A student at Baruch is working to help CUNY students get a fare discount from the MTA, especially as fares continue to rise, staring what he named the #BeFare campaign.
“I saw a need in CUNY schools and it was not being adequately addressed,” said Brandon Santiago, a senior majoring in public affairs who has been working with an initiative to help figure out a solution for the students of the CUNY system. As a student who commutes from Long Island, Santiago said the costs of commuting are a serious problem for students on a tight budget.
“Long Island students have been suffering for a long time with unreasonable LIRR fares,” Santiago said. However, he emphasizes that the initiative “aspires to benefit all CUNY students. We are working hard to ensure that students can catch a much–needed break.”
Santiago started the #BeFare committee back in October2018. It now hosts meetings each month to provide an open forum for students to vocalize their opinions and express ideas as well as a space to inform students on projects and resolutions that the committee has been working on. The students involved in the committee have already made significant progress in only a few months. They have passed resolutions through the Baruch USG and GSA, as well as the USS, which represents all CUNY schools and students, Santiago said.
The committee’s goals also involve pressuring lawmakers and MTA officials and/or forming partnerships to help find a solution. In the past, the MTA has provided discounted fares for students at Stony Brook University, a SUNY campus on Long Island, so the committee is very hopeful that this could work for those of the CUNY system as well.
Santiago has already met with many officials of the MTA board, including Phillip Eng, the president of the LIRR. And the #BeFare committee currently has a petition set up that helps encapsulate students’ opinions on the matter. Students interested in getting involved can also find out more by emailing Brandon Santiago at Brandon.Santiago@USGBaruch.com or by heading to the committee website here.
“I genuinely believe this committee hits all corners, and strives to make it better for all students,” said Santiago, who says the committee is in good hands even after he graduates. “With many current freshmen in the committee and with USS support, we genuinely believe that our movement is tailored for the future and will be done.”
