Who are the New York Students Rising? NYSR is a statewide network of students and campus-organizations dedicated to defending public higher education and empowering students in New York State. NYSR believes that although students are facing higher tuition and incurring greater debt, students are still under-represented. NYSR believes that these tuition hikes are not helping these institutions when they remain under-funded, increasingly influenced by private corporate interests and run by unaccountable administrators who receive high salaries. The NYSR ultimately believes that there is a pressing need for students to unite and organize to protect our common interests. (www.nystudentsrising.org)
The NYSR movement recently arrived on Binghamton’s campus and quickly gained momentum by partaking in the statewide walkout along with 21 other city and state universities. The statewide walkout took place on October 5, 2011.
The NYSR organized the walkout with a rally outside the library tower, it followed with a march to Student Wing, Lecture Halls, Cooper Administration, New Union and ending back in Lecture Hall with a teach in.
The walkout was meant to demonstrate that higher education is not a privilege it’s a right. It rallied to get people to stand up and walk out of class.
With its successful first rally, the organization plans to work with other organizations on campus. NYSR to reach its goals will not stop its effort to get administration and government to lend an ear.