the stony brook press - volume 31, issue 10.5

8/9/2019 The Stony Brook Press - Volume 31, Issue 10.5

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Photo Copyright Shaun Uddin, www.finash.com


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editorialsVol. XXXI, Issue 10.5 | Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The sanctity of campus life here at Stony Brook isbeing threatened once again by pointless legislation.Every two years, the student activity fee is put up to avote. The question is phrased, should the activity feebe mandatory or optional to persuade students tovote against it. What is really happening is that stu-

dents must constantly re-ratify the basic institutionsthat allow campus clubs and events. Fortunately, thevote has been in favor of a mandatory fee in the past.The time for this crucial vote is again approaching.

The student activities fee helps pay for most if notall the campus events, clubs and organizations, whichin turn impact the student body, campus and com-munity. Clubs, including The Press, would be put insevere jeopardy and would not be able to operate andserve their purposes. While the defunding of thisbeloved newspaper may be a good thing dependingon your outlook, there are a fair number of student-run clubs and events that most would agree servicethe campus in ways that have a great. Consider eventssuch as the Roth Regatta and Brookstock, and organ-

izations like the numerous diversity clubs and dancecrews.

What would happen to all the stray cats de-scended from callously abandoned student pets iffunding for the Cat Network suddenly stopped, be-cause the $94.25 fee for student activities became op-tional? Or take the Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance

Corps, which not only offers experience to those whoparticipate, but an invaluable service to the campus

they save lives, for Christs sake. How about the stu-dent-run radio station, WUSB, that could lose its FCClicense and become inoperable if students voted tomake the activity fee optional.

We understand that these are economically try-ing timesbut $94.25 means a lot to a campus strug-

gling to keep its students happy. The PrincetonReview rankings may show us to be an unhappy cam-pus, but what little joy there is to be had here is oftenfound in the campus club scene.

The beauty of campus life at Stony Brook is thatthere is a club for everyone, regardless of whether youare a liberal or conservative, an anime freak or a sci-ence-fiction freak, a south-Asian dancer or an east-Asian dancer. The spectrum is so wide that it coverseveryone and practically everything.

The vote is months away, but we here at The Pressfeel very strongly. It has an obvious impact on us andour readersour paper depends on activity-fee fund-ing. But the mandatory student activity fee not onlybenefits The Press, but the campus and community as

a whole.Republished from Issue 9.

Vote Yes for Student Activities

Where the USG Came Frome administration dissolved the once-au-

tonomous student government and seized control ofstudents money for clubs and events. It was October

of 2002, and it was the conception of the Undergrad-uate Student Government (USG).

For decades, the Student Polity Association, agovernment created by students, had represented un-dergraduates at Stony Brook. Agreeing on the best in-terest of thousands of individuals is alwayscontentious, and Polity was infamous for its fights. Atthe time, the statewide SUNY administration, follow-ing a law recently passed by the legislature, had issuednew guidelines for what a student govern-ment should be and how it should act. Sixdifferent dras of Polity constitutional re-form were circulating in the student senate,and none were collecting enough supportto pass.

Student president Akelia Lawrence,who believed constitutional reform wasbeing used by the Senate to take power awayfrom the President, appealed to UniversityPresident Shirley Strum Kenny to takewhatever steps are necessary to reformat thestudent government. With Lawrence forcover, Kenny did not hesitate. Along withVice President of Student Life Fred Preston, she de-certified Polity. e student governments highestprofile function, collecting activity fee money and dis-tributing it to clubs, organizations and campus events,was temporarily taken over by Prestons office. Politysbudget was reduced to zero, and it would not last long.

e administration recognized USG as the new

student government the following semester, Spring of2003. e original USG constitution was written notby legitimately elected student representatives, but bya group of faculty, administrators and some students,

hand-picked by Kennys administration. e newgovernment featured some interesting structuralchanges.

An unusually large eleven-member executive, abody padded by several officers with few specific re-sponsibilities, headed USG. By increasing the num-ber of offices available, the USG structure would helpto insure that more student leaders would assume of-fice with no contested election. e size of the bodywould also make it difficult to gather enough votes forthe executive to take collective action.

A senate that had been organized into divisions

immediately relevant to students lives, residents andcommuters, was reorganized into Senators from theCollege of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineeringand Applied Sciences and the Health Science Center.In addition to an alienating structure that was mean-ingless to most students, this created silly, lopsidedgroups of 17, 2 and 1 Senators, respectively. (Two

more Senators are appointed by resident and com-muter groups, respectively.) Because few students,and fewer student leaders, come from majors withinthe CEAS and HSC, virtually every candidate who

stands to represents these schools runs unopposed.Most resident students, who could previously vote bytheir dorm for a Senator who would live near them

and possibly be a part of their social life, would nowbe voting for 17 at-large Senators from a list of, usu-ally, just over 17 candidates.

e USG constitution had other curious clauses.For example, hidden in an arcane section on tax law,it says that attempting to influence legislation couldnot be a substantial part of the activities of the stu-dent government. Of course, while distributingmoney to clubs is valuable to student life, the main

purpose of an organized representative ofstudents is to be an instrument for collec-tive action by the students. Students haveinterests in the larger society that arepoorly served by disorganized individualactions. At some points in USGs history,

savvy Senators who believe they wereelected to represent students have ignoredthe implication of this clausethat thestudent government cant fight for stu-dents. At other points, Senators havewrung their hands and claimed impo-tence.

In the Spring 2010 elections, stu-dents are electing ten of the eleven members of theExecutive Committee (the Freshman Representativeis elected in the Fall by the incoming freshmen). Atleast four (depending on possible disqualifications) ofthose ten executives are predetermined by uncon-tested elections. Twenty seats in the Senate are up forelection. e would-be Senators from the CEAS and

the HSC will take office unopposed. Students in mostmajor programs (which fall into the CAS), or of un-declared major, will be choosing seventeen of twenty-six at large candidates.


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e Press asked every USG candidate the same six ques-tions, via the email addresses they listed with the USG

Elections Board. Many candidates failed to reply. eanswers of those who did form the bulk of this supple-ment.

e questions:

1) Voter turnout for these elections is usually 5% of thestudent body. Why do you believe that is so?

