitment to
affordable higher education by including broad based fees in the conversation.
Though we recognize the significance of these fees and the resources they
provide, we also realize the importance of transparency and shared governance
have in the levying of these fees.”
Reiterating these accomplishments was
Student Assembly President and SUNY Trustee Marc Cohen. "We have shown
once again that the student voice in New York is powerful and progressive,”
said Cohen. “Efforts to encourage sustainability and affordability will not
fall by the wayside under the watch of this incredible group of leaders."
The Student Assembly’s Executive
Committee looks forward to meeting at Schenectady County Community College on March
4 for its final meeting of the year before the Assembly’s Spring Conference,
April 7-9 in Rochester.
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