Westfield State University Students Advocate for Campus Investment at Legislative Breakfast

On Friday, February 7, the Student Government Association at Westfield State University hosted a Legislative Breakfast for the delegation of the western Massachusetts state legislature. Presentations by SGA leaders and a quick campus tour gave legislators and staff a chance to learn more about the campus's urgent needs.

The occasion gave the University a chance to promote funding that would improve the educational experience for students and solve long-standing issues with deferred maintenance.

According to Daniel Currier '25, a student trustee at Westfield State University, "We were able to bring the needs of the consumer directly to local leaders in our state." We were able to show them what a 20th century environment looked like and where we can go in the 21st century."

Information regarding the requirements for campus facilities and the estimated costs for both necessary and desired upgrades that could support the university's future expansion was given to the guests. To see how maintenance issues affect learning, they took a tour of Bates Hall, one of the campus's oldest buildings. They then went to the RIDE Center in Parenzo Hall, the most recent addition, to see how much money students can save on facilities.

Massachusetts State Senator John Velis praised the student hosts. “An event driven by the students engaging us really matters for people in my line of work—to hear directly from them. I've been in office for awhile now as a representative and a senator, and I've never had that happen.” He continued, “I've got a long history with Westfield State. I love coming here, so it's just fascinating. I think the world of what Westfield State is today and what they aspire to be. It's a family here, and I appreciate everything about it.”

Senator Velis also celebrated student presenters for their polished proposals. “Make no mistake about it: in terms of deferred maintenance, it's a very real, prominent, and critical issue that we need to get our hands around,” he added. “The level of detail that the students had today... I have a lot of meetings with professionals in the industry who don't have that level of detail, so it's an all-around great way to start the day, and I can't wait to come back again and talk with the student government in the spring semester."

Melinda Phelps, General Counsel and Vice President for Government & Community Relations, agreed with Senator Velis’ remarks, highlighting the important nature of the event as it facilitates necessary conversations between legislators and higher education institutions. “It’s really important for legislators to have boots on the ground and see what we’re talking about when we advocate to address the funding needs for campus maintenance at state universities.”