The Student Association held their eleventh meeting of the Senate for the semester on Tuesday evening, The meeting got off to an exciting start when SA President, Emily Nassir, was officially sworn in as the President of the Student Association for the 2016-2017 year. Following the swearing in of the new president, roll call was taken which indicated quorum was met. The meeting minutes and agenda were then approved which allowed the meeting to officially begin.

The first and only guest to the Senate for the evening was President of SUNY Oswego, Deborah Stanley. Stanley tries to attend at least one Senate meeting per semester to discuss with students the new things happening on our campus. At this meeting, President Stanley took the time to inform the Senate of the student demographics on campus, budget updates, and some of SUNY Oswego’s policies. SUNY Oswego students both undergraduate and graduate, come from all over New York state and beyond. SUNY Oswego has spent more time and resources recently, to recruit more students from downstate, which President Stanley feels they have been very successful in doing so. This past year’s group of first year students totaled to 1,500. Of those students, 30.5 percent of them identified as being culturally diverse. Stanley mentioned this to the Senate because she feels it is a very important part of our campus’s atmosphere. The number of students who identify as being  culturally diverse, has increased in the past few years, but Stanley wants and expects that number to grow. In fact,  in the group of 2016 first year students, 49.5 percent of students have identified as being culturally diverse. These statistics Stanley said, have not been and are not discussed much with students, but she feels students should be aware of these important facts that impact the dynamic of our campus. President Stanley also revealed some measure SUNY Oswego is taking to help better represent the diverse population of students on campus. Stanley is currently looking for a Chief Diversity/Inclusion Officer, who will make sure that all voices on campus are heard and that all students are represented. Students also expressed their concerns on increasing the diversity amongst the staff and faculty at SUNY Oswego and President Stanley said these concerns have been and are being  addressed as the search for new faculty is underway. The President also mentioned the college wide commitment SUNY Oswego has taken to improve student success. Student surveys have indicated that students feel the college could improve on advisement for students. Stanley has been and will continue to review academic advisement planning for students to help provide them with all the tools and resources they need to ensure their success as students here at SUNY Oswego. Closing her presentation, Stanley mentioned some changes that are beginning to happen on campus. Tyler Hall will finally be reopening in the fall and renovations are expected to come to an end soon. Scales Hall is the next renovation taking place on campus which will be completed by August 2017.  

Public comment was next on the meeting agenda following the special guest to the Senate, President Deborah Stanley. Senators were reminded that Miss-A-Meal is taking place tomorrow, Thursday April 14th. Students are encouraged to give up their meal at dinner time and doing so will help fund the SUNY Oswego food pantry that will soon be located on campus.

Emily Nassir, SA President was the first to deliver her executive report for the evening. Nassir announced that Director Position applications have been reopened and will stay open until April 15th. Nassir will be traveling to Syracuse to advertise OzFest on the radio station “Hot 107.9”. Nassir also reminded senator to encourage their peers and friends to purchase OzFest tickets, seeing as they are only $15 per student. Nassir stated that instead of focusing on the lineup/performer, students should see it as an opportunity to spend time with their friends for one of the last times before finals week begins and before going separate ways as summer vacation begins.

Director of Finance Matthew Peters, delivered the final executive report for the evening, Peters discussed the sales of OzFest tickets and his concern on the current number of tickets sold. He made it a major point that more tickets need to be sold in order for this to be not only a successful event, but also a financial success. Peters also mentioned his new project which is working on training sessions for the executive positions that are held in the various clubs and organizations on campus. Training sessions will be held and the executives from similar clubs such as sports and academics will meet separately and will be given training so they are prepared for the 2016-2017 year.

Following executive reports, the meeting moved swiftly to Committee Reports. Rules and Judiciary stated that folders containing records and guidance for senators and clubs are being designed. Involvement Committee revealed that the Student Assocation comment cards have been printed. They will available to students at the Welcome Desk in Marano and students can find the cards with responses posted outside the Point.

Senator Research Forum was next on the agenda. The Senate is looking to create a position for an Organization Liaison. One or two people would be available for student leaders of organizations and clubs, to talk to and seek advice from in many areas such as forming a proposal for a budget, how to request funding for their organization or what organizations can and cannot do in terms of funding events. The Liaison would be the point person for all things organizations.

