Support our Buffalo State Athletics

Hello my name is Gabriel Johnson and I am a USG Senator, and a recently appointed member of the Student Welfare Committee, and College Senate. I am a transfer student from E.C.C. North Campus,where I was also involved in the Student Government as Vice President. Since joining the U.S.G. at Buffalo State, I have made it a point to interact with the students to make sure I represent their needs and that they know who I am as a source of information and a connection to their Student Government.

Of all the schools in the SUNY system, other than Buffalo State, the lowest financial backing of an institution to their Athletics Program is 30%. I was extremely disappointed at the College Senate Meeting on Friday, March 8 to learn that Buffalo State Administration does not have a vested interest in Its Athletics program. Each year students fees are increased for the Athletics Dept. at Buffalo State, where as other colleges are at least partially support them with vested financial support.

As we were informed at this senate meeting by administration they would cut programs without an increase, and that our student athletes rank 4th in their division, and deserve our support. I raised the question of, “If you know the student athletes are doing so well, then why for 10yrs have you been talking aboutcreating a line to fund them but haven’t, and looked to the students to support the athletics? How do you think the athletes would feel to know they’re the only College in SUNY not backed by their School? I think this is an important question to be raised, because a school who recruits athletes should also be backing them as well. This isn’t to say students shouldn’t help to support their fellow classmates, as we do  go to the games as well, but that the college should also have a vested interest in the athletics program as well.

This is just the opinion of one student representative, and the voice of the many students that I have reached out to for their opinion regarding the subject. Feel free to comment and spread the word. The more students are aware of the issues affecting them and their finances, the more of a voice the student government can be for the students!

Signed, Senator Gabriel Johnson