A3 Students travel to Washington for SUNY Students on the Hill
Friday, April 14, 2017 VOLUME LXXXV ISSUE IX SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com
Last town hall raises issues of protecting international, undocumented students Discussions include making Oswego State, SUNY schools sanctuary campuses for all
Winnie Blackwood Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Oswego State President Deborah Stanley held her last town hall meeting of the semester discussing issues and topics with faculty, staff and students on April 6, in the Marano Campus Center Auditorium. A continuing topic brought up by Stanley was to make Oswego State, along with the rest of SUNY campuses, sanctuary campuses for undocumented individuals, whether they are staff, faculty or students. Stanley said she has had multiple conversations with Oswego State Po-
SAF, Title IX boosts ‘It’s On Oz’ campaign
lice Chief John Rossi after New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman came out with his updated legal guidance that campuses must comply with law, but only if there is warrant for such action. “We don’t have to give information,” Stanley said. “We don’t have to allow people to talk to individuals. We don’t have to post [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] or any other law enforcement on campus if there is not a warrant associated with it and that is pretty much, as Chief Rossi has informed me, how we always operate.” University Police is on board, and Rossi said there was not a big change for the department because of Schnei-
derman’s resolution, it was just down in writing. Officers and supervisors signed off on the procedure within 24 hours of it is release by Schneiderman. “It’s really not going to have an effect on us,” Rossi said. Stanley said she was concerned of being informed of a change made in the future, but Rossi reassured her the campus would be notified. Eusebio Omar van Reenen, an international student, informed Stanley that over the weekend an affirmation of support would be given for the safety of undocumented and international students, and a resolution to request
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Sean Maphia | The Oswegonian President Stanley holds town hall meetings once a month during the semester for students, faculty and staff.
Free tuition becomes reality Students from middle class to receive Excelsior Scholarship in fall
Rice Creek Field Station receives grant increase Alexander Gault-Plate Assistant News Editor aplate@oswegonian.com
The United States Justice Department released a report in the fall of 2014 that said about 20 percent of all sexual assaults on college campuses go unreported. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and numerous organizations from across the country are taking this opportunity to promote the cause. Oswego State has a large part in promoting the prevention of assault as well. All SUNY schools operate under Title IX code, which prevents discrimination of any kind based on gender. Its principles are the framework for gender equality in the United States, something Oswego takes very seriously. After an assault, victims commonly have trouble with everyday things such as concentration, sleeping and doing homework. Title IX provides benefits such as assistance with mental and physical health, which involves counseling and medical care. Lisa Evaneski, Oswego State’s Title IX coordinator, hosts prevention education workshops, training sessions for Services to Aid Families (SAF) advocates and Peer Educators, case management and writing compliance reports for state and federal agencies. SAF is Oswego County’s domestic violence and sexual assault prevention program. Oswego State has had con-
The Rice Creek Field Station recently saw an increase to an existing grant, allowing them to increase services for public education, student research and weekend programs. This grant, administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, has increased to $175,000 over a fiveyear term. Before the increase, the grant gave the station $25,000 per year for three years, amounting to $75,000 in total. Known as the Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquariums (ZBGA) grant, it is given to educational institutions with a vested interest in the natural heritage of New York State. “The ZBGA program provides the stimulus to develop educational, cultural and recreational programs interpreting out natural heritage as well as support for the permanent collections of eligible institutions,” according to New York State’s Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website. The grant is only available to public or nonprofit institutions that maintain collections of natural specimens with a focus on public programs and education. “It is actually for weekend [activities], the student curators and for supplies related to public education,
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Jordan DeLucia Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com
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Maria Pericozzi News Editor mpericozzi@oswegonian.com New York is the first state in the country that will be providing middle class families with free tuition starting in fall 2017, provided they work in state after graduation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a piece of legislation Wednesday enacting the Excelsior Scholarship, which was passed as part of the fiscal year 2018 budget. The budget also includes $8 million to provide open educational resources, including e-books, to students at SUNY and CUNY colleges to help lower the cost of textbooks. “By providing tuition-free college to thousands of middle class New Yorkers, we are restoring the promise of the American Dream for the next generation and forging a bold path forward of access and opportunity for the rest of the nation to follow,” Cuomo said in a SUNY press release. “With a
See FREE, A4 Photo provided via flickr Multiple government officials spoke in favor of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (right) Excelsior Scholarship, a tuition-free college for New York State’s middle class families.
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