The meeting came to an end following Senator Research Forum seeing as there were no general or special orders on the agenda for the evening. The Student Association holds their weekly meeting of the Senate Tuesdays in Lanigan 106 and 6pm. All meeting are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend to express any concerns or opinions they may have.

With the Media Summit just one week away, there are many reasons why students and faculty at SUNY Oswego are anticipating this year’s event. The Media Summit will return to the newly renovated Tyler Hall for its twelfth year. The Summit was founded by alumni Lou Borrelli and Al Roker in 2005, to give students the chance to network with professionals in the media industry.

In years past, there was mainly a focus on connecting students with professionals in broadcasting, but this year, that theme is going to change. This year’s theme is “Digital, Social, Mobile: How Media Trends Impact Theater, Art and Music.”The theme strives to bring the Schools of Communication, Media and the Arts together, to broaden the topics the Media Summit covers. With a more unique and diverse panel than ever before, the Media Summit is now an event that appeals to students not only in the School of Communication interested in media, but also the School of the Arts and the Theater department.

The moderator for this year’s Summit is alumni Sean McAllister, Class of 2001. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Journalism, McAllister joined the Fox5 team in 2005 as News Producer. He quickly moved into his role as Executive Producer in which he launched the Emmy nominated show “MORE.”  He has made a name for himself in Las Vegas as an entertainment reporter. While Sean McAllister serves as role-model for students in journalism, the panelists serve as role-models and mentors to students in the fields of music, theater and the arts.

Panelist George Nick Gianopolous, used his passion for classical music to launch his career as a composer. Now, a multi-award winning artist, Gianopolous travels the world, sharing his love for music with others. His passion for music and the arts is mutually shared with fellow panelist Diana Priesler, the star of the Lifetime Television series “Pitch Slapped”.

After Priesler earned her bachelor’s degree in theatre performance and directing at SUNY Oswego, she used her voice to make an impact in the world of acapella music. Priesler is not only featured on her own television show, but she also is a member of an acapella band Blue Jupiter. When she isn’t using her talent on television or in her band, she hosts “SingStrong,” an international music charity event.

Third panelist Mya Brown also shares a background with Diana Priesler in theater. Brown is an actor, director/playwright and current visiting assistant professor in acting/directing and voice/diction here at SUNY Oswego. She is using her experience and expertise from performing in over 30 regional and national productions to reach the students in theater and music. Her passion for theater and the arts is not the only thing that keeps her going, but her love for technology and incorporating the use of it into theater is something that inspires her to match the advances with technology to theater.

The final panelist for this year’s Summit is former marketing and communications coordinator for SUNY Oswego’s Department of Campus Life, Michael Yoon. During his time at Oswego, Yoon also earned his Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. With the skills he developed, Yoon found his passion for working with print and design. After graduation, Yoon moved on to become the communication manager for University Services at Princeton University.

This year’s Media Summit is devoted to including all schools that make up SCMA. The decision to involve all the schools was suggested by Dean Julie Pretzat, to unite all students from the schools at one of the biggest events on campus, the Media Summit. Co-event director Kalie Hudson describes the panelists for this year’s event as being heavily entertainment based, but is hopeful the discussion is something that will engage everyone in communications, music, theatre and art and will be a discussion all can find interest in.

While inclusion of theater and the arts was essential in choosing this year’s panelists, the goal was to have communication remain at the heart of the event. Although the panelists are from different fields, there are overlapping interests in the fields of communication, media and the arts, so the decision to include all three schools was not a difficult decision at all as Hudson states.

The theme of this year’s event, “Digital, Social, Media”, is something that affects all students whether it is in the School of Communication or the School of the Arts; it is a discussion that can engage all students and a discussion in which all students can take something away from and apply it to their own field.

On October 27 at 3:00pm, all students are invited to gather in the Waterman Theater in Tyler Hall for a discussion with current professionals in the fields of communication, the arts, theater, and music. Each panelist has made a name for his/herself in their chosen fields and are prime examples of what students can achieve beyond graduation from SUNY Oswego.