With only one week of classes following Thanksgiving break, this will be our last issue of the semester. While our coverage will continue online over the rest of the semester and through winter break, we will not be back in                      print until January.

This being the last issue, it is a good time to step back and take stock of the semester that was. It was  overall a positive semester for the Oswego State campus. The opening of the Shineman Center and renovations to Rice Creek Field House continued to build on the efforts to keep Oswego State on the cutting edge of science education.

College prices and loans became an especially hot topic, due in part to a series of speeches given by President Barack Obama over the summer on the subject. Oswego State has made efforts to address the subject, including the recent expansion of the Oswego Guarantee, but can certainly go further. While tuition increases are controlled by SUNY and already set to increase for the next two years under the current Rational Tuition Plan, Oswego State will need to address the gap in the average room and board rates students pay compared to similar SUNY schools. An Oswego State education is still a relative bargain, but, as more and more incoming students weigh the cost vs. benefit of a college education, campus leaders will need to explore all avenues to ensure it continues to be a best value.

Student Association made strong strides toward improvement this semester as well. Under President Anthony Smith, sincere efforts have been made toward student outreach and transparency, and SA has been far more present around campus than in past years. Unfortunately, this outreach has not yet resulted in an increased interest in participation. SA Senate is still under the control of a majority freshman leadership, and legislation has thus far been inconsistent and ineffective. This is more a sign of an apathetic attitude toward student government by the student body and has left our university in the unfortunate position of having $1.4 million in student funds managed by students without the experience to understand the school’s needs. Regardless, SA has laid the groundwork for improvement and, thus, a healthier and more unified student body.

Most exciting has been the accomplishments of the student body. Students have been named to prestigious fellowships, clubs have won outreach and advocacy awards and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for charities by student clubs and Greek organizations.

The Oswegonian is excited by these developments and looks forward to continuing to report on them next semester. Until then, check up on our website for breaking news updates and additional posts to The Lighthouse, our  Oswego city-based blog.