Brooklyn College Community Rallies Against Budget Cuts

A concerned crowd of students, faculty, and staff members gathered to give their testimonials one-by-one in regards to the upcoming CUNY tuition hikes and budget cuts last Thursday.

The event was hosted by the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) in conjunction with the New York Public Interest Group (NYPIRG) and District Council 37, a municipal public employee union. The coalition invited several New York City and State representatives to come and hear the stories of people who would be greatly affected by the proposed changes. They want to not only halt looming budget cuts but encourage the officials to fight for an investment in CUNY.

Professor David Arnow, of the computer information science department, demonstrated the affect the budget cuts are having on professors carrying an already heavy teaching load.

With the aid of a chocolate chip cookie, Arnow showed the strain multiple classes can put on a professors' ability to teach. He broke the cookie in half to show the divided attention of professors at private institutions and in fourths for the professors at CUNY schools.

As a response to this problem, Arnow, along with several other professors and students, suggested that full-time faculty be expanded to compensate for the increase in student population. Brooklyn College has seen an 11.5 percent increase in students over the past five years.

An adjunct professor, Brandy Moore, took the same "show, don't tell" route, bringing a neon pink poster with her monthly living expenses listed to catch the attention of legislators. It included: $1350 for rent, $180 for heat, and $196 dollars for babysitting.

"Since I get paid bi-weekly I can't afford to get the $80 Metrocard so I have to pay $25 for the weekly one," she said.

It all added up to $2282, not including groceries or medical insurance. She makes $2142 a month. Moore left right after her presentation to relieve her babysitter.

Unfortunately, the invited officials missed the show-and-tell portions of the event. Only one representative's chief of staff came to the event, arriving over an hour after it began.

Sonia Daly, representing public official Senator Parker, said "he's fighting for Brooklyn College."

Prof. Alex Vitale of the sociology department said, "The absence of the legislators is sending us a message."

"We need to go to the legislature if they're not going to come to us," he added.

This meeting was the first of 10 meetings that will be held over the next two months in an attempt to reach the ears of legislators. The coalition is currently organizing a rally on March 5 to City Hall, leaving from BMCC at 4 p.m.

Students stood plastered against the wall waiting for their turn to speak. In particular, students were upset because the majority of revenue generated by the tuition hikes will not be reinvested in the CUNY system. It will go to fill in the budget gaps of Albany.

Roy Ben-Moshe, a senior majoring in Judaic studies, said, "It's a crime and theft. I think we have to use these words because that is what it is."

Many students have issues with the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), specifically students who double-major, since TAP only assists with one major. Students who choose to simultaneously pursue both majors often don't take 12 credits in either concentration each semester.

Jiaxin Huang is a sophomore double-majoring in physics and Spanish and lost her TAP this past semester.

"I was surprised and outraged when I lost TAP [Tuition Assistance Program]; somehow I fell through the cracks," she said.

Huang, an active member of NYPIRG on the board of higher education, spoke briefly about Gov. Paterson's proposal to raise the full-time student requirement from 12 credits

to 15 credits.

"15 credits in your major; I don't even know if that's possible," said Huang. "It's scary to imagine how many students will be left out when the proposed changes are enforced."

Arlene Viacava, a senior majoring in early education, waited patiently for her turn to speak as she sacrificed her perfect class attendance by coming to the meeting.

"When you talk about some students who will drop out, I think 'I'm going to be one of them,'" said Viacava. "I'm will be the only one in my family to graduate. I'll be an example for my daughters. Why do [legislators] make it so hard? Why is it getting harder?"

Kathleen Jordan, a junior transfer student majoring in English and economics, said she was worried about the effect the tuition hikes will have on the vibrant student life she has grown to love at Brooklyn College.

"If we all have to start taking another job, what's going to happen to our community?" said Jordan. "School is going to become a place we hurry to between jobs."