The Statesman informing stony brook university for more than 50 years
Volume LVI, Issue 6
Monday, October 8, 2012
Voter sign-up deadline nears
sbstatesman.com
By Christine Powell Assistant News Editor
Election day, Nov. 6, is fast approaching and the window of opportunity to get involved is closing quickly. According to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), which conducts research on the political and civic engagement of young people out of Tufts University in Massachusetts, there are 46 million people ages 18-29 years old who are eligible to vote. That demographic makes up 24 percent of the eligible voting population in the United States. In 2008, 51 percent of the youth voting population came out to vote, which was a 2 percent increase from the 2004 election numbers and an 11 percent increase from those of the 2000 election. While this number is low compared to the adult demographic, in 2008, 84 percent of young people who were registered to vote cast a ballot. The key to improving the youth vote, then, is not encouraging the young to get to their polling place on election day; it is, rather, encouraging them to register and educating them on how to do so. The deadline to register to vote in New York State is 25 days before the election, or, this year, Oct. 12. Ben DeAngelis, regional campus Continued on Page 3
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Julia Shomenta wears an armband as she registers to vote at University of Texas, Dallas.
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Minority graduation rates on the rise at SBU By Matt Sacco
Contributing Writer
Last week, The Education Trust released a national report highlighting Stony Brook University’s dramatic success in improving the graduation rates of its underrepresented minority students. Between 2004 and 2010, Hispanic graduation rates increased from 42 percent to 58 percent, virtually matching the white graduation rate of 59 percent. The university was also lauded for its continued success with AfricanAmericans, who graduate at a rate of 71 percent. The Education Trust cited Stony Brook’s minority-assisting programs as significant factors in this growth. “Stony Brook was successful because their diverse programming succeeded in creating close-knit communities of students,” said Mary Nguyen, an analyst with the Education Trust and co-author of the report. “SBU has programs targeted specifically to low-income students and students of color, and various STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics] programs that help support and engage students in their academics.” STEM smart is an umbrella name for a variety of subsidiaries that provide support for disadvantaged high school and college students who wish to pursue degrees in the hard sciences. College students receive tutoring services and financial aid if needed, and they also attend career preparation workshops. In addition, many are offered internships or research opportunities with faculty.
High school students attend problem-solving workshops, learn proper study habits and are educated about college costs. David L. Ferguson, a professor of applied math and statistics at SBU, is the director of several STEM smart programs. “Over the last 25 years,” he said in an email interview, “Stony Brook University has come a long way in advancing diversity in STEM. Programs have been evolving,
and achievements are a result of collaborative efforts among diversity programs, faculty and staff, and new curricular approaches in such areas as chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and engineering.” Ferguson was ecstatic about the report, adding that he “was delighted to see our university recognized for the great advances that we have made in boosting the graduation rates of Hispanic and African American
students.” In the email, he touched upon several programs operating under the STEM smart banner: the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), which is funded by the New York State Education Department, and the SUNY Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP). Of Continued on Page 5
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Minority students file into commencement ceremony at Fresno State University in May 2012. Minorities are graduating at higher rates at Stony Brook University.