Treasurer looks to restore relations with SUNY Student Assembly

Tyler McNeil

Managing Editor

Student Senate Treasurer Josiah Dillon hopes to strengthen Hudson Valley’s ties closer to the SUNY Student Assembly after nearly a year’s absence from involvement with the statewide organization.

“I would’ve jumped right ahead at Student Assembly if I had known [about it],” said Dillon who hopes to work on the SUNYSA’s finance committee and community college committee.

Last year, Hudson Valley did not participate in seasonal conferences for the SUNYSA, an organization composed of student representatives from across 64 SUNY campuses.

Dillon, along with Student Trustee Brody O’Connor, hope to attend the SUNYSA fall conference in Rochester from Nov. 13 -15.  The Student Trustee was introduced to leaders of the SUNYSA two weeks ago in Cooperstown at a conference for the New York State Community College Trustees Association. “They were very professional,” said O’Connor.

The Student Senate Treasurer was introduced to SUNYSA by Finger Lakes Community College student Joshua Barry, who also represents Hudson Valley along with four other colleges.

Executive Cabinet member Patrick Gareau, who studies at Hudson Valley and UAlbany, reached out to Dillon. “We’re always looking for people who want to be more involved and more engaged and advocate for students at the state level and Josiah has shown a lot of good ambitions,” said Gareau.

Despite Hudson Valley’s lack of involvement in the Student Senate last year, Hudson Valley alumnus Devin Brady participated in SUNYSA last year.

Hudson Valley was last active with the SUNYSA from 2011 to 2014 according to 2013-14 Student Senate President Jessie Tilley. Under Student Senate President Alex Duerr and during his own administration, Tilley attended four SUNYSA conferences. “The way Student Assembly works, it’s not really the President’s responsibility to reach out to [SUNY]SA because it’s [SUNY]SA’s responsibility to reach out to the schools,” said Tilley.

According to the former Student Senate President, the role of campus representation in keeping Hudson Valley informed about SUNYSA was crucial in keep the college involved in the organization during his time in the Student Senate. “The best thing to do at Hudson Valley is to reach out to [SUNY]SA itself. The issue is, if you don’t know who your representative is, it’s difficult,” he said.

Upon graduation, Dillon hopes greater involvement in the SUNYSA this year would as a precedent for future involvement among freshman. “There are certain precedents in the senate and in clubs that we just do every year and I’d just like to see Hudson Valley’s involvement with the Student Assembly be one of those precedents,” said Dillon.

Dillon also believes the SUNYSA would serve as an opportunity to go beyond his roles on campus after he graduates this year. “There’s a really good chance I’m either going to go to Binghampton or Albany, in which case I can carry my experience from this year over and give another two years into that organization where as here — I’m not able to do that,” he said.

*Patrick Gareau is the current interim copy editor for The Hudsonian.