At this semester’s first Council of Organizations meeting on Monday, Feb. 7, two representatives were elected to positions on the Budget and Finance Committee.
After a facilitated discussion and vote, first-year accounting and finance major Hassan Malik and third-year political science major Francis Palasieski were given duties to provide oversight to the Conference Line and the larger expenditures from General Programming, as well as write the initial draft to next year’s Student Association (SA) budget.
“These two candidates chosen are going to be the people who decide if you get money for your program or not,” said Council of Organizations Chair Shayna Bentley. “So it’s really important to pick the right people.”
SA Vice President of Academic Affairs and Governance Caitlin Ryan spoke to students about the college’s $3.2 million budgetary shortfall and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent proposal to cut aid from New York’s State University system.
Referencing potential cuts in course offerings, Ryan said students should continue to stay educated on the situation.
“The administration is not speaking about which programs they may cut, but it looks like it’s going to be inevitable,” said Ryan. “Regardless or not if a program gets cut, across the board you’re probably going to see class sizes get bigger and you’re going to see less course sections offered. This is something we as students should really get involved in.”
SA President Jennifer Sanchez informed students, specifically first-year and fourth-year students, of the impending arrival of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
Sanchez said the NSSE will help the administration better understand what students gain from their attendance at SUNY New Paltz, by studying answers from those who have recently started or are concluding their college career.
The next Council of Organizations meeting will be held on Monday, Feb. 21.