Student Association passes resolution showing support for medical amnesty policy
The resolution for a medical amnesty policy, now known as the Good Samaritan Policy, was passed at the Student Association meeting Monday night.
Students for a Sensible Drug Policy and SA have been working together in order to draft a policy that will encourage students to call for help during drug- and alcohol-related emergencies and protect them from punitive judicial action. The amnesty resolution passed Monday night affirms SA’s support of the medical amnesty policy.
The resolution serves to give a voice to the students who wish to see this policy, said Neal Casey, chair of SA’s Student Life Committee. Now that SA has passed the resolution, the Division of Student Affairs will draft the policy that will appear in the student handbook.
‘We hope to have the policy included in the Code of Student Conduct in the fall of 2010,’ Casey said.
Two instances of tuition issues were also brought up during the meeting. Jon Barnhart, president of SA, briefly mentioned tuition problems during his report to the assembly. Tuition concerns were also emphasized by Alejandro Fernandez-Lovo, the project coordinator of New York Public Interest Research Group.
Lovo expressed his concern about Gov. David Paterson’s proposed budget cuts due to state deficits.
The budget proposal includes budget cuts of up to $206 million for higher education institutions, such as SUNY and the Tuition Assistance Program, according to the New York’s Budget Division’s Annual Information Statement.
‘I’m taking it personally even though I’m not from the state because I was personally affected by inadequate aid when I really needed it,’ Lovo said.
Opportunities could be lost for both SUNY and SU students because the budget cuts include TAP, which could affect middle- and lower-class students and incoming freshmen who need aid, Lovo said.
The budget has yet to be approved, so NYPIRG is taking action now by writing letters to members of the New York legislature in order to express concerns and allow them to make modifications to the proposal. SA members are promoting the cause by writing their own letters.
Other topics discussed:
Gifty Agyapong, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, was elected as a member of the Judicial Review Board, which serves to ensure that members of SA abide by the Constitution and Codes and properly representing the student body.
Kadiah Kamara, a sophomore in Arts and Sciences, was elected as a member of University Senate, the governing body of the university made up of students, faculty and administrative members.
Published on March 1, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Contact Laurence: lgleveil@syr.edu | @lgleveille
