Good fellow student leaders,
SUNY Board of Trustees will be holding a virtual public hearing to discuss “University Issues”. There has not been a more important time than now to shake the table, hold SUNY and the BOT accountable to the students. We need your voices at the table, now more than ever. Here are some important information for you all about the hearing:
WHY IS THIS HEARING IMPORTANT:
During this pandemic when students are facing financial hardships, the Board of Trustees is looking to raise tuition, which may be up to $1,000. SUNY should not be unjustly placing the financial struggles of the institution on students’ backs and must seek state support instead, as a public university system.
This hearing is an opportunity for students to hold the Board of Trustees accountable to the students, and raise the alarm on the insurmountable hardships we have been facing: mental health, international student concerns racial justice, accessibility services, and difficulties encountered with online learning.
They are only giving each student 3 minutes to speak, but that 3 minutes can turn into 300 minutes with a massive student movement of diverse voices that will shake the table. Our time is NOW.
This is THE MOST IMPORTANT opportunity to stop tuition increase and make our voices heard. This is our moment to make sure SUNY places students, first!
Hearing Date:
November 17, 3PM via zoom.
Due Date to Submit Registration to SUNY SA:
Monday, November 9, by 9PM. Via this >>>LINK<<<
Due Date to Submit Registration to Board of Trustees:
Tuesday, November 10, by 3PM
IMPORTANT: Each student that will be at the hearing, must email the Board of Trustees from their own email to “request” to be at the hearing. SUNY SA will send all students who have registered with us (by MON 9PM) a “template email”, to send to the Board of Trustees to confirm their attendance (before TUE 3PM), as well as the email address, this is why it’s important to register with us ASAP.
What can you do:
1) Push members of your cabinet and senate to attend, as student representatives this is their opportunity to represent their constituents at the most important table of SUNY
2) Gather coalitions from student organization presidents at multicultural organizations
3) REMEMBER: register with SUNY SA by Mon, 9PM, and keep an eye out for SA’s. email to register with the Board of Trustees by Tuesday 3PM.
NOTE:
We will meet as a group before Nov 17 hearing to discuss the testimonials.
From the bottom of my heart thank you all for being willing to fight this fight with us. Only together, we can.
Yours in advocacy and solidarity,
Eusebio Omar van Reenen
Vice President
He/Him
Student Assembly of the State University of New York
State University Plaza – Albany, NY 12246
Your Voice. Your Student Assembly.
