Each March during the federal appropriations season, thousands of organizations and advocacy groups from around the country flood the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. to advocate for their legislative and funding priorities. Stony Brook University (SBU) is certainly no exception. From advocating for increased funding for both scientific research and higher education programs, to supporting a legislative solution for DACA students and quality health care for all, members of the SBU community are key advocates on the Hill.
Snapshot of a Few Recent SBU Advocacy Efforts
On March 12, Executive Committee members of the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), Karen Wishnia and Luigi Pesce Ibarra, met with congressional staff of the Long Island Delegation to advocate in favor of gun control and school safety, immigration reform for DREAMers, open access to federally funded research, increased funding for research, and support of the Graduate Savings Act of 2017. Additionally, Wishnia and Pesce Ibarra advocated against the PROSPER Act, which would make higher education less affordable and less accessible for graduate students.
On March 13, Dr. Amy Cook, Associate Professor in English and Theatre Arts and Graduate Director in the Department of Theatre Arts, participated in the National Humanities Alliance (NHA) 2018 Advocacy Day. Dr. Cook met with members of the New York Congressional Delegation and their staff regarding the importance of robust funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
On March 14, Dr. Jon Longtin, Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, met with congressional staff of the Long Island Delegation to advocate for increased funding for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) in the FY19 budget.
The Office of Government Relations continues to work with our national associations and fellow AAU institutions to advocate for Stony Brook University’s legislative and funding priorities.
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