2) What is your position on Governor Patersons pro-posed PHEEIA bill regarding SUNY tuition?

3) How would you evaluate the success of Brookfest andother recent campus events?

4) Which USG officeholders should be paid from the stu-dent activity fee, how much, and why?

5) What should the USGs relationship be with studentactivism?

6) Why should students vote for you?

We wrote the questions to focus the candidates both onissues we see as important to our readers and on the USG

itself, while also giving them some leeway to talk aboutwhatever they felt best justified their candidacies.

3The Stony Brook Press

Matt GrahamUSG President

1) Low Voter Turnout

Voter turnout is weak simply becausestudents either dont know about the USGelections or dont understand USGs impor-tance to the Stony Brook community. Part ofthe problem is the large percentage of the un-dergraduate population that does not stay oncampus over the weekends or get involved inthe on campus events and activities. Insteadof participating in campus events, clubs/or-ganizations or interacting with fellow stu-dents, many go home and thus dont knowabout what is available here at Stony Brookoutside of class work. If more people weretaking part in clubs/organizations they would

be more aware about the USG election. Rightnow most voters are the students that are in-volved in clubs, organizations, and campusevents. Getting more people involved in theseactivities will make people more interestedand concerned about the elections.

2) PHEEIA

I believe Governor Patersons proposedPHEEIA bill has several positive aspects to it.If passed, it will represent a significant stepfor all of SUNY and CUNY schools here inNY. This bill will have the power to take theNYS education system, and our University, tothe next level. Because this is such an impor-tant issue, I would urge students to under-

stand what the bill means for them and getinvolved in voicing their support to Albany.Even president Stanly has stressed the im-portance of this issue and the huge benefits itwould have on higher education in NY. Thisis would truly be a milestone for SUNY andrequires our support to help insure victory.

3) Brookfest & Student Life

Student life, and the activities on campusthat encompass it, is definitely somethingthat needs improvement. Only a small per-centage of students chose to take advantageof all the fun things going on. The USGsmain function is to make campus life fun andexciting and provide the resources for stu-dents to learn and grow outside of the class-

room. Over the last year the USG hasntnecessarily failed at this but there is still a lot

of room for improvementand we certainly could do abetter job. This applies toboth Brookfest and theother events put on by theUSG and its agencies. Onething that needs improve-ment, is increasing studentsinvolvement and attractingthem events. This willprove to be a major chal-lenge.

4) USG Paid Stipend

I believe the currentpay of USG members is fair

and absolutely necessary.Being involved in the USGrequires a significant amount of work andtime commitment. If we want to keep our tal-ented students involved in the USG then wewill need to continue compensating themmonetarily. USG office holders could easilyget other paid internships, research positions,or other jobs that without compensation theywould immediately go to. Additionally, get-ting paid for something, has the ability to in-crease the dedication and quality of workdone.

5) USG & Student Activism

The purpose of the USG is to get stu-dents involved in the events sponsored by the

USG or by the over 150 clubs and organiza-tions funded by the USG. Though it is greatto see student activism on campus, and itshows our university sprit and passion, itshouldnt be associated with the USG. Ourengagement in these activities could lead toconflicts of interest and would be against ourpolicy and purpose.

6) Y 4 U?

Throughout my time at Stony Brook as aChemical Engineering major, I have beenvery active in a wide range of campus clubs,organizations, events, and sports. Specifically,my involvement in the USG has been work-ing closely with the current President, which

has allowed me to learn the intricacies of theUSG and the role of its President. Throughmy work I have seen the problems and issuesin the USG and have identified which Ishould address first. I am committed and willdemand nothing but the utmost dedicationfrom my fellow colleges in USG. I will holdmy integrity to its highest standard and pun-ish those who abuse their power or privileges.The primary focus of my Presidency will beto get more FUN activities here on campusand get more students involved in them. I willalso actively poll the student body to betterunderstand their complaints about StonyBrook and do my best to address them. As anelected official I will be here to represent andserve you, the student body. The Undergrad-

uate Student Government needs a strongleader and I am here to deliver!

Najib AminyRaina BedfordAndrew Fraley

James LaudanoAlex H. NaglerMatt Willemain

Contributors:

Inside:

Editorials ................................. Page 2Executive Council ............. Pages 3-7Senate ................................ Pages 8-11How Do I Vote? ............. Back Cover


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4 Vol. XXXI, Issue 10.5 | Wednesday, March 17, 2010Executive Council - Vice President

Alexander DimitriyadiExecutive Vice President

1) Low Voter TurnoutI attribute the poor voter turnout on a much larger communi-

cation issue that the USG has. I spent two years as a student not in-volved in USG and the only opinions I encountered were eithernegative or just a complete lack of knowledge of what the USG was.Therefore when election season comes around, I feel that not manystudents are motivated to log onto SOLAR to vote for an organiza-tion they feel doesnt represent or provide benefit to them. Overthe next couple of years the USG is going to have to work very hardto improve their image in the undergraduate community by directlyreaching out to students for their input.

2) PHEEIAAs a Computer Science major, I am heavily opposed to the dif-

ferential tuition among academic programs in PHEEIA that willmost likely target CEAS students. I feel it is unreasonable to ask

CEAS students for additional money when a disproportionateamount of engineering resources are spent on revenue generatingresearch rather than improving the quality of education for theirstudents. Since Im sure PHEEIA will pass, I hope the additionalmoney will allow the university to hire instructors with more em-phasis on their teaching ability rather than their research CV.

3) Brookfest and Campus LifeDuring the Roth Regatta last year, the M.C. of the event made

two failed attempts of trying to get the crowd of several thousandsurrounding Roth pond to create a wave. On the third attempt, the

spectators successfully initiated and sent a wave rippling throughthe crowd. This was the first time in my two years at Stony Brookthat I felt any sense of pride for my school. I think events such asthe Regatta set a standard that we should apply to other events oncampus. In order to have successful events, the focus within theUSG needs to about planning events that draw out a larger amountof the campus community. Once we accomplish this, then I be-lieve we will have fixed the problem of student life on this campus.

