Stories of SUNY Ulster — SGO President Lou Ruffini

“As President of the Student Government Organization (SGO), my role is to run the meetings of SGO and the Student Council. I also am the Vice President of the College’s Association Board and the active President until we find a replacement for the position. The Association is in charge of the student activities’ fees, which are paid for by the students at the beginning of each semester. These fees go towards funding the Childcare Center, the Athletics Department, and Student Government. So, the Association is the entity that funds these three branches. And, then, Student Government decides how it is going to divide its portion of the money by choosing whether or not to fund an event or trip hosted by one of the clubs on campus. As President of Student Government, my role is also to motivate and push people within SGO to do what they are supposed to do, which I don’t have to do very often because the other members are very responsible and work hard. What’s great about Student Government is that it is an opportunity to put yourself out there and to learn to speak in certain situations. It’s also a good way to connect with your campus, with the students around you, and to become more active in your community. There is a lot of volunteer work involved, and it is such a great opportunity to make friends. It’s very comfortable in SGO, but you also get pushed to do things and to grasp the opportunities that SUNY UIster has to offer. I think that if I was at a four-year college, I would be too self-conscious to ever run for the position of President of Student Government, but here I am at SUNY Ulster.”