New York Public Interest Research Group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) is a student activism and training organization based in New York City. It has existed since 1973. Its current executive director is Rebecca Weber and its founding director was Donald K. Ross. Its Legislative Director is Blair Horner. NYPIRG is one of the largest of the PIRG student groups innovated by Ralph Nader, 34 of which operate at the state level and are members of the umbrella organization USPIRG. (The state PIRGs are today autonomous of Nader and have no partisan political affiliation.) Because of its success and its established place in New York State politics, NYPIRG tends to operate autonomous of USPIRG. NYPIRG is controlled by a student board of directors. Any issue that NYPIRG works on, or stance it takes, must be approved by its student board of directors.
NYPIRG is New York's largest consumer protection and good government organization.
Contents |
[edit] Mission Statement
NYPIRG is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and advocacy organization established, directed and supported by New York State college and university students. NYPIRG’s staff of lawyers, researchers and organizers works with students and other citizens, developing citizenship skills and shaping public policy. Environmental preservation, consumer protection, higher education, government accountability and social justice are NYPIRG’s principal areas of concern.
[edit] Infrastructure
NYPIRG has two main offices. Its headquarters are at 9 Murray Street in Manhattan, New York City. The NYPIRG legislative office is located in Albany.
[edit] The Campus Program
The focus of NYPIRG's program is the campus chapters, of which there are now 21. Campus chapters exist at schools in the State University of New York (SUNY) (City University of New York (CUNY), and two private colleges (Pratt Institute and Syracuse University). The chapters at Syracuse University and many of the other campuses are funded by activity fees assessed from every student, which are approved by student ballot every two years, and include one at SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, which shares space with the University.
[edit] Fundraising
In addition to fees paid by students at participating schools, NYPIRG is supported by citizen members throughout the state, whose contributions are often solicited through door-to-door or telephone fundraising.
[edit] External links
- nypirg.org - NYPIRG's website.
- uspirg.org - U.S. PIRG's website.
- NYPIRG's Straphangers Campaign - NYPIRG's Transit Advocacy Section
