www.sbstatesman.org
Volume 53, Issue 37 • Thursday, March 4, 2010
"Unified, Organized and Pissed Off" Students Rally Against Budget Cuts and Tuition Hikes
KENNETH HO / THE STATESMAN
Students marched through campus to a bus waiting to take them to the CEWIT building to interrupt a SUNY Research and Innovation Symposium where Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. were in attendance. By Erika Karp
Assistant News Editor
IN THIS ISSUE
Riled up students congregated together outside the Student Activities Center and the CEWIT buildings Wednesday, waving neon colored signs rallying against budget cuts, tuition hikes and a myriad of other issues the SUNY system is facing.
Senior Mike Carley and about 20 other students recognized the problems SUNY is facing and planned the protest. Members from the Social Justice Alliance, College Democrats and Free Thinkers also participated. Nick Eaton, dubbed “Chief Rebel Rouser” by some protestors, addressed the growing crowd of 50 or so students. “We are unified, organized and
pissed off,” he said. According to Dan Melucci, associate vice president for Strategy, Planning and Analysis, the university is facing a budget gap more than $30 million for the year starting August 2010, if there is not adequate state tax support, union concessions or tuition increases. “We'd all opt for more tax support but in this fiscal
environment that is probably unrealistic,” he said. “The unions don't seem willing to budge off a 5 percent raise in the last year of their contract. That only leaves tuition increases. We'd like to do that in as rational a way as possible.” In January, Gov. David A. Paterson proposed The Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, which would
allow SUNY schools to determine their own tuition. SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and President Samuel Stanley support the act. Kevin Young, a Ph. D. history student, believes that the act should be discussed in the SUNY community and in an open and See RALLY on 3
Stalemate: Why nothing gets done
Niyaz performs sold-out show at SBU
INDEX
Many people argue and bicker about where they stand politically. Democrat or republican is a common answer. A growing trend in America is that many citizens
Thumb through any mainstream newspaper or tune into any news program these days and within minutes you’ll probably come across a story connected to a major topic:
News....................3 Opinion...............5 Arts.....................7 Sports...............8
are beyond fed up with both parties, and now identify themselves as independents or "unaffiliated." It is clear that many Americans are... See STALEMATE on 5
the controversy of affairs in the Middle East. You’ll be hard pressed to avoid hearing news of airline security threats... See NIYAZ on 7