The_Rambler_1996-04-15

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E A R T H DAY
LOBBY DAY
1996
A capital idea
PAGE 4
April 15,1996 STATEUNIVERSITYOFNEWYORKAT FARMINGDALE VOLUME 69, NUMBER 11
Tuition And Fees Continue To Rise
According To New Surveys
(NSNS)- Resident tuition and
fees at state colleges and universities
increased by 6.4 percent from $2,606 in
1994 to $2,772 in 1995, according to
officials of the American As^iation of
State Universities and CoUeges
(AAseu).
Nonresidents tuition and fees
increased by 7.8 percent from $6,811 to
$7,341. In 1995, eight states recorded
double-digit percentage increases from
the previous fall. In addition, respondents
to a recent College Board survey reported
the following:
- While the number of students
requesting financial aid continues to
increase, access to student services has
not been reduced;
- Faculty and staff positions are being
left unfilled by many institutions;
- The areas of most concern to students-course
sections and class sections-are not
being reduced with the same frequency
as in past years. By comparison, in fall
1993, nearly one-third of the campuses
reponding indicated they were having to
reduce course sections and class
selections.
- Effoijs b:^institutions to keep tuition
increases dowi^ave been supported by
moderate increases down have supported
by moderate increases in operational
funds coming from state sources,
increases in support from off campus
sources, and low inflation rates.
Fiscal year 1995 was the most
stable for states since 1989, according to
AASCU's Report of the States, which
said evidence of this stability could be
found in the the small number of states
that reduced their operating budgets and
in the increases in general fund budgets. ADSMPIENAIKSTSR OATUITO N By Will "Digity
Guest Writer
Its the spirit of revolution that
drives me to write this piece. For the
people who don't want education to
become for the elite and the rich folks. Do
you realize that at one time, SUNY
education was FREE. It seems like the
older folks ("Baby Boomer Generation")
got their's and now they want to drain the
pockets of our generation (Generation X).
Education is turning out to be just another
way for this capitalistic society to line its
pockets. Many of my fellow students feel
that they are getting ripped off in several
areas of this college (the food, the book
prices, the dorms, the dorm rules, the
campus events, the price of the student
activitt fee, the usage of the gymnasium,
the usage o£ the weight room, the lack of
Black, Latino or Asian teachers, the
mandatory payment for intermural sports
.. etc.) Unfortunately the list goes on and
on. I figured the best way to keep it real
would be to talk to those heads that are
running things. Let me introduce them to
you.
First up is the President of the
college Dr. Frank Cipriani. He is the first
Italian-American to become President of a
SUNY school. His parents were
immigrants but very proud and hard
workers. Since Italians were highly
discriminated against in Europe, I am
sure Dr. Cipriani can empathize with the
way "minorities" feel on campus.
Second up is the Assistant to the
President and the school's Affumative
Action officer. Her name is Patricia Hill
Williams. Ms. Williams has been
appointed to special commissions by
President's Reagan, Bush and Clinton. As
an African-American woman who has
spent a significant part of her life
representing Black folk, she probably has
many answers that could help make all
students of color (Latino, Asian, African,
East and West Indian, Black . . . etc.),
feel loke they are getting their money's
worth.
Batting third is our Sttidelit
Government President, Qyde Vanel.
Clyde controls over $500,000. His
administration has received its fair lhare
of criticism. Many seem dissatisfied with
SGA. Has Clyde received a fair shake?
Finally, batting fourth is Gina
DeStefano. Gina is the President of the
Campus Activities Board (CAB). Gina is
responsible for most of the activities on
campus. Activity scheduling has been a
major source of dissatisfaction. Is she
being resisted by "red tape".
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
ASIAN AWARENESS
ACTIVISM
By: The Asian Student Alliance
b u i l d i n g h f J
The Asian Student Alliance at
SUNY Farmingdale attended the 18th
annual East Coast Asian Student Union
(better known as ECASU) conference.
This years
conference was
held at the
University of
Maryland on the
weekend of March
8-10. ECASU is a
large organization
of Asian American
organizations that
are found in
universities,
colleges, and high
schools. ECASU
range from the
University of
Maine down to
Rorida state and
back up to
Harvard. The g©al
of ECASU to
bring
multicultiralism to campuses that do not
have Asian studies or awareness.
This years conference theme was
Asian Awareness Activism. On Friday
night we saw a performance by Here and
Now who gave us a different look at
ourselves through the eyes of everyone
else. Here and Now are a troop that tours
the U.S. and consists of voluntary Asian
actors and actresses. Their performance
hit the hearts of many as some learn their
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AT COILED IVWK
true selves through the acts of others. On
Saturday, workshops were held bright
and early so we could learn more about
our Asian backround. Some workshops
involved finding intemships around the
country, helping the Asian community,
and sexualism in the Asian population.
These workshops were
informative and opened
up our minds to Asian
issues. The keynote
speaker was Phillip
Tajitsu Nash, who is a
professor at the
University of Maryland
and a historical writer on
Asian Americans. The
workshops, networking
and hanging out lasted
intothe night where
everyone went to see the
Talent Showcase. The
Talent Showcase gave us
a peak at the different
kinds pf traditionaj
ceremonies of different
Asian ethUnic groups.
The perform^ces were
all dofie by students who are pro\id of
their Asian hertitage, just like us at
Farmingdale. Next years conference will
be held at another SUNY school,the
University at Albany. We are looking
foward to attending next years conference
and many more to come. We at the Asian
Student Alliance learned about ourselves,
the Asian community as a whole, and
our heritage which we are all proud of.
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