March 2, 1995: Vol26n19: Albany hears roar of protest from UB at rally on budget cuts

By CHRISTINE VIDAL
Reporter Editor
Call it the assault on Albany.
	  Nine buses departed in the very early morning hours this
week filled with members of the UB community -- students, alumni,
administrators -- worried enough about the SUNY budget cuts to take
their concerns to the state capitol.
	Late Sunday night and early Monday morning students gathered
in the Student Union for a pre-road trip concert and party and to make
protest signs. Nearly 400 UB students filled eight buses that headed
for Albany at 4 a.m. as part of a SUNYwide rally that attracted a
reported 7,000 students from across New York State.
	On Tuesday, it was the alumni's turn as members of the UB
Alumni Association Legislative Action Committee made the cross-country
trek as part of UB Day in Albany. 
The 6 a.m. departure could not weaken their mission: to apprise state
legislators of their deep concern over severe cuts to the SUNY budget.
	"We want to present the problem as we see it to the
legislature on behalf of SUNY and UB and ask for their assistance,"
said Jude Schwendler, assistant director of Alumni Relations and chair
of the Legislative Action Committee. "We want to tell them what we see
as the problem."
	In addition to 15 alumni, Tuesday's contingent included
William Evitts, executive director of Alumni Relations; Schwendler;
Molly McKeown, assistant vice president for Government Relations, and
four students. More than 20 appointments were scheduled throughout the
day to allow members of the group to voice their concerns to
legislators.
	It is important to these advocates that UB remain a high
quality institution held in high regard, said Schwendler, because if
the value of the institution drops, so does the perceived value of
their degrees. "These people have a vested interest in (the SUNY
budget) as well as in the students who are future alumni," she said.
"They are taking a day off from their jobs. They're lawyers, doctors,
teachers; they're prominent people."
	Members of the committee were scheduled to meet Tuesday with
legislators who include Assemblypersons Richard Anderson, Arthur Eve,
Sam Hoyt, Richard Keane, Patricia McGee, Charles Nesbitt, William
Parment, Joseph Pillettere, Francis Pordum, Tom Reynolds, Robin
Schimminger, Edward Sullivan, Paul Tokasz, Sandra Wirth, and Senators
Kenneth LaValle, Anthony Nanula, Jess Present, Mary Lou Rath, William
Stachowski and Dale Volker.
	The Legislative Action Committee was formed in March 1992, and
has made lobbying trips to Albany in March 1993 and February 1994. 
	And UB will continue to be a presence in the state capitol --
March 7 is SUNY Day in Albany.