Finally, a proposal that would end up putting more money in SUNY’s pocket? Yes, please. After years of budget cuts and tuition increases, Gov. David Paterson’s proposed Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act sounds like a breath of fresh air. If passed, the act would give campuses more leeway in terms of setting tuition, give individual schools more autonomy on how they can use their assets and speed up the contract approval process, among other things (see Page 4). Best of all, the money from student tuition would go back to the respective schools, not the coffers of the…

You do not have to look closely at our society to realize many of our social values can be considered bizarre. When a celebrity is in sight, it is an expected and accepted reaction to let out a squeal, jump up and down and whip out a cell phone to either call friends or take blurry, poor-quality photos. I must admit that when I am at a concert and see my favorite band up on that stage, I can’t escape the stereotypical reaction of a fan. It is thrilling to see them with my own eyes, and I suddenly feel…

We are all snoops. Nosy, prying, gossip-injecting snoops. Well, aren’t we? Have you ever found yourself listening in on a stranger’s cell phone conversation? Have you ever slowed down in traffic to stare at a grisly car accident on the side of the road? I know I have. Judging by the number of reality TV shows that have sprung up in the last 10 years, people-watching is popular. Reality shows provide the general public with front row seats to other people’s personal lives. Take for example, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” There is no plot. There isn’t supposed to be…

Have you seen Jane lately? No. She’s probably with John. She’s always with John. She is John. Now that spring is rearing its flowery head, couples will be strolling outside being all lovey-dovey, gracing the public with their gloating presence. And that’s fine — couples basking in the sun are not a problem. The nuisance is spotting those couples who are constantly attached at the hip. There are always a handful of friends who, after winning a boyfriend or a girlfriend, disappear from my life. It’s as if they never existed. They become so consumed in their bubble with their…

The Student Association elections are over and done, but how did you do as a voter? I know we can’t know every single thing about every candidate, but did you do the best you could to make an educated decision? Participating in the SA Election Sweeps this year helped remind me of the importance of being an informed voter, and that I have a responsibility to keep our leaders in check. To be honest, I used to be one of those students who didn’t really do much to learn about the SA candidates. I didn’t care to learn about their…

With the Student Association elections now at a close, I felt it would be a good time to discuss how the election for the United States president is conducted, as well as the surrounding controversy. Though it has been a part of our country and the foundation of our electoral process since the writing of the Constitution, the Electoral College has been notorious for being the center of debate between politicians and layman alike. The process by which the United States would choose a president was debated for an enormous amount of time during the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, and…