Wearing black crepe paper armbands
and brandishing signs and banners, students, faculty, and staff at Alfred State
College, as well as guests, participated in an on-campus rally Friday to send a
message to NYS Gov. David A. Paterson: "Save SUNY!" Among the
speakers were Student Senate President Adam Nash, Barneveld; Dr. John M.
Anderson, ASC president; NYS Sen. Catharine M. Young (R-Olean); ASC Student
Senate Activities Chair John Redman, Goshen; Alfred State College Council Chair
Patricia K. Fogarty; and Student Leaders Tom Lubitz, Walden, and Mary Johnson,
Black Creek. Each speaker brought his/her perspective to the rally, but
the overall message to the Governor was that cutting funding for SUNY can only
weaken the future of New York State. "Let's tell the Governor that we've
had enough and we're not going to take anymore!" proclaimed Sen. Young, who
also led several choruses of the "Save SUNY" rally cry. Fogarty
commiserated with the students, acknowledging their anger at having their tuition
increase used, not for their education, but to shore up the state's empty
coffers. "You're angry because it's not fair!" she said to a crowd of
students in complete agreement! Endorsing advocacy activities, Student
Senate arranged for computers to be available where students could access the
SUNY advocacy Web site and make their feelings known.
Watch the student rally video.