Information for Current Students

 2007 Graduating HEOP Seniors

History of Lobby Day

Each year in January, the Governor presents a state budget that he/she would like to see enacted by the legislature. Each Senate and Assembly prepares their own budget. The final budget is the result of negotiations between all three. In 1995, the first year GovernorGeorge Pataki was in office he proposed to eliminate all funding for the economic opportunity programs from the budget.

Since 1995 students from all participating colleges would go to Lobby Day. This takes place every year around February or March at the State Capital in Albany where students meet with Senators and Assembly members in person to explain how important the program is and stop state officials from cutting funds.

Get Involved

Annually the commission on Independent College and Universities (cIcu) organizes a trip to Albany to lobby on behalf of HEOP during the month of February. Each year Ithaca College HEOP staff and students join cIcu and many other New York State institutions to lobby for HEOP. There is no cost for students who wish to participate in Lobby Day. This year Lobby Day will take place on Tuesday, February 13th, 2007. Students interested in attending this year’s Lobby Day should contact the AES office for more information and also check out cIcu.org.

Political Action: What Can You Do to Help?

• Letter Writing Campaign- This is a way to contact your state senators and/or assembly members and write a letter to them. To view a listing of your state legislature, and/or assembly member you can visit Vote-Smart.org.
• TAP Take Action- The Tuition Assistance Program is also affected by budget cuts. To support against budget cuts in TAP you can visit their website.
• Email Campaign
• Register to Vote
  • It is important to register to vote as evident in several of the local, state, and national elections in past years.  Since many of you will be at IC during most elections it is important that you know you can register to vote in Ithaca.  This will mean you won't be able to vote for elections in your hometown, but you can always change that when you leave IC by completing another voter registration card.
  • You can also send in absentee ballots to vote.  You would be or remain a registered voter in your own district/hometown.  An absentee ballot must be mailed in 7 days prior to the election to count toward the race.
  • For more information about registering to vote, click here.
  • For more information about absentee ballots, click here.
• Participate in Lobby Day

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