4) USG Paid StipendsDespite the common perception that the USG is full of people

purely looking for resume boosters, I think youd be quite surprisedat the dedication of most of our elected officials this year.

Late nights, weekends, snow days and vacations are all timesthat you would probably find someone in the USG suite. Withsome Senators spending 30 40 hours per pay period often at theexpense of their grades and bank accounts, I think that they morethen deserve the $60 per week they receive. Members of the Exec-utive council make between $8 and $12 per hour for the first 15hours per week, which I think is more than justified given their re-spective workloads. Paying USG officials is necessary to ensurethat we can have competent representatives whom otherwise wouldhave to seek out alternative jobs instead of working for the greatergood of the campus community.

5) USG and Student ActivismOur current Constitution explicitly disallows the USG to par-

ticipate in student activism that would have any importance out-side of the campus community. Until this is changed, the USG mustlimit its activities to purely facilitating student activism through thefunding of organizations such as NYPIRG.

6) Y 4 U?

As a Senator this year, I have been the author of many pieces oflegislation that have sought to improve the internal operations ofthe USG. However, the more I became familiar with the govern-ing documents of the USG, the more I began to be alarmed at theglaring inconsistencies and ambiguities often making interpreta-tion of them difficult. For the remainder of my term this year andif elected, my term next year as Executive Vice President I will seekto remove these problems setting the stage for future administra-tions to solve more important problems such as establishing stu-dent life on campus.

Please Note: All candidates were given questions via emails to the email adresses provided. Six days were

given to respond to these questions. The following are candidates who never responded to our request:

Adeel Anwer, USG PresidentSharlene Felix, VP of CommunicationsShamell Forbes, VP of Academic AffairsJoe Russo, VP of Academic AffairsAneta Bose, VP of Student LifePeter Molloy, VP of Student LifeLeili Sarraa, Sophomore ClassRepresentativeEmilisa Trotman, Junior ClassRepresentative

Christian Velez, Senator HSCSpencer Cushing, Senator CEASOry Baum, Senator CASMichael Chuprin, Senator CASSamuel Cushner, Senator CASShawn Hyms, Senator CASLucy Kang, Senator CASMahyar Kashan, Senator CASSidrah Khand, Senator CASomas Kirnbauer, Senator CAS

Kirin Mahmud, Senator CASBhaskar Naran, Senator CASJoy Phillip, Senator CASShivani Rampersad, Senator CASBenjamin Rappaport, Senator CASMasood Rustemi, Senator CASHarminder Singh, Senator CASPeter Stratoudakis, Senator CASRussel Williams, Senator CASKekelly Ketemepi, Senator CAS


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The Stony Brook Press 5Executive Council

Moiz KhanTreasurer


I believe that the low turnout for elec-tions is part a much larger problem on thiscampus. If someone went about the task ofasking the student body if they knew whatUSG is and what exactly USG does, theywould get tons of blank stares. Anothermajor group of people are indifferent to theUSG as they do not think that the USG hasan effect on their lives. The solution to thefirst problem is simply better communica-tion and marketing, the solution to the sec-

ond is expanding the reach of USG toaccount for the diversity of students.

2) PHEEIA

The proposed bill is the result of thefailure of the State to prioritize values.Noam Chomsky puts it well, Tough love isjust the right phrase: love for the rich, andtough for everyone else.

3) Brookfest & Campus Life

The problem with most of the eventson campus is that they lack planning. It isalmost always the case that events areplanned last minute and so while the po-tential is there, it is rarely realized. Brook-

fest is a good example of this as last year theartists were not confirmed until two weeksprior to the event. The clubs and organiza-

tions that have annual events such as RothRegatta or Homecoming are planned wellahead of time and often the only thing theyhave to do is slightly adjust old contracts.Thus those events are extremely well exe-cuted.

4) USG Paid Stipend

Given the current economic climatewith jobs as an endangered species, theUSG is one of the very few organizationsthat maintains and continually hires hun-dreds of student employees. Of course, sincethe wages and salaries are being drawn fromthe Student Activity Fee, the USG must befrugal in the amount we compensate em-ployees. However, the USG should be proudthat it provides employment opportunitiesto students on campus. With regards to spe-cific positions, I believe that positionsshould be compensated for their relativeworkload. For example, the President andTreasurer are the two highest paid positionsat $12 an hour and they are only compen-sated for the first fifteen hours. In the caseof the Treasurer as that is the position I ammost familiar with, in order for me to do myjob even remotely effectively it requires atleast 40 hours a week. As you go down thelist, I believe the pay scale does a fair job ofcompensating the students for their relativeworkload.

5) USG & Student ActivismI believe it is the role of the USG to fa-

cilitate any activity that Undergraduate Stu-dents wish to engage in provided theactivity complies with Federal and Statelaws. I do not believe that it is the role of theUSG itself to act as an advocate for any par-ticular political issue. Successful popularmovements come from the bottom-up, nottop-down.

6) Y 4 U?

In the past 4-5 months I have workedto completely rework the Office of theTreasury. I have begun many initiatives(ALLOCATE, simplifying the budget

process, etc) and I would like to see themthrough.

David MazzaVP of Communications


There is no structure in place thatmakes student government relevant in thelives of Stony Brook students. I have spentmuch of this year to make students aware ofwhat we do and I have created SBUlife.comas a new way to reach students. Still, SBUlifewill be useless without decent events to ad-vertise. If we spent student money on eventsthat attracted a larger student population,we might see higher voter turnout.

2) PHEEIA

I am proud to be one of the only dis-senting voices in the USG on this matter.While I can appreciate the idea that we have

more control and flexibility over our ownfunding, I fear that this will ultimately leadto higher tuition in place of the proper statefunding that any public institution shouldreceive. We only receive 23% of our fund-ing by the state, and about the same percentfrom tuition. The rest is either private fund-ing or government grants for research.SUNY deserves state support, and studentsshould never be taxed as a result of a budgetcrisis in the worst economic times.


I am deeply ashamed to be associatedwith an organization that spends an irre-sponsible amount of student money on thisevent each year, while charging students anextra $20 for tickets. With a $3.1 milliondollar annual budget, USG has the poten-tial to book insane shows and performersevery semester. Instead this money is rou-tinely wasted on expensive parties andthird-rate artists from more than a decadeago.

