The largest student-directed research and advocacy organization in New York State is looking into establishing a chapter at UB.

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) is exploring whether there is interest on campus in establishing a chapter at UB, the only SUNY university center without a chapter, says Michelle Stern, chair of the NYPIRG statewide board of directors who has set up shop in Buffalo for the next few months to shepherd the UB organizing effort.

NYPIRG had a chapter at UB, but the group was forced to leave campus in 1982 due to what some have called "financial reasons."

NYPIRG held a general-interest meeting on Feb. 13 that attracted more than 140 students-sufficient interest for the group to continue its organizing efforts, Stern says. The group now is working with UB student government to get a referendum on the ballot for the Student Association elections to be held next month. The referendum would ask students to increase the mandatory student activity fee by a small amount-likely about $3 per student per semester-to fund a NYPIRG chapter at UB, she says. Both the SA Assembly and SA Senate must approve the motion in order for the referendum to appear on the ballot, she adds.

As part of its efforts to give UB what Stern calls a "taste of what having a real chapter would be like," NYPIRG will hold a Higher Education Teach-In at 7 p.m. on March 1 in Pistachio's in the Student Union, North Campus. Edward Sullivan, chair of the Assembly's Higher Education Committee; SUNY Trustee Pamela Jacobs; UB President William R. Greiner; SUNY Student Trustee Christopher Holland, and Blair Horner, NYPIRG's legislative director, are expected to attend and discuss SUNY funding issues and state support for higher education.

Founded in 1973, NYPIRG has 19 chapters throughout the state, including one at Buffalo State College. The not-for-profit group lobbies on such issues as the environment, consumer rights, higher education and health-care reform. Student volunteers work with full-time, professional staff.

Stern says NYPIRG has been instrumental in the passage of numerous pieces of legislation, including the bottle bill, the generic drug law, the lemon law, the Freedom of Information Act, and most recently, the first safe cigarette law and the neighbor notification bill for pesticide applications.

"A NYPIRG chapter is a significant enhancement of student life and programmatic activities," Stern says. "The services that we are able to provide are useful, both for enhancing students' civic abilities and promoting much-needed policy reform."

She notes that having a NYPIRG chapter at UB would help in coordinating statewide campaigns, as well as strengthen local student efforts in cooperation with the active chapter at Buffalo State College.

In addition to the Higher Education Teach-In, NYPIRG activities at UB this semester will include organizing a lobbying trip to Albany on March 5 for the group's annual Higher Education Day in the capital, an educational event celebrating the links between hip hop and social activism from 7-10 p.m. March 20 in 210 Student Union and a trip to Albany March 23-25 for the statewide Conference on Student Action.