University at Albany Student Association

Last updated
University at Albany Student Association
AbbreviationUAlbany SA
PredecessorMyskania
Formation1923
Legal status 501(c)(3)
Location
  • 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York, 12222
Membership
12,000+
President
Jalen Rose
Vice President
Amelia Crawford
Chair of the Senate
Ethan Madappatt [1]
Chief Justice
Tolu Anjorin
Affiliations University at Albany
Budget
$3 million [2]
Website saualbany.com

The University at Albany Student Association is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization [3] and the undergraduate student government of the University at Albany. It is the largest student run organization at the university. [4] Established in 1923, the University at Albany Student Association is the official on-campus undergraduate student government. The Student Association exists in order to provide and encourage opportunities beyond those offered in the formal curriculum. [5]

Contents

The focus of the Association is to provide the undergraduate student population with a positive campus experience. [6] The Association funds over 180 student groups and events on campus, including social, cultural, academic, and professional organizations.

History

Early years and formation as Myskania (1914–1921)

Interest in forming a student government dates from 1914. However, President Milne rejected a student petition at that time, stating, "There is no place in this institution for the association and activities contemplated in this petition." President A.R. Brubacher (1915-1939) took a more favorable attitude toward student government. In response to a 1915 student petition, he instructed Professor Risley to form a committee to study the possibility of creating a student government. An attempt at forming a rudimentary student organization was made in January 1916. As a result of Risley's study, Myskania was formed in 1917. Myskania, initially referred to as the student council, was an honorary body comprising seniors responsible for representing student opinions and improving the student body's department. In 1921, Myskania played a crucial role in suggesting the formation of the Student Association, the official student government. [7]

In 1921, Myskania was responsible for drafting the initial constitution for the Student Association, effectively relinquishing its leadership role in student governance. It held authority over Greek social and service organizations and clubs, including approving their constitutions, the State College News board, and the Finance Board. Myskania also vetted officer candidates for student-funded organizations, primarily ensuring compliance with the student tax, and served as the student judiciary. [8]

Early structure and conflicts with Myskania (1921–1928)

The Student Association was officially formed in 1921 with the purpose of managing all non-academic student matters. It had legislative, financial, and executive powers. Myskania served as a single judicial branch and guardian of school traditions. The Student Association's executive branch was initially managed by the Executive Board, consisting of the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, who carried out the provisions of the Assembly and acted as a court of appeals. [7]

The relationship between Myskania and the Student Association witnessed conflicts as early as 1927-28. According to the Student Association's 1945 constitution, the Association claimed the right to represent students before the Faculty Council and changed the election process of Myskania members. Despite this, Myskania suggested that some members should still be chosen from a list prepared by its outgoing members. [8]

By 1928, a new constitution altered the executive branch's structure. The Student Council replaced the Executive Board, and it included the president, vice president, secretary, and presidents of the four classes. The new Student Council had broader duties, such as arranging programs for Student Association meetings and executing all legislation passed by the Student Association. [7]

Engagement with contemporary issues and the reduction of Myskania (1930s–1960s)

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Student Association assemblies addressed contemporary issues, including presidential campaigns, the New Deal, and World War II. In 1949, the Student Association was involved in a project called CARE, aimed at assisting children affected by war. [7]

From the late 1960s onward, the Student Association placed increasing emphasis on student rights and equal opportunity. Minority groups, such as the Women's Liberation Front, Black Students Alliance, and Lesbians for Freedom, gained formal recognition from the Student Association.

Over the decades, the changing nature of the college and successive Student Association constitutions gradually reduced Myskania's functions and powers. Factors contributing to this included an expanded enrollment, relocation to the uptown campus, and the abandonment of certain traditions, such as Rivalry, which ended in 1963. [8]

Dissolution of Myskania and Further Initiatives (1960s-1990s)

By 1965, Myskania had lost its judicial powers, and its last election occurred in 1978. The Student Association's refusal to fund Myskania's ceremonial functions led to the organization's dissolution in 1979. [8] In 1982, University President Vincent O’Leary initiated the Purple and Gold program, inspired by Myskania's service aspects, such as "assisting at events and providing guides for high-school tours on campus. [8]

