I am writing regarding the "response" of NYPIRG and their representatives to the SUNY tuition increase proposed in the New York State budget.
I, along with many other students here at UB, neither support NYPIRG nor the campaign they are pursuing. NYPIRG representatives have described the organization as a non-partisan, not-for-profit group whose mission is to train the future generation of leaders in New York State. However, this is simply another way of saying they are a political special interest group. They are different from other lobbyist organizations such as the NRA or the Christian Coalition only in their partisan alignment. While it is encouraging to see any type of political interest or activity being displayed by students, I am discouraged that this activity may truly amount to nothing more than a social get-together.
On Sept. 11, 2001, several terrorists hijacked and flew passenger airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York City. The Twin Towers were destroyed, and with them, the economy of our entire state nearly toppled. As NYPIRG Coordinator Michael Davoli points out, primary and secondary schools statewide are facing tremendous budget crises and financial difficulties. Medicaid and social security demands are on the rise while money available is falling at all levels of government. Taxes are increasing, yet services are being diminished.
The New York State government is aware that SUNY students are not pleased with the prospects of a tuition increase. The politicians know some students may be placed in difficult situations if the increase happens. The point, then, is this: SUNY students that feel unfairly or personally injured by this fiscal situation are ignoring reality and are being closed-minded, and worse, self-centered. There is no doubt this tuition hike is unfortunate, inconvenient, and in some cases may pose a real danger to the continuation of some students' education. However, I feel that all of the time, effort and money being poured into fighting this hike would be much better spent trying to help real people and to solve real problems.
Instead of organizing and executing a meaningless and absurd hike to Albany, for example, maybe NYPIRG could start a scholarship fund to help offset the costs of the increase and to ensure that some less-fortunate students continue their SUNY education. Or, instead of trying to shut down the capital and wasting essential tax dollars by breaking laws and disrupting the peace, perhaps NYPIRG could formulate plans and suggestions for alternate budgets or tax dollar allotments. Instead of standing in front of post offices, these individuals could be thinking of ways they may help those who might lose services from EOP.
But NYPIRG will do no such thing. Instead, they're going to "raise awareness" of an already hotly debated and widely publicized issue. It will continue to instigate and perpetuate (instead of realistically trying to solve) the "problems" that it purports to be fighting. It will continue to further this idea of entitlement without responsibility that it so desperately clings to.
I am immensely grateful that NYPIRG is not incorporated here at UB. The group seeks only to use college students to fund its own narcissistic agenda, and I would be outraged if I were forced to waste money, intended for my education, on this organization. Lobbyist groups have no business taking students' hard-earned and thinly spread money unless that student expressly supports that group.