4) USG Paid StipendThe USG is a $3.1 million dollar cor-

poration, so its no surprise that you need topay people to keep an organization thatlarge running properly. It should also be nosurprise that an elected official who is re-quired to work 15 hours per week cant af-ford to do that for free, so we work for justabove minimum wage. There are paid posi-tions within the USG that have been usedfor the wrong reasons. Although Im not ina position to make such decisions, we havespent much of this year re-examining ourpayroll, and there will be changes by nextyear.


I dont think student governmentshould ever acquiesce to the wishes or de-mands of the administration. We shouldserve as a powerful voice for students asstated in our constitution. I have learnedthis year that I do not share this view withmy co-workers. The USG has failed to do sothis year. As a result, I have turned to othermethods of student activism, but I still dowhatever I can to push the USG to look outfor our constituents. Depending on the newExecutive Council and Senate, I may beginworking again to use USG as an organizingforce for student activism.

6) Y 4 U?

I have done my job this year, and Ithink its fair to say that Ive gone far aboveand beyond my job description. I developedthe new USG website from scratch, and Imdeveloping a campus social network thatwill have every event posted on it by this fallif re-elected. I have put out well over adozen press releases to keep the studentmedia up-to-date with our internal affairs. Iam also developing a free marketing serv-ice for clubs. None of the above appears inmy job description, but I feel that any lesswould be a disservice to the students. I amhappy to post my resume online athttp://davidmazza.net

Im not running as an exclusive groupof people to fill positions pointlessly, Im justconfident that I am fit to continue in myown position. I look forward to workingwith anyone who wins in a fair election.

Special Thanks To:

David K. Ginn & Justin Meltzer

For letting The Pressuse their Robotman

costume from their upcoming digital series.

Catch Dino Hunter, MDsoon, on YouTube at

the CannibalTrollFilms channel.


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6 Vol. XXXI, Issue 10.5 | Wednesday, March 17, 2010Vice President of Clubs and Organizations

Jennifer ChanVP of Clubs and Organizations


I believe its because of two things:promotion strategy, and student involve-ment. The Undergraduate Student Gov-ernment promotes through fliers, whichare helpful and consistent because they arealways at one place, and if placed wisely,they can be spotted and attract attentioneasily. But I believe that promotion can beimproved by having really motivatedand influential student volunteers goingaround talking to students and makingthem aware of how important it is for themto participate in the elections by voting.

Getting students to realize how the USGelections can affect them, I believe, wouldreally get students more involved with par-ticipating in elections.

2) PHEEIA

Im for reasonable and consistent tu-ition increase if it means that the extramoney my parents are paying every year ishelping to improve the facilities where myclasses are held, hire more experiencedprofessors that genuinely love teaching,and improving my overall learning experi-ence during my time in college. Its unfairfor students who attend college during thetime of economic downfalls to have to pay

more money for the same schooling thatcollege students who attended school dur-ing economic prosperity.


Brookfest and other campus wideevents have always received good turnoutsif not great ones, but I think they can defi-nitely continue to increase their turnout. Ifeel that the students who help out withmarketing/advertising for these greatevents should try to reach out to a muchmore diverse group of students (commuterstudents, international students, transferstudents, Freshmans, etc...) by speaking inperson and making announcements ex-plaining and describing these events. Iknow that the students who work togetherto organize and to put these events together

spend a lot of time and energy to think of

all the ways that they can make their eventinteresting and something fun that stu-dents would want to participate in. The keyis making sure the students know that thereis an event, what the event is about/whatwill the students be doing in the event, andI think that marketing/advertising theevents in person will be able to answer thequestions of the students.

4) USG Paid Stipend

I felt that this question was too broad.I would have to go into detail of each posi-tion of the Executive Board and their re-sponsibilities, the different SenateCommittees, and the different Agencies

that makes up the whole USG. I dont feelthat its really up to me to decide how mucheach officeholder should get paid becausewe each have our own roles and responsi-bilities stated in our Constitution, and de-pending on the student, he/she mightsometimes even take up more responsibil-ities or take the initiative and find ways toimprove the efficiency of the Governmentas a whole. You cant really put a monetaryreward on that because its something thatthey want to do, thats why they are there.


In my opinion, the USGs role/rela-tionship with student activists should be toeducate and support them if it is in the in-

terest of the student body as a whole.Everyone has different views and opinions,thoughts and ideas, but USG shouldmainly provide information and educatethe student body in order to help them seethe whole issue from both sides before tak-ing any drastic actions because we can onlypredict so much of what can happen in thelong-run.

6) Y 4 U?

Wow, this is a question that I wasasked at least 100 times as I was petition-ing, going around collecting my 400 signa-tures to run as a Candidate for the VicePresident of Clubs and Organizations po-

sition. Why should students vote for me?Well, to start off, Im a very dedicated andhardworking student in both academicsand extracirriculars. I first got involvedthrough my Hall Council; it was there thatI really started to learn how to plan eventsand understood the amount of time andenergy an organization would require ofme. It wasnt until I started working at USGthat I got to meet and learn about the manyclubs and organizations that were verymuch different yet very similar to my HallCouncil. I understood the frustration thatsome clubs and organizations have to gothrough sometimes if something wentwrong in their paperwork, and their re-quest for a certain amount of funding did-nt get approved or wasnt ready for theirhuge event that they have been planning

Franck JosephVP of Clubs and Organizations

1) Low Voter TurnoutThe reason for the low rate of voter

turnout is because of a lack of awarenessand promotion. In past years, I personallyfeel that candidates did not put themselvesout in the public enough so that peopleknew that elections were occurring. Also,the student body in its entirety may notknow the effect that USG has on the cam-pus. If USG can put on this class wall com-plex, so that the people can clearly see whatis going on and what is being done thevoter turnouts would increase.

