State Relations
NYS Student-Community Townhall
On September 10, leadership from the Cornell University Office of Student Government Relations joined peers from Niagara University, Stonybrook University, Syracuse University, and the University of Rochester to discuss how their roles and responsibilities as student leaders have evolved during COVID. Creating transparency and clear lines of communication not only from college administrators, but also from students themselves is crucial to supporting a successful fall semester for students and college towns across New York State. Stay tuned for more information about regional conversations hosted by OSGR coming soon.
New York State Joint Legislature Virtual Public Hearing
The New York State Letter’s first demand––A Public Hearing on the Needs of Students––has been addressed by the New York State Senate. The virtual public hearing took place on July 28, 2020
A Public Hearing on the Needs of Students: New York students have been uniquely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual public hearing enabled collaboration between elected student representatives and government officials in Albany.
New York State Student COVID-19 Response Letter - June 15, 2020
Representatives of over half of New York State college students came together to urge the New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to better support the long term needs of New York state students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As college campuses closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic across New York state, students lost more than access to libraries and lecture halls; they lost jobs, their ability to pay for housing, and the resources to support their everyday lives. Income earned by students is crucial: 43% of full-time students and 81% of part-time students reported being employed prior to the pandemic. Coronavirus layoffs are disproportionately impacting New York residents, with students losing the jobs they rely on to make ends meet.”
New York State Higher Ed Coalition
The undersigned representatives of New York student governments hereby join together to form the Coalition of New York State Student Governments (CNYSG). The Coalition represents students from across New York State in order to increase collaboration and networking among student government organizations and to serve as a collective voice.
Signed by:
Joseph Anderson, Cornell University, Student Assembly President
Lawson Castaldo, Niagara University, Student Body President
Justine Hastings, Syracuse University, Student Association President
Raj Kittusamy, New York University, Student Association President
Abigail Murtha, Ithaca College, Student Governance Council Senate Chair
Patrick Kohn, St. John’s University, Student Government Inc. President