In an effort to raise greater awareness about the drastic cuts proposed for the SUNY system, a group of students is organizing a sit-in in the lobby of Erwin Hall for Nov. 18.
According to junior Will Labate, a member of the SUNY student assembly, local and regional media will be invited to campus for a protest on Sturges Quad at 1 p.m. and then the sit-in will begin during the all-college free hour at 2:15 p.m.
"As long as we don't disrupt any of the operations, we are allowed to sit in," Labate said. With media coverage, Labate said he hopes politicians, administrators and other students and residents will be made aware of how seriously many students are taking the issue.
In addition, a number of Geneseo students plan to erect a tent on Sturges Quad on Sunday evening where they will remain through Wednesday under the premise that the state is leaving students "out in the cold."
Labate and other members of the ad-hoc committee on student advocacy, which has received support from the Student Association, plan to get as many students as possible involved in the protest and sit-in through Facebook as well as contacts with student organizations. Labate said the committee would also be contacting faculty who are interested in taking up the cause.
The camp-out and sit-in demonstrations are part of an ongoing effort by the student committee to encourage students to voice their opposition to the pending budget cuts. Labate estimated that about 100 letters regarding the budget cuts have been signed so far.