2) PHEEIA

The proposed bill by Governor Patter-son is, in my opinion, very misleading. It

has been said that PHEEIA will increasejob rates and will expand the higher edu-cation structure. But my concern is for thestudents, I feel that increased tuition willforce people to drop out of school or takesemesters off. If this bill goes through, itwill effect the future of a lot of students

who go to SUNY & CUNY schools. For ex-

ample, the average debt of a Stony Brookstudent after graduating is $17, 375. ThePHEEIA bill will increase that by somehundreds of dollars, and that is unaccept-able. In theory and on paper the PHEEIAbill sounds good, more jobs, helping themore needy students with aid, strengthen-ing higher education; but I fear its execu-tion will have long-term implications forstudents.

3) Brookfest & Student Life

Speaking as President of a USG-funded club on campus I feel as if events,Brookfest inclusive, I feel have been takinga hit. The attendance rates for these events

have been going in a negative direction.This may be attributed to lack of properfunding for some of these events, and alsolack of promotion and awareness fromUSG. This is something that must change.It is not too late to help in the progressionof these events, but we must promote diversity as well as properly fund clubs sothey can help promote student life throughthese events.

4) USG Paid Stipend

I believe any USG officeholders thatare giving their services back to the Uni-versity as well as the student body shouldbe paid. Putting a monetary number onthat is an injustice because of the dif ferentpositions and duties that come with each.Every officeholder has a dif ferent task thatthey are help more accountable for, buteach is also equal in importance. The rea-son I feel they should be paid is because, asI previously stated, of the service they areprovided to the University. If they are will-ing to bear that stress and do their jobs ef-fectively it is only fair that they receivesome type of stipend.


USG should be the voice of the peoplewhen it comes to student activism. If a majority of the student body feels a certainway on an issue, then as the representative

for the students, USG should compute that.

6) Y 4 U?

Students should vote for me because itwill be a fresh breath to USG. Though Iwould be new to USG, I am also far frominexperienced when it comes to studentleadership. Being the President of a club oncampus now, I am the right candidate tobecome VP of Clubs & Organizations. Atrue representation of the people whovoted for me will be felt being that I am amember of a club. With me, the studentbody WILL get exactly who they voted for,both before and after the ballots have beencast. My dedication and resilience, as wellas my passion and drive are also reasonswhy students should vote for me.

weeks before. It wasnt until I joined theExecutive Board of the very small andgrowing club (ASCEND), that I experi-enced just how hard it is to grow the mem-bership of a club, the amount of paperworkthat needs to get done to request for fund-ing, and the many other different kind of

issues such as room reservations, and ba-sically everything that has to do with cre-ating successful and meaningful events. Ithink that students should vote for me be-cause I have the knowledge (been with theUndergraduate Student Government forabout two years), and the experience(worked on several successful events, as-sisted in the preparation of USG events,and is currently working with the currentVP of Clubs and Orgs. to help carry outsome of her responsibilities). Im veryhardworking and dedicated to the things Ido, and I really hope to win this election sothat I can help improve student lifethrough working with the many differentclubs and organizations that USG fund(and also those who would want to getfunding).


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I believe that the voter turnout for theseelections is usually 5% of the student bodybecause students dont feel that their votesactual ly count. Its similar to the U.S. Pres-idential election where a majority of theyounger citizens that are eligible to vote did-nt; at least not until President Obama de-cided to run. Students may not feel asthough that their voices will be heard andthat their interest wont really be taken intoconsideration as promised by the candidateasking for their vote

2) PHEEIA

I am not in favor of anything that willincrease tuition costs of the University.

With the most recent rise in tuition, it hasleft a number of students without a place toattend for higher education. Governor Pat-tersons bill regarding SUNY tuition willmake matters even worse, possibly resultingin the leave of even more students which isunacceptable. As a student body, we havebeen opposing tuition increase and the gen-eral consensus has remained the same. WeCANNOT afford to pay more than what weare paying already.


The success of Brookfest has been phe-nomenal in my opinion. Brookfest is oneevent that Ive managed to attend annuallysince my freshman year and it is definitely

one of the events on campus that I have en-joyed the most. Many recent campus eventsare successful as well in the sense that theyare put together properly and effectively.However, I feel that attendance is a big issue.In personal experience, Ive noticed a deficitin the number of people attending particu-lar programs. This is due to three main fac-tors. One, some students are just notinterested and may not being taking advan-tage of the opportunity to experience some-thing new here at the University. They mayfeel as though nothing has caught their at-tention and grasped their interest enoughfor them to attend an event. Another factoris that a large percentage of the student

body are not being reached out to. In mostcases, students may not be aware or in-

formed of a particu-lar event. In my

opinion, not alot of empha-sis is beingput towardsthe adver-tisement andmarketing of

an event. An-other factorthat plays a

part to thelack of

attendance for many campus events is the

fact that there is a conflict of interest. Moretimes than none, there are multiple eventsthat are taking place at the same exact time.It is an inconvenience for students that wantto attend both programs. They either haveto leave one early to go to the other later orthey may just go to one event and not theother. One would see a vast improvementin the quality of campus programs if the or-ganizations put greater emphasis onto advertising for their event, and iforganizations worked together to ensuremaximum attendance for their events bynot booking at the same time.

4) USG Paid Stipend

In my opinion, I dont think any of theofficeholders should be paid from the stu-dent activities fee. When I first learned ofthe position that Im running for, I didntknow that any of the officeholders receivedpay. I agreed to running for the senior classrepresentative position even before I wastold that I would receive pay. But thinkingfrom the mindset of a student of the Uni- versity, my tuition costs and expensesshould not be pocketed by another student.The costs of attending college and the factthat tuition is increasing makes it difficultfor many to maintain a way to stay enrolled.Even worse, it may turn away some that areinterested in attending the University. Ontop of tuition, you have fees and other ex-

penses that are incorporated into the costs.All of these should be invested into theschool and its facilities, not the pockets ofanother student who are paying the sameexact costs as someone who isnt holding anoffice in USG.


USG are representing the student bodyas a whole. I believe it is the responsibilityof USG to uphold the interest of the rest ofthe student body to their highest of theirpriorities. USG is to make sure that the ex-perience of the individual is the best that itcan be. As a representative, you are wear-ing the name of the school. These students

came to your school to obtain an education.While obtaining that education, their inter-ests need to be met so that their time here iswell spent. The easiest way for students tobecome more active on campus is to attendevents and other programs that are held oncampus. USG is to work effectively with or-ganizations to ensure that their program-ming is done to their ability so that studentswill have the experiences that they werepromised when first arriving here. USG isfor the students, ran by the students. Thesuccess of the University as a whole is de-pendent upon the well being and involve-ment of the student body. Encouragementof student activism should be a priority andfocus of USG and this needs to be empha-sized more.