From the 1970s through the 1990s, the Student Association gained influence in academic affairs, including assessing the competence of teaching faculty and publishing the results of surveys in ACT and SCATE Booklets. [7] Initiatives like the Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) were developed in 1973. [7]

The Student Association extended its focus to environmental issues, with the recognition of NYPIRG on campus in 1982. It also supported academic initiatives like the Frosh Reading Program. [7]

Historic Achievements, Senate Controversies, and Impeachment Proceedings (2017-2020)

In 2017, Jerlisa Fontaine was elected as the University at Albany Student Association president. Fontaine was celebrated as the first black woman to assume the position, and the first female president in seventeen years. Fontaine's plans for the Student Association focused on improving budget transparency and emphasizing academic excellence and mentorship. [9]

In 2018, the University Senate voted to remove all religious holidays from their academic calendar in favor of a new fall break in October. [10] Concerns were raised by the Student Association, and legislation was introduced to call on the University to support Jewish holidays like Yom Kippur. Many Jewish students came to the SA to lobby to have the Jewish holidays remain, such as UAlbany Hillel,: a student group on campus. [11] A divided Student Association voted down the resolution urging the University at Albany to keep the religious holidays off for the following academic year. [12]

In the 2019-2020 academic year, the Board of Finance launched an investigation into the Student Association President Desann Chin-Carty for the misuse of funds. [13] The Student Association Senate heard testimony and reviewed evidence to determine whether the president misused more than $1,000 in student fees [14] to purchase personal items. The Board of Finance Chair Samuel Salazar flagged purchases such as gold-colored office accessories, glow-in-the-dark rocks for a fountain in her office, essential oils, and Glade air fresheners. [14] The Board of Finance investigation drew hundreds to a Senate meeting on February 2, 2020, where the board recommended the Senate impeach Chin-Carty and recommended bylaw changes to prevent future misuse, [14] and the Student Association Senate proceeded to vote for impeachment based on Article I: abuse of power and Article II: Neglect of duty, which drew comparisons to then recently-concluded first impeachment of Donald Trump. [7] Chin-Carty defended her purchases and called the interrogation a "witch hunt".

The COVID-19 pandemic and Social Justice Initiatives (2020-2023)

In June 2020, a petition initiated by members of the University at Albany appealed to the university to rename Indian Quad to Indigenous Quad as a part of a broader movement towards cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. It also urged the university to establish a task force responsible for identifying and renaming buildings that presently bear names reflecting racist ideologies or histories. [15]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Student Association partnered with university administration in 2021 to promote student COVID-19 vaccination through the "#GetVaxxedUAlbany" initiative. The vaccine initiative was started "in hopes of not only promoting vaccinations but also to address any questions and concerns the student body [had] about the COVID-19 vaccine". [16]

In 2023, President Jalen Rose and Vice President Crawford engaged in talks with UAlbany's Provost, Carol Kim, discussing various academic-related matters including extending the S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) course option dates, addressing issues related to academic advisors and faculty advisors not meeting students' expectations, and reducing the cost of printing for students [17]

The University at Albany Student Association met on October 4, 2023 to pass legislation that would make an official call on the university to halt the merger of Africana Studies (AFS) and Latin American, Caribbean & U.S. Latino Studies (LACS) departments. [18] The Student Association collaborated with the UAlbany chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Puerto Rican Student Association organizations to promote a protest in front of the University Hall to call on Provost Carol Kim to address the issue. [19]

On November 1, 2023, UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez addressed the Student Association's concerns over the merger of the LACS and AFS departments, iterating the "responsibility as an institution to make decisions that we see will benefit the institution moving forward". [20] On November 13, 2023, the Student Association questioned Provost Carol Kim over the merger, marking her first visit to the SA boardroom all semester. [21] She clarified several points regarding the merger, assuring that the two departments were keeping all current programs, explaining that the merger was done as a result of declining enrollment, and Dean Jeanette Altarriba of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) was responsible for the original idea to merge the two departments. [21]

Response to the Israel-Hamas War and Campus Advocacy (2023-present)

