SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997
FRIDAY, Oct. 22, 2021
VOLUME 105 - ISSUE 5
CARDINALPOINTSONLINE.COM
CAS refutes SA BY AARON HUNECK Contributor
The Student Association has been working on a range of issues that affect student life with College Auxiliary Services, a non-profit organization that manages a variety of campus services. The SA has been fielding complaints and concerns from students who have been dealing with problems ranging from rising prices at campus eateries to confusion around shuttle service hours. In one example of the latter issue, several KAYLA LESTER/Cardinal Points students were temporar- Laura Cronk, an education specalist and extended time testing coordinator for TRIO, works at her desk in Macomb. ily stranded at Market 32. “We want to keep the shuttle running as efficiently as possible, and something like the Marspecific amount of students. AcDay said, “Honestly, I think just tion student at SUNY Plattsburgh, ket 32 thing happening is BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA cording to SSS Academic Coach about every student at one point or and had received help from anContributor unacceptable, so that’s a Rachel Day, every SUNY school another needs help with that stuff. other program under the TRIO concern,” SA President Midterms can be a challenging has some kind of student support We just put it right at the forefront Student Support umbrella — the Ahmed Metwaly said. program. On average, the num- for Student Support Services.” Educational Opportunity Program “When we hear about and stressful time for all college ber of students that the program She also noted that the COVID-19 (EOP). She notes that the program problems we will bring students, but it can be especially takes ranges between 100 and pandemic had strengthened the acbears some similarities with SSS, them up and do our best difficult for students with disabili200, but SUNY Plattsburgh’s SSS ademic need among students. as they both provide support serties. According to the National Cento solve them.” is one of the largest in the SUNY “I’m sure every student can revices for eligible students in need. CAS is utilizing the ter for College Students with Dissystem, supporting 386 students. late to this: they have a question in According to the EOP page on the Coding Club to jumpstart abilities (NCCSD), as of 2017, 19% “Every single one of those spots class that they’re too afraid to ask,” university website, it is a program the “Shuttler App,” which of college students have a disability are filled, and we have a waiting Day said. “That’s where I come in — for students “ineligible for admiswould allow students to — most commonly, one that affects list,” Day said. ask me those questions, and then sion under traditional standards,” get real-time updates on learning. Despite their constant Students can turn to SSS for any I can help...like the middle person and has been running since 1969. busy schedules, the departments, the shuttles’ locations. kind of help regarding academics, for students who haven’t quite yet “I know what that feels like to “CAS and our shuttle dedicated to supporting students personal finance and planning. found their voice in the classroom.” have struggles,” Day said. “Having drivers strive to ensure that in need — Student Support Services Services include academic advisDay has been working at SSS walked that line — you don’t know our students are aware (SSS) and Student Accessibility Sering, tutoring, assistance in findsince 2016, but has been on camhow to do your FAFSA, you don’t of the shuttle’s regularly vices (SAS) located at Macomb Hall, ing jobs and internships, as well pus since 2012. Before that, she know how to sign up for classes, scheduled hours as well in front of the Health Center — are as workshops and classes focused was a high school teacher. you don’t have anyone you can reas any last-minute chang- as dedicated to their work as ever. on practical college skills, such as “When the position opened ally ask that question to in your SSS has been part of the SUNY es that may occur,” Dana studying, time management, budat Student Support Services, I family. We become that family here. Kellerman, the executive Plattsburgh campus since 1978, geting, planning for the future, and jumped in with both feet. I want We become the answers to those director of College Auxil- and SSS is part of a larger federal program called TRIO. Because facilitating personal growth. There to be able to give back, and help questions.” iary Services, said. the program is grant-funded, it is even a food bank for those strug- where I can when I can,” she said. Day herself was a first-generaCAS l A2 can only provide support for a gling with finances and meals. SUPPORT l A5
TRIO program provides support
Carless students seek a ride home BY SYDNEY HAKES Staff Writer
The closing of the North American border that separates the United States and Canada has complicated the lives of many Plattsburgh students. With the return of in person classes, students are once again flooding the campus and populating the city of Plattsburgh. A large portion of SUNY Plattsburgh’s population comes from downstate, often in and around New York City. Many of these students do not have cars. The question of public transportation to get these students home and back to school is a largely unanswered one. Tom Martinelli, publisher at New York by Rail, said “Due to the border closing and the pandemic, the service has been suspended north of Albany as Montréal is the largest ridership destination of this route.” College Auxiliary Services provide a single bus to and from the city for the beginning and end of the semester and every break. It’s a $140.00
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Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, transportation options for students living downstate have been scare. Many students are stuck on campus without a ride home. round trip on a first come, first serve basis. Dana Kellerman, executive director of CAS, said there are buses and trains between Albany and the city, but nothing provided north of the capital. Senior Alicia Fisher, who lives in New York City when not at school, remembers a time before
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COVID-19 where she could easily find a cheap bus ticket or train ride home any weekend of the year. Now she can’t even find a way home for the break without asking someone to drive five hours to pick her up. “I wanted to go home for fall break, but they only provide that one bus at
that specific time,” Fisher said. “It doesn’t work into a schedule for a lot of us, like student athletes. I had a volleyball tournament the first day of break, but it still would have been nice to go home for the days following that.” Living efficiently without a car is an issue present in most towns and
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smaller cities in the United States. For students at SUNY Plattsburgh and other upstate colleges, being able to go home and visit their families should be more accessible. Removing public transportation services due to a smaller population using them is an issue with federal and state budgets.
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Those living or traveling to more rural areas have had to suffer the consequences of these shut downs. Multiple attempts to contact Amtrak gave way to no new information. The email address on the Amtrak website went unresponsive to three emails sent over a week-long period. When trying to find a phone number to call, there were no numbers listed online for individual stations, only the customer service number. This led to a train of automated questions, promising that a representative will get back to you as soon as they can. Looking toward the future, there is hesitance with the announcement of the Canadian border reopening in November. No official statement has been made by Amtrak or any public bus service. Martinelli said restoring the services in the Adirondack region “is a decision made by the New York State DOT Rail Division in conjunction with Amtrak.”
Email SYDNEY HAKES
cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
@CardinalPoints