6) Y 4 U?

Students should vote for me not mainlybecause of what I intend to but mainly be-cause of what they know I am capable of. Icarry myself as an individual that is respon-sible, determined, and enthusiastic of whatI put my interest in. A part of my character

is that I make myself available for someonein need. When someones voice needs to beheard, I am usually the one that hears them.When someone needs assistance withsomething, I am more than willing to lenda hand. My experiences of being Presidentof the Haitian Student Organizations havetaught me a great deal about myself. Ivelearned more and was able to expand on myleadership capabilities. Being a part of anorganization has taught me to run my pro-gram based on the interests of the studentbody. The success of the organization isbased on the organizations connection withthe student body. I learned what appeals tothe students. I learned what students ex-pectations are of certain aspects of the Uni- versity. Ive learned that the focus of anyorganization is the student body itself. I will

be taking these skills that Ive learned andapplying it to my responsibility of becom-ing the senior class representative. I will bethe person that students of the senior classcan come to when they need their voicesheard. I will do my best to uphold the ex-pectations of my class and make sure that

their graduating year at Stony Brook Uni-versity is completed to their satisfaction. Inaddition, my intentions are to set an exam-ple for those coming up. I will set an exam-ple for upcoming senior classrepresentatives so that they will be better ca-pable of meeting the interest of their seniorclass when their time comes. The biggerpicture in this is that I will ensure thatproper sanctions are being made to upholdthe student bodys best interests. No matterwhat position is being held, bettering theexperience of the students and the schooloverall is the focus for all representativesand office holders. At the end of the day,not only will I be representing the seniorclass, but I will also represent everyone hereat the University.

The Stony Brook Press 7Class Representatives

Neville Hall Jr.Sophomore Class Representative


Well, voter turnout is very low be-cause the elections do not receive enoughpromotion, which generates a lack of en-thusiasm to the general student body. Inaddition to not being well informed, stu-dent school spirit is very low and it re-

flects in all different sectors of campus life,including elections.

2) PHEEIA

I completely disagree with this pro-posed bill because, if passed, it will suc-ceed in robbing SUNY students of certainprivileges we are accustomed to already.With the amount of effort, time andmoney it takes to be a college student, rais-ing tuition and cutting classes is never theanswer. I feel as if the bill will only takemore power away from the students andplace it in the hands of the government, todictate and manipulate how Stony Brookoperates. Some students are currentlystruggling to pay the costs of school fees,

so there is no room for an increase in tu-ition.


The campus seems much dividedwhen it comes to certain events, eventhough they may be successful. Some

events that are geared to minorities gen-

erally produce a turnout of just Hispanicand African-American students, just asevents geared to Asians produce a turnoutof Asian-American students. Other thanthis separation factor, the events plannedon campus are rather successful. As forBrookfest, The Student Activities Boarddoes a great job of planning it, so theyshould be allowed to continue to organizefor this event.

4) USG Paid Stipend

My stand on USG officeholders issimple; it is a time consuming, demand-ing job, which requires highly motivatedindividuals in order for it to function. It is

an essential part of the Stony Brook, there-fore, anyone who holds an office shouldbe reimbursed for their hard work and ef-fort.


USG should willingly work with stu-dent activism because USG officeholdersare students as well. If we are able to workwith students in regards to activism, thenwe build better relationships with our con-stituents, thus making a greater impact onStony Brook at large.

6) Y 4 U?

Students should vote for me because Iam a very passionate young black man

who knows how to get things done keep-ing in mind the goals USG sets out to ac-complish. I have a firm understanding ofhow to communicate with people in orderto reach a consensus on how to effectivelyinfluence change for the better. Voting forme is a step forward for Stony Brook.

Dexter DanielSenior Class Representative


8/12

8 Vol. XXXI, Issue 10.5 | Wednesday, March 17, 2010Senators

Ray FanSenator College of Arts and

Sciences


Voter turnout for these elections is usu-ally 5% of the student body. Perhaps it is be-cause not a lot people know about USG anddont know what USG is or does. It is greatthat 5% of the student body go out to vote.But we should reach out to the other 95% ofthe student body to inform them of whatstudent government is and what we do.

2) PHEEIA

I am against the proposed PHEEIA bill

because there are three things in thePHEEIA bill that concerns me: flex tuition,differential tuition, and public/private own-ership, which gives SUNY the power toraise tuition however much they want, giveability to change tuition based on program,and affect public funding. I am against thisbecause I am a student myself. But this isnot something that will only affect me. Thiswill affect the entire student body at StonyBrook. Therefore, I am against the PHEEIAbill.

3) Brookfest and Campus Life

Brookfest and other recent campusevents have been successful so far. It is won-derful that we have these events on campus,and it is great that students are getting in-volved. Student involvement is a really bigthing. I think we should have more of theseevents.

4) USG Paid Stipends

All USG officeholders should be paidfrom the student activity fee. We all workvery hard to contribute to the Undergradu-ate Student Body. We all put a lot of time

and effort into our work. Being a USG of-ficeholder is not easy. I dont have an opin-ion on how much we should be paid andhonestly, I dont care about the pay. As longas I know I did my best and put my best ef-fort to make a difference in the studentbody, then I am satisfied.

5) USG and Student Activism

USG should definitely support studentactivism. I think student activism is won-derful and that students should be free tosay anything they want and express theiropinion. It is the students at Stony Brookthat comprise of the Undergraduate StudentGovernment, and therefore student ac-tivism should be encouraged.

6) Y 4 U?

I am currently a Senator of the Under-graduate Student Government. I am also amember of the Budget Committee and theAd-hoc committee to examine the proposedtuition increases. I attend all of my Senatemeetings, all of my committee meetings,and complete much more than the requiredamount of office hours so I can make myselfmore available to address any concerns thestudents might have. If re-elected, I willcontinue to work hard and even work a lit-tle harder.