In the wake of the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, the Vice President for Student Affairs sent out an email with a statement on the current conflict between Israel and Palestine. A UAlbany student who attended the Senate meeting spoke out against the email during the public comment, said “The main reason we are here is that, for the past 75 years, Palestinians have been undergoing oppression, genocide, and apartheid by the Israeli government’s illegal occupation, yet there was silence from UAlbany. My own country has been at war, but there was silence from UAlbany. [22]

Six months later, the Student Association passed the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) resolution, which calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, as well as an academic boycott and “End to University Complicity in Genocide”, becoming the first SUNY student government to do so. The resolution drew out many protesters and supporters of it, making it the most crowded meeting of the year. Many Palestinian and Muslim students, as well as others, showed their support for the bill and encouraged all Senators to vote in favor of it. Many paralleled the struggle in Palestine to struggles with apartheid in South Africa. [23]

Later that month, Students for Justice in Palestine and the Young Democratic Socialists of America held their largest protest of the semester on April 29. Hundreds of students, including several Student Association senators, were present at the protest calling on the State University of New York (SUNY) and, specifically, the University at Albany to divest from Israeli universities and businesses. [24]

Student Government Operations

The UAlbany Student Association comprises four branches; Legislative, Judicial, Executive, and Finance. They also operate several departments that execute the Student Association's plan throughout school years. [25]

The University at Albany Student Association is structured as follows:

Dippikill Wilderness Retreat

The entrance to the Dippikill Wilderness Retreat in Thurman, NY. 635822c0f78a1db4b1a48c40 20221017 Dippikill 4T9A0673.jpg
The entrance to the Dippikill Wilderness Retreat in Thurman, NY.

The Dippikill Wilderness Retreat is the largest student-owned natural preserve in the United States. [26] The 1,000-acre private wilderness retreat [27] has belonged to the Student Association of the University at Albany since 1956, and is located in Thurman, New York.

In late 2019, the Student Association gave less funding than requested for the fiscal year of 2019-20, but added money for more buses to the camp. [28] Dippikill was allocated roughly $30,000 less than they asked for to go towards development and renovations, which the Student Association said is necessary for critical maintenance. [29]

In October 2019, Dippikill closed to the public. [30] According to Assistant Director of Operation Heidi LaPrairie, the retreat "had a history of issues with the general public with regards to misuse and abuse of [the] property." [31] She explained that the property's listing on AllTrails and social media publicly drew more and more visitors to the site. [30] The cabins and campsites are only open to reservations from University at Albany undergraduates and affiliates. [32]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State University of New York</span> Public university system in New York state

The State University of New York is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive systems of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by chancellor John B. King, the SUNY system has 91,182 employees, including 32,496 faculty members, and some 7,660 degree and certificate programs overall and a $13.37 billion budget. Its flagship universities are SUNY Stony Brook on Long Island in southeastern New York and the SUNY Buffalo in the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stetson University</span> Private university in DeLand, Florida, US

Stetson University is a private institution located in Central Florida, along the I–4 corridor. Established in 1883 as DeLand Academy, it was later renamed John B. Stetson University in honor of a generous donor. The university's main campus in DeLand spans 175 acres and boasts Florida's oldest collection of education-related buildings, including DeLand Hall, the state's longest-standing building used for higher education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binghamton University</span> Public university in New York, United States

The State University of New York at Binghamton is a public research university with campuses in Binghamton, Vestal, and Johnson City, New York. It is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. As of Fall 2020, 18,128 undergraduate and graduate students attended the university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University at Buffalo</span> Public university in Buffalo, New York

The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York, United States. The university was founded in 1846 as a private medical college and merged with the State University of New York system in 1962. As of 2022, it is one of two flagship institutions of the SUNY system, along with Stony Brook University. As of fall 2020, the university enrolled 32,347 students in 13 schools and colleges, making it the largest public university in the state of New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo State University</span> Public university in Buffalo, New York

The State University of New York Buffalo State University is a public university in Buffalo, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Buffalo State University was founded in 1871 as the Buffalo Normal School to train teachers. It offers 79 undergraduate majors with 11 honors options, 11 post baccalaureate teacher certification programs, and 64 graduate programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University at Albany, SUNY</span> State university in Albany, New York

The State University of New York at Albany, commonly referred to as the University at Albany, UAlbany or SUNY Albany, is a public research university with campuses in Albany, Rensselaer, and Guilderland, New York. Founded in 1844, it is one of four "university centers" of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State University of New York at New Paltz</span> Public university in New Paltz, New York

The State University of New York at New Paltz is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It traces its origins to the New Paltz Classical School, a secondary institution founded in 1828 and reorganized as an academy in 1833.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State University of New York at Plattsburgh</span> Public university in Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.

