The SUNY SA Executive Committee, which includes UB delegate Robert Batdorf, met in Rochester earlier this month to address the upcoming election for SUNY SA president.
The current president, Stephanie Gross, has held the position for the last two years and will step down upon graduation in May. The president of SUNY SA serves as the lone student representative on the SUNY Board of Trustees.
"It's a very influential position, which is an honor to uphold," Gross said. "And although you represent your school first and foremost, you are representing all the campuses and students in the SUNY system."
Following the election of new SUNY delegates at all 64 state schools, the elected delegates will convene to pick a president on April 16 in Rochester.
A school's number of delegates is determined by the size of its student population. UB gets five delegates, the most in the SUNY system.
UB students will vote for new delegates from March 29 to March 31 during the Student Association elections. None of UB's current delegates, including Batdorf, Russell Cox, Emily Johnston, and Thomas Martin, are running for re-election.
According to Gross, the presidency's main importance lies with its link to the Board of Trustees, the other members of which are appointed by the governor. Gross said a constant juggling act is required to function effectively as a student on the board because student affairs are not always the members' first concern.
"I worked with many amazing men and women whose first order of business is not student issues or concerns," she said.
Batdorf said since the president is a liaison to state government, those seeking the office need to be fully committed.
"For me, the most important thing is to have people at the conferences so they are able to vote on important matters," Batdorf said. "Elections will take place at the next conference and it's very important that all five UB delegates attend to place their vote."
In UB's upcoming election, there are two parties running for delegate positions and one independent. Members of the Elevation '05 ticket said they would be interested in putting a UB student in the SUNY SA presidency. Members of the Reform Our Campus party said they have no interest in the presidency.
Gross said that the position is taxing "and no matter who it is, you can never do enough, I haven't slept in for two years."
Other items discussed at the executive committee meeting were initiatives spearheaded by Batdorf to update and improve the committee's Web site, which has not been updated since last year.
Batdorf said another particular issue that has been grating him is the amount of money spent on holding the SUNY SA conferences in expensive hotels. Batdorf said he feels everyone would be better served if conferences took place on SUNY campuses.
"The biggest problem with attendance issues among delegates is that cost can be prohibitive," Batdorf said. "Hotels do not have the autonomy and protection that on-campus settings can afford."
The committee's bylaws state that delegates are supposed to learn from each other in an effort at making the committee stronger, Batdorf said. As he sees it, staying in hotels removed from member campuses does not fulfill that purpose.
After lacking a UB delegate on the committee for some time, Gross said one of Batdorf's strengths is his ability to generate ideas, but she feels insurance issues will not allow for the campus meetings he wants.
"I appreciate Rob's ability to think outside of the box," Gross said. "He's a good delegate, and UB always sends excellent committee members."
