Lindzee Powell knows that she studies at Syracuse University, her “top choice school,” because of financial aid. Because of that, she feels a sense of duty to help those who currently don’t have access to the same opportunities.

Powell, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, was a part of a group of New York Public Interest Research Group affiliated SU students who convened at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday to drive to Albany and lobby their platform on higher education to state politicians.

Ten SU students joined a mix of more than 100 students, faculty and staff from across the state who attended Higher Education Act Day to present proposals for increased funding for higher education in New York state. Once in Albany, the attendees were divided into groups based on region, where they lobbied their platforms directly to state politicians.

Julia White, NYPIRG project coordinator, said the event was an “unbelievable opportunity” for the students to sit down with politicians who are directly involved in passing legislature on higher education and tell them their outlooks.

White and her group focused on furthering the Tuition Assistance Program in New York state. TAP is a need-based financial aid program that typically provides between $2,500 and $3,000 for students, although the maximum award is $5,000, White said.

The program has been around for about 40 years, but there have been changes, White said. TAP used to help cover a student’s tuition, textbooks and housing, but now it can’t even cover tuition.

Fewer students are able to get a higher education, and the situation is “further perpetuating social and economic disparity” in New York, she added. The group is hoping that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will update his budget to increase TAP funds.

The group also lobbied for the DREAM Act, which Cuomo already said he would approve if it got through the state Senate.

The DREAM Act is a piece of legislation that would help undocumented students gain access to financial aid for higher education. Right now, parents of students without citizenship often can’t open a savings account, making it hard to put money aside for school, White said.

The act was passed by the New York State Assembly on Tuesday night, and now must pass through the Senate before it goes to Cuomo for approval.

White and the groups also lobbied for increased funding for the State Universities of New York and City Universities of New York, which recently lost $1.7 billion in state funding. This decrease is affecting programs and tuition prices at SUNY and CUNY schools.

Politicians often look at the problem and think about how to ensure that tuition prices don’t rise any more than they have, but White said that isn’t enough anymore.

“We need to go back and figure out how to lower (tuition) and make it affordable again,” White said.

Jeniea Howard, a junior in Arts and Sciences, said that her group had great discussions, and that the lobbying was more like a back-and-forth conversation between lobbyists and political representatives.

Whitney Garcia, a freshman in Arts and Sciences, shared a similar sentiment. She said she thinks that the politicians identify more easily with those affected now that they’ve seen real faces and heard stories from college students.

Powell said the group plans to keep advocating reforms in higher education programs. But for now the group feels good about the progress it’s made and the feedback it received on Wednesday.

Said Powell: “We’re definitely making a difference and being a voice for those who are not heard.”

Published on February 27, 2014 at 2:01 am