The State University of New York at Plattsburgh is a public university in Plattsburgh, New York. The university was founded in 1889 and officially opened in 1890. The university is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. SUNY Plattsburgh has 5,109 students, of whom 4,680 are undergraduates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State University of New York at Canton</span> State University of New Yorks public college in Canton

The State University of New York at Canton is a public college in Canton, New York. It is part of the State University of New York. The college offers 30 bachelor's degrees, 20 associate degrees, three one-year certificate programs, and 23 online degrees.

Jewish studies is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history, Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, Oriental studies, religious studies, archeology, sociology, languages, political science, area studies, women's studies, and ethnic studies. Jewish studies as a distinct field is mainly present at colleges and universities in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen R. Hitchcock</span> American biologist (1943–2019)

Karen R. Hitchcock was an American biologist and university administrator who had leadership positions at an American and a Canadian university. She served as the President of SUNY's University at Albany in Albany, New York, from 1996 until her resignation in 2003. She was Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University, in Kingston, Ontario from 2004 until an abrupt resignation in 2008, when she announced her departure in a sudden email to students. After her sudden departure from Queen's University, she returned, with husband Murray Blair, to the Albany, New York, area to live in Vischer Ferry.

Kermit Lance Hall was a noted legal historian and university president. He served from 1994 to 1998 on the Assassination Records Review Board to review and release to the public documents related to the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

The Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy is a public policy school composed of the Departments of Public Administration & Policy and Political Science at the University at Albany, SUNY, United States. The department provides educational preparation for academic and public service careers, to undertake research on significant public problems and issues, and to assist in the continuing professional development of government executives. Rockefeller College has an enhanced interdisciplinary approach to its public policy mission.

The College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering is part of the University at Albany, SUNY in Albany, New York. Founded in 2004 at the University at Albany, SUNY, the college underwent rapid expansion in the late-2000s and early-2010s before merging with the SUNY Institute of Technology in 2014. The college rejoined the University at Albany in 2023. The college was the first college in the United States devoted to nanotechnology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Undergraduate Student Government at Stony Brook University</span>

The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) at Stony Brook University is a governing body representing the undergraduate students of Stony Brook University. As with most student governments in the United States, one of USG's main functions is to recognize, fund and regulate student organizations. The USG is composed of an executive, a legislative, and a judicial branch. Along with the Graduate Student Organization, USG is the only other organization authorized to distribute the Student Activity Fee (SAF) in a viewpoint-neutral manner. In accordance with State University of New York Policies and Procedures, the mandatory SAF provides the USG with an annual budget of approximately $3.1 million, independently of the state budget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Washington University Student Association</span>

The George Washington University Student Government Association is the student government of the George Washington University in Washington, DC. The SGA is responsible for advocacy on behalf of the GW student body at and is modeled after the U.S. Federal Government and consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Texas Rio Grande Valley</span> Public university in Texas, US

The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a public research university with multiple campuses throughout the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas. It is the southernmost member of the University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 after the consolidation of the University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College and the University of Texas–Pan American.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SUNY Polytechnic Institute</span> Technical school in Marcy, New York

The State University of New York Polytechnic Institute is a public university in Marcy, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Established in 1966 using classrooms at a primary school, what became SUNY Poly is New York's public polytechnic college. The college, formerly the SUNY Institute of Technology, has a Utica, New York mailing address and was established in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert J. Jones</span> American academic administrator (born 1951)

Robert J. Jones is an American crop physiology scientist who is the tenth chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jones is the first African-American to hold this office. He previously served as president of the University of Albany. In addition to his academic career, Jones was a tenor singer in Sounds of Blackness, a vocal ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota that sings gospel, soul, and R&B.

