NYSACAC Legislative Advocacy Day

Earlier this week, I traveled to Albany for a NYSACAC Executive Board Meeting and for Legislative Advocacy Day. In my first year of serving as a High School Delegate, I am aiming to participate in as many aspects of our organization as I possibly can. Aside from NYSACAC though, this was also my first time inside the New York State Capitol and my first time doing any sort of political advocacy.

Our four topics of discussion with legislators and their staff were:

• Highlighting the issue of food insecurity for college students
• Only 3% of college students receipt SNAP benefits, even though 18% qualify
• Students can't count class toward work hours, if they could, we could reach more students who have low food security by providing them SNAP benefits

• Expressing concern over the dismantling of federal consumer protections in regards to for-profit colleges and the allocation of funds to schools that aren't serving their students.
• For-profit students make up only 4% of students in NY State, but they represent 41% of defaulted student debt
• In 2015, 37 million dollars in TAP grants were awarded to for-profit colleges with programs that failed or nearly failed federal standards

• Restoration and expansion of TAP and HEOP/EOP funding
• Opportunity programs expand access to higher education and improve graduation rates for New York's neediest students
• We would love to see the TAP application process simplified and interpretation of regulations by colleges streamlined

• Next steps for Dreamers as they pursue higher education
• Undocumented students currently cannot get a driver's license. It would be a major step forward if they could legally drive. 
• While we are excited for the Governor to sign the recently passed Dream Act, we encourage the state to be transparent about implementation

Overall, it was a busy day full of many observations about our political process. The building definitely was buzzing with energy and it was interesting to see so many advocates (representing many different causes) in the building. It was also fascinating to hear, through conversation, about how lobbyists for 'the other side' make their case to representatives. For example, in one discussion we were told that for-profit colleges need a break because they are already subject to so many regulations. (My reaction to that: for something so burdened with regulation, they sure produce a pretty awful product with low return on investment and sky high debt).