Deborah MachalowSenator College of Arts and

Sciences1) Low Voter Turnout

Unfortunately I believe the students areunaware of what the USG is and how it im-pacts their lives. Increasing the recognitionof the USG and the understanding of itsfunctions would increase turnout drasti-cally, as students would see how these elec-tions impact them directly.

2) PHEEIA

As chair of the Senates Ad-Hoc Com-mittee to Examine Potential TuitionChanges, I have had the pleasure of readingthrough PHEEIA. My personal opinion is

that it is overall a good idea. I like that thetuition increases would stay on campus anddirectly benefit the students of Stony BrookUniversity. I however am wary of the factthat if the President of the University (inconsultation with the College Council andthe student government) requests to theboard of trustees tuition increases and theboard agrees, there is no limit on how dras-tically tuition can change. Additionally, Iam against the idea of charging studentsbased on program (aka di fferential tuition)and believe that there should be some formof protection implemented for students whoreceive merit-based scholarships.


Unfortunately last year I was unable toattend Brookfest, but the Roth Pond Regattawas quite a success and I look forward tothis years event!

4) USG Stipend

The officeholders who help USG carryout its purpose should be paid, but theamount should depend on how much workthey actually are doing. EVP Kriscenski hasa sign up in his office that basically sayssomething along the lines of Rememberthe STUDENTS theyre why were here.This is the sentiment that should governwho gets paid and how much they receive.


The USG should encourage student ac-tivism through the continued funding ofclubs and organizations that promote stu-dent activism.

6) Y 4 U?

The most important job of the USG, asmentioned in the Preamble of our currentConstitution, is to create a community atStony Brook University. I firmly believe innurturing the continued growth of a cam-pus-wide community that promotes anethos of camaraderie and an environmentof school spirit, through the development ofclubs and organizations of interest to thestudents. I want whats best for the students,their organizations, and the university it-

self. I believe Im an excellent choice to re-main in the Senate because Im articulate,detail-oriented and dedicated to evokingpositive change in our campus community.My pet project this year has been to im-prove the written image of the USG. Addi-tionally, I drafted the resolution that createdthe Ad-hoc Committee to Examine Poten-tial Tuition Changes, and have been electedChair of that committee, which recently putout a preliminary report describing thechanges PHEEIA would make if passed.The students need Senators who are willingand able to fight for them and handle theirconcerns. I want to continue to do so in theSenate next year.


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The Stony Brook Press 9Senators

Allen AbrahamSenator College of Engineering and

Applied Sciences

1) Low voter Turnout

People are unaware of these elections

and view USG as another organization that

does nothing. Although this is untrue, these

are the views of the students. With that

mindset why would anyone vote? We need

to rebuild our trust in the students to show

that we are more than just another bunch of

elected officials that do nothing, rather we

encourage students to take a more active

role at Stony Brook.

2) PHEEIA

We have one of the lowest in-state tu-

ition fees in the country for a state school.

We knew eventually we would have to pay

more for a higher education from a SUNYschool, but Paterson has to first cut waste

from the government. A lot of students, in-

cluding myself, chose to attend a SUNY

school in order to save money. So should

the PHEEIA bill be passed? Yes and No.

Many of you might disagree with me over

what I just said. But the fact of the matter is

that prices for everything are increasing and

to meet that demand the

government needs to have

an income. But the tuition

increases should be signif-

icantly higher considering

the fact that many students

do come to Stony Brook

for their low tuition rate.But again first and fore-

most we must cut the

waste in government, and

then we wouldnt be

in this much of a

deficit.


I am currently a freshman so I never at-

tended Brookfest.

4) USG Paid Stipend

Yes because they are representing the

whole Undergraduate student government.

I believe that the current rates that USG of-

ficeholders are being paid are fair for the

amount of work they do.


USG needs to take a more active role

in student activism. We always hear that

this campus is dead on the weekends. If the

leaders of this campus took a more active

role in campus events, others would follow.

6) Y 4 U?

There are a few reasons that I should

be voted into office. For starters, I want to

liven up this campus during the weekends.

We need to keep students here on the week-

end rather than putting a backup on and tak-

ing the LIRR home every Friday. We need

to spend more money on hosting activities

during the weekends. Another approach we

have to take as well is to promote our

school outside of New York, lets get more

out-of-state students. This brings in more

revenue for our tuition and out-of-state stu-

dents usually stay on campus during theweekends much more than in-state stu-

dents. I would propose more transparency

in our USG meetings; I think that the stu-

dents of this campus have a right to know

how the senators vote on each bill and how

we spend every penny of the students

money.

Ahmed TahirSenator College of Arts and

Sciences


I think the biggest reason why we donthave a large turnout during elections is ei-ther that students dont think the vote is im-portantthat these elections wont affectthem in a serious manor or that they arehighly uninformed about the student gov-ernment, its processes and why elections areimportant. I want to say that its the latter,but I feel that either could be true.

2) PHEEIA

When it comes down to PHEEIA, Ithink the direction of PHEEIA, benefitswise, is great for our campus. As studentswe should have pride in our campus, and

should have a some kind of concern as tohow our school is growing, expanding, developing for the better. More faculty andmore classes, more ways to develop campusprojects, more ways for Stony Brook toshow that it is a world-class education. Ithink when it comes to PHEEIA, there is atrust issue among the student body and theboard of trustees on whether the studentscan trust the board of trustees not to raisetheir tuition to great levels like those of private schools perhaps or to the point stu-dents cant afford to stay in school. Becausethe option is available, if the bill passes, tohave great control over tuition and have theability to raise it more than the students

would be comfortable with, thatoption possibility creates distrust over

the bill. As for my personal stance,I havent taken a decision yet as I

am still learning more aboutthe bill and its specific con-tents, and awaiting the resultsof a future survey by USG of

the student body so that I can take a per-manent stance.

3) Brookfest and Campus Life

It depends on how you would definesuccess. I personally think we get an alrightturnout for Brookfest, but theres alwaysroom for improvement. I think the amountof activity that is available for the students ispretty good. What kind of improvement arewe talking about? I cant think of anyspecifics to Brookfest that need improve-ment, but a bigger turnout will always bebetter.

