The Student Association secured the most high-level positions out of any school in the SUNY Student Assembly last weekend, winning three e-board spots at the organization's spring conference.
New SUNY SA delegates Christopher Mendoza, Melody Mercedes and Eliot Sherman each won positions at the Saratoga Springs meeting, which was their first conference and SUNY experience.
"We're the only school that got three members elected," Mercedes said. "They know that we have plans, that's for sure."
Sherman was elected as university center representative for the Executive Committee, which means he will be representing all four SUNY centers, including Binghamton, Albany, Stony Brook and UB. Mendoza was elected as an alternate university center representative.
Mercedes secured UB's highest position, being elected secretary of the SUNY Assembly's executive board. To win the position, Mercedes beat out a retired fireman, an army veteran and a two-year executive incumbent.
The delegates said that these leadership positions would allow them a louder voice in the SUNY system.
"The problem is there are only two SUNY conferences a year, so if you are just a plain SUNY delegate, there's not much you can do, other than approve or not approve things," Mendoza said. "Unless you take advantage of the first meeting and get elected to these positions. The first meeting is key because it'll dictate the rest of the year for you."
Sherman added that communication with the members of the e-board or executive cabinet was also important.
"The great thing is, now, we have new responsibilities as delegates," Mendoza said. "We meet up once a month at the e-board and executive committee meetings."
Mendoza added that the group went beyond accomplishing their goals of having UB's voice heard, and that the executive positions they've obtained proves that the promises made during their campaigns were more than just talk.
"It was a very rewarding conference to say the least," Mendoza said. "We told people we were the most qualified to make that jump, and we've done that by getting leadership roles at SUNY."
Mercedes said having an important role at the state level would not detract the delegates from their responsibilities at home.
"We want the students to know that we're still thinking of them and representing them at the conference. The point of the conference is to bring the student voice," she said.
According to the delegates, their No. 1 priority was to bring a regional SUNY conference to Buffalo, or at least closer to Western New York.
"A regional conference has never been held, period," Mendoza said. "We made it a priority because a regional conference needs to be held, and if possible, it needs to be held in Buffalo."
Mercedes said the delegates planned on discussing the conference with all of the other SUNY delegates.
"Everyone admires (UB's) SA, and wants to come to the (proposed) conference," she said. "We decided to push it as far as we could."
Sherman said there are multiple benefits to holding a regional conference in or near Buffalo.
"On a state level, it would be great for our school. We are furthest away. If they come here, it will say a lot," he said,
According to Sherman, keeping UB as a main topic of interest for SUNY was also one of the delegates' top priorities.
"We want UB's name to be well known," Sherman said. "We've been in contact with other delegates already. More can be expected down the road."
UB's fourth delegate, Rob Mercurio, couldn't attend the conference due to other commitments. The fifth de facto delegate, however, SA President-elect Viqar Hussain, was also key in taking initiative and making sure UB's voice was heard.
"Viqar definitely gave the students at UB a strong voice at the conference," Mercedes said.
Hussain said one of his main goals for the conference was getting resolutions passed without concentrating too much on the issues at UB.
"The diversity resolution that we passed basically calls for a diverse curriculum, not necessarily to classes but adding a whole other major or academic curriculum," he said. "The impact that it will have is that it is a state voice saying that all SUNY schools have to have a diverse curriculum."
Hussain said that the "diversity" resolution was only the first in a series that would affect UB.
"Our second one was an EOP/TAP resolution - which was the main delegates' concern."
Mercedes explained that having a state voice would affect politicians such as Gov. George Pataki more so than just a local one.
"It's definitely been decided that SUNY as a whole is going to stand up against this," she said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
