Editorial: Props to CCNY Undergraduate Student Government

Being a CCNY student isn't always easy, but it's even harder to be a student leader. So many people are making our lives difficult and attacking us that it's hard to know what to do or where to even begin. But The Messenger is pleasantly surprised to see that the 1999-2000 Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is stepping up and accepting the challenge.

The USG started the new semester by putting a permanent information table in the rotunda to keep students informed of what's going on. The table also has a comment box and responses by USG officials to student concerns. They organized a Town Hall meeting on October 12, to get student input and to educate the student body about what's going on with the end of remedial classes and open admissions. This was the first student government town hall meeting at CCNY since Fall 1996. Cristina Cocheo (Community Affairs VP), Noah Burg (Senator), and Jason Compton (Treasurer) particularly deserve props for their excellent preparation and presentation at the Town Hall meeting.

In addition, CCNY USG has played a leadership role CUNY-wide in responding to CUNY Chairman Herman Badillo's racist remarks against Dominicans and Mexicans. They have teamed up with other CUNY activists to form the CUNY Action Network, a new student group that is fighting to save remedial classes and open admissions and is demanding Badillo's removal from CUNY's Board of Trustees.

On October 28 the USG co-sponsored a historical commemoration of the Open Admissions struggle, which will bring Black and Latino student leaders from 1969 back to campus. Sabrina Lauriston (Academic Affairs VP) has organized free GRE preparation workshops for students and is working to get more student representatives in every department decision-making committee. There are many other things too, but even this short list is more than any student government has done in recent memory.

After a very close election last Spring, the members of the Y2K Ready and Students Voice slates are working together and getting things done. They are accepting the challenge of leadership in a difficult time at CCNY. But student government can't do it alone. Now it is up to the rest of us-clubs, newspapers, and regular students-to join them to save our education.