4) USG and Paid Stipends

I think all USG officeholders are enti-tled to a stipend from the student activityfee for their duties fulfilled. How much eachoffice holder is entitled to I think is de-pendent on their duties as defined by theconstitution but should be based on mini-mum wage.

5) USG and Student Activism

Ideally, USG should represent the stu-dent body and generally take an informedstance based on thorough research of stu-dents opinions and of the issue at hand.

6) Y 4 U?

Students should vote for me because Ido a great job representing student interestson the senate floor. I think I was excellentin being well informed on all of the votesbrought on the floor this yearI took thetime out to review all legislation and bylawsthat came to the floor for review and for ap-proval to make sure that they are in the bestinterest of my constituents, both studentsand clubs and organizations alike. I alsotake an active role in my committees tocome up with new ideas that would benefitthe student body and to make sure thatUSG runs in the fairest and best way possi-ble. I am running again for Senator becauseI want to continue striving for those whofeel underrepresented in the USGbe itclubs that are underfunded or student ideasand interests not having a loud enoughvoiceresidents and commuters alike andif elected will continue to advocate forgreater innovations and representation toallow our campus and student life to flour-ish.

Submit to The Press.Wednesdays, 1pmStudent Union 060


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10 Vol. XXXI, Issue 10.5 | Wednesday, March 17, 2010Senators

KevinSabellaSenator CAS


Voter turnout for these elections is usu-ally 5% of the student body. Why do you be-lieve that is so? I think it is the fact thatstudents think that they have no real say orpower in the issues at hand.

2) PHEEIA

What is your position on GovernorPatttersons proposed PHEEIA bill regard-ing SUNY tuition? Its another example ofhow broken government is just using thestudents to pay for their mess


No Response.

4) USG Stipend

Any body who puts more than three tofive hours a week.


Well it should be neutral because itsnot just a government for student activistgroups but for every undergraduate student.

6) Y 4 U?

I will do what I can to gain money forSBU which includes an attempt to go up toSUNY day in Albany to lobby state repre-sentatives. I will also come up with ad hoccommittees which will consist of averagestudents and the purpose of these commit-tees will be to report to me and the usg on

what issues need to be addressed.

Yan LeyfmanSenator College of Arts and

Sciences


A low voter turnout may be attributedto not enough students understanding thesignificance of these elections. In addition,some students may not be aware when elec-tions are occurring. We hope to increase voter turnout this year by explaining thesignificance of voting and the role of USGin campus affairs. We also hope to expandour campaigns so that they reach a morewidespread campus community so thatmore student voices are heard.

2) PHEEIA

I understand that students are unhappy

about tuition increases, especially sincemost students attend Stony Brook for its ex-cellent educational opportunities at itscheaper price, compared to other institu-tions of its academic caliber. However, I canalso understand that the administration iseager to impose a tuition increase so thatnecessary campus enhancements can bemade to propel Stony Brook into the future,such as hiring more faculty and offering amore widespread selection of courses. Al-though I personally would not like to see atuition increase, I think it would be best towait until the student bodys opinion hasbeen properly assessed with a far reachingsurvey to see what is most important to

them.


Brookfest is a campus success everyyear. Since I matriculated to Stony Brook,this event along with other campus-widefestivities have improved and attracted agreater number of students, each year andthey were all sponsored by USG funds.Most campus events and club activities forstudents are funded by the USG. As muchas these activities have improved, moreprogress can still be made in this arena toappeal to a greater campus community andto attract bigger talent for campus-wideevents

4) USG StipendNo Response.


USG is working assiduously to enhancestudent activism by setting aside greaterfunding for clubs and campus-wide activi-ties. This relationship has great improvedsince I matriculated to Stony Brook and Ionly see it improving in the future. Ifelected, I hope to continue this traditionand will attempt to expand it, so that moreclubs can open in the future, while ensuringthat current clubs do not lose funding.

6) Y 4 U?

My name is Yan Leyfman and I am

running for the position of Senator in theUndergraduate Student Government. Afterbeing a student in Stony Brook for 3 years,I have become accustomed to the environ-ment and feel that I possess the necessaryknowledge about the institution and theneeds of its students to implement positivechange. I am excited about the prospect ofbecoming more involved in campus activi-ties. I hope to design novel ways of allocat-ing the student activity budget to help all ofthe clubs and organizations on campus tobuild a greater sense of camaraderie andcampus life.

As an assiduous individual who worksto achieve his dreams, I promise that, ifelected, I will bring the same zen, enthusi-

asm and tenacity to the Senate. I promise towork for the needs of the students and domy best to enact policies that serve their andthe campuss greater good. I welcome anysuggestions from the student body to en-hance the Stony Brook experience andwill do my best to bring them to fruition. Icame to Stony Brook because of my sheerlove for the education and the wealth of re-sources that it offers. It would be an honorto serve on the USG Senate and attempt toenact policies and provide funding for thegreater good of the campus community sothat future generations can enjoy the wealthof SBU that much more! Please Vote YanLeyfman for Senate! Thank you.

NajeeSimmonsSenator College

of Arts and

Sciences


The low voter turnout is probably dueto a lack of interest. Perhaps students dontrealize how important voting is, even at thestudent government level. Elected officialsneed to let the students know just how pow-erful their influence can be.

2) PHEEIA

I understand the motivation for thebill, but as a student I cant support it at thisstage. Ive seen friends leave the universityfor lack of funds and I dont want it to hap-pen to anyone else. Since students pay theprice, they should know exactly where the

money is going. We need more than gener-alizations.


Im generally happy with the program-ming at SBU, we do a great job. Brookfestwas great, but there could have been a morediverse array of performers to attract morestudents.

4) USG Stipend

I decline to comment on which officersshould be paid. Before I say how much offi-cers should be paid, I first need to under-stand the breakdown of the studentactivities fee.


USG officers should not organize stu-dent activism, but they should represent theinterests of their constituents. If studetsprotested tuition hikes, for example, senatemembers should alert fellow officers as tothe students concerns.

6) Y 4 U?

I have nobody to please but the stu-dents who elect me. A vote for me is a votefor you.


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the stony brook press - volume 31, issue 10.5

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