The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) is a New York State-wide non-partisan political organization. It has existed since 1973. Its current executive director is Rebecca Weber and its founding director was Donald K. Ross. Blair Horner was its Legislative Director for many years.

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. Kathleen Jordan is the current chairperson of NYPIRG's board of directors. NYPIRG is one of the largest of the Public Interest Research Groups, which were inspired by Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....

 in the 1970s, and operate at the state level. After leaving Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

, future President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 became employed at NYPIRG. NYPIRG is affiliated with the U.S. PIRG network of organizations, and is considered to be a prestigious lobbyist organization for young professionals.

Infrastructure

NYPIRG has an office at 9 Murray Street in Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

, New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, and a legislative office located in Albany

Albany, New York

Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

. NYPIRG also operates in dozens of campus and regional offices statewide.

Campus program

The focus of NYPIRG's program is the campus chapters. Campus chapters exist at schools in the State University of New York

State University of New York

The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...

 (SUNY) City University of New York

City University of New York

The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...

 (CUNY), and two private colleges (Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...

 and Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

). The chapters are funded by activity fees which are voted on by students, and/or determined by student governments.

NYPIRG Chapter Locations

• University at Albany
• Binghamton University
• Borough of Manhattan Community College
• Bronx Community College
• Brooklyn College
• Buffalo State College
• City College of New York
• SUNY Cortland
• Hunter College
• Nassau Community College
• SUNY New Paltz
• New York City College of Technology
• SUNY College at Old Westbury
• Pratt Institute
• SUNY Purchase
• Queens College
• Queensborough Community College
• College of Staten Island
• Stony Brook University
• Syracuse University
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Fundraising

In addition to fees paid by students at participating schools, NYPIRG is supported by citizen members throughout the state, whose contributions are often made through door-to-door canvassing or telephone fund raising.

External links

• New York Public Interest Research Group official website