NYS Assemblyman Visits SUNY Purchase

SUNY Purchase welcomed New York State Assemblyman Robert Castelli to its campus on April 15 for a three-hour meeting to discuss issues ranging from the price of attending college to how the state plans to strengthen its economy to create jobs for college graduates.

About half a dozen students, representing several student organizations, spoke with Castelli, who represents the 89th district encompassing parts of Harrison, Bedford, Pound Ridge and Katonah.

"I think it's good for the students to understand how government works, I think it's good for elected officials to understand as much as they can about what is on students' minds, so the more that is done the better off we all are," said President of SUNY Purchase Thomas J. Schwarz.

Castelli graduated from the SUNY system and is a retired professor of criminal justice in the SUNY and CUNY systems.

"Meeting with these young leaders to hear their ideas on the challenging issues our state faces is inspiring," Castelli said in a press release. "The one thing I miss most since becoming an assemblyman is teaching in the classroom, and I was honored to be invited here to have these informative discussions with our state's future leaders, as well as to listen to the concerns of the administration here at Purchase."

Student concerns varied throughout the meeting, but Castelli said that they were similar to those he heard while on other campuses in New York State.

"The concerns that I heard from these students were no different from the concerns I had heard from my own students back in John Jay," said Castelli. "The concerns are kind of universal."

Castelli said he wanted to talk about finding a job after graduating college, a difficult obstacle in the current economic climate.

"One of the things that has always troubled me as a college professor was that we do a great job of giving them an education, and teaching you what you have to do when you get a job, but we never do a good job of helping find you a job," said Castelli.

Schwarz said he welcomed the visit and hopes that these types of meetings will help politicians understand the issues schools and students face.

"It gets them (politicians) out to the real world and out of the state capital which is not the healthiest of places these days," said Schwarz, adding that the meeting also provided Castelli some exposure as he prepares to run for re-election this fall.

Castelli, who is from Lewisboro, won a special election this February over Katonah's Peter Harckham after Adam Bradley stepped down to become mayor of White Plains. Castelli will run for re-election this November, only nine months after winning his seat.

"Obviously he understands Westchester is a democratic community and if he's going to be elected in November he needs to get out there," said Schwarz. "This is his effort to do so."

Schwarz said that he received positive feedback from the Purchase student body president who told him that Castelli had a genuine desire to help.

"We are certainly not going to turn him away," said Schwarz. "I look forward to his help."

Castelli said that he enjoyed the meeting and thought it was helpful, especially considering his background as an educator.

"I happen to enjoy students, they keep me young," he said. "The kids were great, they were respectful to me and I enjoyed being with them."