Since the beginning of the semester, multiple clubs have had trouble with funding as they were not budgeted capital to support themselves. Vocal Effect, a show choir on campus, is one of those clubs.

“Vocal Effect is a SUNY Oswego’s one and only show choir. We do performances all over campus and in the town of Oswego. We meet every couple of days and just have fun, sing, and dance. It’s a lot of fun,” said President, Thomas Waizenegger.

Vocal Effect meets weekly and are about 30 members strong. This year Vocal Effect has had their funding cut right in half dropping from a $3,000 budget to a $1,500 budget.

“At the start of the year we started with about $1,500, we had about $3,000last year, and now our budget and now our budget was slashed in half over the course of a year,” said Waizenegger.

This is problematic for the club. Much of their funding is used for acquiring new material to perform and the rights to do so, as well as costuming and transportation to the multiple venues that the group performs at.

“It’s not fun, having your funding cut in half in less than a year. I understand that the Student Association had to make these cuts in order to start getting themselves out of the red, but for smaller clubs like Vocal Effect, it’s not fun and it’s not sustainable for us,” said Waizenegger.

As for the group currently, you can catch them on October 26th at 3 PM in The Space, Marano Campus Center free admission for all. 

OSWEGO, NY— Oswego residents can prepare for a boost in tourism as construction begins for a new indoor waterpark. 

After receiving $10 million for downtown revitalization, Oswego has numerous projects with a goal to make the town more active. 

“It would definitely reel in a lot of people. I love indoor water parks and I’m sure a lot of other people do too. Since it’s indoors people can go any time of year. It’s not just the summertime, it’ll attract more people,” SUNY Oswego student Ana Sanchez said. 

Sanchez said in a place that is known for its cold, snowy weather, the waterpark will give people in the town more options, especially in the winter. 

“I would definitely go any time of the season, no matter what it is. Definitely Christmas time when it’s cold, the snow is up here, the wind. I would definitely like to be in an indoor waterpark,” said Sanchez. 

The waterpark could be a great addition to the town of Oswego, and especially for the waterbugs who still enjoy a good swim in the freezing Oswego winters. 

Residents should prepare their bathing suits and water shoes for the opening, which should be determined soon. 

Other projects from the money awarded from the downtown revitalization fund are the riverwalk, and the renovation of the Children’s Museum of Oswego (CMOO).

OSWEGO, NY— City of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow has proposed a $90,000 grant to increase police patrols within the Port City. The new patrols will be called “quality-of-life patrols” and will be conducted on foot by Oswego City Police Department every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. The proposal for more policing in the city comes after a recent increase in the number of night time disturbances reported to the Oswego City Police.

Some students from the SUNY Oswego fear the new patrols will be specifically targeting students. Julian Martinez, a junior finance major at SUNY Oswego said, “Why now? Why increase the patrols now? After all these years of having the college involved in the community what debauchery is occurring to make them increase the patrols?”

Martinez believed the patrols will be mainly focusing on student activity. He noted many Oswego State students are most active in the city on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. The same nights the quality of life patrols will be conducted.

Other students feel the patrols will help make the city a safer place for students. Senior, business-administration major Az Wilson said, “ It’s going to be better. It’s going to make the city a lot safer. I think it would help protect some of our students who go out on those nights as well.”

Mayor Barlow said the quality-of-life patrols are not meant to target students and he feels having police walking the streets at night will benefit the city, as well as university students. Barlow said he wanted “boots on the ground” to make sure city codes were being enforced and to ensure no large disturbances affected the city on its busiest nights. 

Mayor Barlow also hopes the quality-of-life patrols will create a stronger relationship between the city police and the residents of the city.

Barlow said, “We know the relationship between police and public can be strained at times and I believe the best way to improve that relationship is to get the police out of the station, out of the cop car, walking in the parks, walking in the neighborhoods, and collecting data, but also forming relationships with our community members.” 

Mayor Barlow said the Oswego City Police Department already has a good relationship with the community it serves, but more outreach can always be done.

The quality-of-life patrols have been funded for the rest of 2019 and all of 2020.

OSWEGO, NY— Something on everyone’s mind: those cold Oswego winters.

It has been three weeks since the end of summer, and the cold weather is already creeping into Oswego. Many residents have started preparing themselves for the inevitable cold by wearing extra layers, like resident Azrien “Az” Wilson.

“Just a bunch of blankets, socks, sweats, kind of just taking care of myself. I’m not really worried about the room, as long as I’m warm,” said Wilson.

Other residents have been following suit and are starting to stockpile on winter clothes, including Ubong Udofa.

“Stocking up on my jackets, coats, and sweaters, sweatpants, my scarves, and my boots, too,” said Udofa.

With many residents being freshman and transfer students, it’s always good to know what tips and resources are available to help prepare for the winter weather from resident assistants, including Jessa Costa.

“We have heaters behind the desk that they can rent out, you can’t have them for too long but they definitely help temporarily in that moment,” said Costa. “Just make sure you’re bundled up, and hopefully the heating in the building is working well.”

Another good tip, don’t put any furniture in front of the radiator, because it will cause the heat to stay trapped.

For more information on further resources, talk to your resident assistant or hall director.