Jeffrey Berman is a literary scholar, author, and editor. He is a Distinguished Teaching Professor of English at the University at Albany, SUNY, He is the author or co-author of over twenty books and one hundred and fifty articles, book chapters, and reviews, including Dying to Teach: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Learning, and Cutting and the Pedagogy of Self-Disclosure. His research interests include literature and psychoanalysis, trauma theory, love and loss, death education, and self-disclosure pedagogy.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.albanystudentpress.online/post/sen-ethan-madappatt-selected-as-new-senate-chair
  2. ↑ Roberts, Leigh (6 February 2023). "Upcoming Referendum to Address Mandatory Student Activity Fee". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon (9 May 2013). "Student Association At State University Of New York At Albany I - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved 27 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ "UAlbany Student Association 2018 Block Party". Capital Region Chamber. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Administration | University at Albany". www.albany.edu. University at Albany. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Johns, Alexis (7 December 2022). "UAlbany Student Association Announces Fall 2021 General Election Winners". Albany Student Press. Albany Student Press. Albany Student Press. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Student Association Records, 1921-2020 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "UAlbany Magazine - University at Albany - SUNY". www.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  9. ↑ Matson, Zachary (2017-05-06). "UAlbany junior first black female to lead Student Association". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  10. ↑ "Albany Student Press, Fall Issue 10, 2018 December 4 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  11. ↑ "Albany Student Press, Fall Issue 9, 2018 November 13 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  12. ↑ "Albany Student Press, Fall Issue 9, 2018 November 13 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  13. ↑ Gazette, More from the Daily (2020-02-09). "Potential impeachment brews at UAlbany as student president accused of misusing student money". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  14. 1 2 3 Silberstein, By Rachel. "An impeachment trial unfolds at UAlbany". Times Union. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  15. ↑ Mikati, Massarah (22 October 2020). "UAlbany students push swift renaming of Indian Quad". Times Union. Times Union. Times Union. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  16. ↑ theaspeic (2022-12-07). "UAlbany Student Association Begins Vaccination Initiative Campaign". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  17. ↑ Ness, Shawn (September 4, 2023). "UAlbany's Student Association Holds First Meeting of the Fall Semester". Albany Student Press. Albany Student Press. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  18. ↑ theaspeic (2023-10-09). "UAlbany Student Association Calls on the University to Halt the LACS and AFS Merger". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  19. ↑ theaspeic (2023-10-23). "UAlbany SA Raises More Concerns to University's Response to Israel-Palestine Conflict". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  20. ↑ theaspeic (2023-11-06). "UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez's First Address to Student Association this Semester". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  21. 1 2 theaspeic (2023-11-13). "Provost Questioned at SA Senate Meeting About LACS and AFS Merger". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  22. ↑ https://www.albanystudentpress.online/post/sa-and-students-speak-against-university-s-statement-about-israel-palestine-conflict
  23. ↑ https://www.albanystudentpress.online/post/sa-among-first-suny-student-governments-to-support-boycott-of-israel
  24. ↑ https://www.albanystudentpress.online/post/hundreds-gather-to-call-for-suny-divestment-from-israel
  25. ↑ Johns, Alexis (October 4, 2021). "UAlbany Student Association Announces Fall 2021 General Election Winners". Albany Student Press. Albany Student Press. Albany Student Press. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  26. ↑ Explorer, Adirondack (2019-01-04). "Delighting in Dippikill". Adirondack Explorer. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  27. ↑ "Dippikill". magazine.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  28. ↑ "Albany Student Press, Spring Issue 10, 2019 April 30 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  29. ↑ "Albany Student Press, Spring Issue 10, 2019 April 30 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  30. 1 2 Karlin, By Rick. "Citing abuse by visitors, Dippikill preserve in Warren County is closed to public". Times Union. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  31. ↑ Hart, Melissa (2019-10-07). "Dippikill retreat closes public access". Adirondack Explorer. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  32. ↑ "A Deep Dive into Dippikill Mountain and Pond". STORIES FROM OPEN SPACE. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.