Members of the New York State Student Assembly's Western New York Region and Executive Board met Saturday to tour UB's campus, discuss legislative issues and promote solidarity amongst representatives from schools in the region.
According to George Pape, NYSSA vice president, the e-board decided to divide the assembly into four parts-Western New York, North Country, Capital and New York City-to encourage frequent meetings in addition to the assembly's general bi-annual conferences.
The event, which was hosted by the Student Association, provided NYSSA delegates from UB and other institutions of higher education in WNY an opportunity to network with one another and promote cooperation between student governments.
Delegates also discussed the possibility of forming an anti-tobacco coalition in which student governments under the SUNY system would join together and lobby against the state investing tax dollars into pension funds and stocks from the tobacco industry.
"It's not about smokers versus anti-smokers, it's about how the money should be invested," Pape explained.
In addition, Pape said the e-board discussed holding the Spring 2002 NYSSA Conference in New York City instead of the usual Utica or Upstate New York area as a "show of support for our brother and sister colleges in the city." The WNY region voted unanimously in favor of the NYC-based conference; other regions have yet to be consulted.
