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UC Students Meet with Legislators in Albany
"Lobby Day" Coordinated by CICU
Written By Sydney Bell '11, PR Intern
Students lobby against proposed cuts to TAP, Opportunity Programs
Contact - cleogrande@utica.edu
Utica, NY (02/11/2010) - Utica College students spoke their minds Feb. 9 in Albany for Student Lobby Day, giving their opinions on the proposed cuts or elimination to tuition assistance and opportunity programs for undergraduate and graduate college students.The UC students met with State Senator Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Rome, Assemblyman William Magee, D-Nelson, and Assemblyman Marc Butler, R-Newport.
It was an emotional start to the day as a crowd of more than 850 students from colleges and universities all over New York State gave their personal stories of why they were here to lobby for more student funding.
UC’s own Keron Allyne, a sophomore government and politics major, took center stage and told his own moving story.
There was an undeniable energy in the room as each new staff member or student came up to the mike. It definitely pumped everyone up for the smaller battles they were about to face with each assemblyperson or senator to fight for their cause.
Before their meetings, the students received some sage advice. “Make sure you say 'thank you' at least twice,” said John Casellini, director of government relations for the Roffe Group and member of the UC board of trustees. “It’s the most important thing.”
And it was. The goal was to make sure each legislator knew how much all the students appreciated their efforts to make sure no money was cut from the budget, since tuition assistance, loans, and grants are the reason many of those attending were still in school. They wanted them to know how much all the funding meant, and to remind them to keep fighting for the students of New York.
About Utica College – Utica College, founded in 1946, is a comprehensive private institution offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The College, located in upstate central New York, approximately 90 miles west of Albany and 50 miles east of Syracuse, currently enrolls over 3,200 students in 37 undergraduate majors, 27 minors, 20 master’s and two doctoral degree programs.
