USG… Some may ask, who are they? What do they do? One thing is for sure: we are not simply a social club. Undergraduate Student Government, or USG, is a representative structure made for students only, through which they can become involved in the affairs of the school. We work in partnership with school administration, staff and faculty for the benefit of the school and its students. Simply put, we fight to benefit students and we have loads of fun doing it.
The purpose is to give you insight on some of the things we have been working on this year, ranging from the infamous tech fee to creating more space for clubs.
The Student Tech Fee
Let’s begin with the student tech fee. Each semester the students pay a flat tuition based on credits and residency, and part of your money goes towards the student tech fee. You are charged the toll without really understand what it is going to be used for. You may look at the price [$125 (Full-Time) $62.50 (Part-Time)] and say “what the heck is that?” There's no need to worry - the student tech fee pays for all existing technological programs such as our software licenses, smart rooms, computer labs, internet, and the databases we access. Furthermore, there is a committee which oversees the funds that pay for these things. Get this: some USG members get to sit on that committee and vote on new projects. Students may submit proposals as well. We are preparing to submit some technological suggestions for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, so please let us know if you have anything comes to mind.
CUNY Tuition Hikes
Every year our tuition gets higher and higher. The state refuses to give us the funding we need, so we had no choice but to mobilize students and faculty at the City College and the 23 other CUNY campuses. On March 13 at around noon, we rallied in unity at City Hall Park and marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to oppose Governor Cuomo’s proposed tuition hikes and $485 million budget cut to the CUNY system. The governor, like many politicians, want to keep their image clear and can't stand to see mass groups protesting him. Let us know if you'd like to stay involved in the battle against these increases.
Student Organization Club Space (SOCS)
We now have meeting spaces available for all clubs. The grand opening took place Thursday, March 17 during club hours. We had a ribbon ceremony with food and drinks, and it was sweet. The new SOCS will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Monday through Friday following the normal college business hours. Over 170 Graduate and Undergraduate student clubs and organizations will have access to SOCS. For all you newcomers out there, come chill with us, come build with us. Get involved, stay involved.
In conclusion, there is a lot for the student body to come and take part in. USG is calling for more student involvement as we are coming into election season. In addition to the projects mentioned that we’re working on, some of the other things we have succeeded in includes events and collaborations like the Workers Appreciation Dinner, CCNY Pep Rally, International Minds, Harlemween, Activism 101 and much more. For more information, you can find USG representatives and board members in NAC 1/111, 1/112, 1/110, or other rooms in the student government hallway. You can also reach out to us via email at usg@ccny.cuny.edu.