CEHD students rally at the Capitol for Support the U Day

A dozen students from CEHD were in the statewide delegation that descended on the Minnesota State Capitol February 7 for Support the U Day. Several played key leadership roles. They rallied in the rotunda and met with legislators.
The Minnesota Student Legislative Coalition (MSLC), a coalition of students from all five U of M campuses, launched last year. Key issues for the session include supporting efforts to increase availability of open-access textbooks, something supported by an initiative in CEHD.
Alfonso Sintjago, a doctoral student in comparative and international development education, was among those who made a presentation to the Senate Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on behalf of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly along with GAPSA president Brittany Edwards. They focused on graduate and professional student concerns included in the MSLC platform.
“Overall, Support the U Day was a great experience,” said Sintjago.
Nora Jones, an M.Ed. student in work and human resource education, is also a U employee who works in student services.
“It was an added plus that I’m staff and a student at the U,” said Jones. “I work at One Stop, so I reported back to our staff. We like to stay on top of current issues and what’s happening since it impacts our day-to-day jobs.”
Read more about Support the U and GAPSA’s platform.
See also the Minnesota Daily coverage of MSLC (Dec. 5) and Support the U Day (Feb. 11).
March 29 update: Since Support the U Day, GAPSA student efforts have focused on issues in addition to the MSLC’s platform that have been passed as resolution into GAPSA’s platform. Sintjago reports that they have followed up with legislators to promote the Open Education Resource Council Bill (HF 789/SH 824) and the Prosperity Act (HF 875/SF 723).


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Top photo: Alfonso Sintjago, left, was among those who, with GAPSA president Brittany Edwards, center, spoke to the Senate Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.

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Center photo: M.Ed. student and U employee Nora Jones, center, picked up briefing literature in the rotunda.

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Bottom photo: Doctoral student Abdul Omari, right, conferred with U Regents Larson ad Frobenius at Support the U Day.

Photos by Patrick O’Leary