Paterson To CUNY

Earlier last month, Governor David Paterson announced plans to further cut funding to CUNY. This is in addition to the $44 million deduction implemented last semester. "I think it's pretty ridiculous and unfair," said Emanuel Bennet, Chief of Campus Affairs for student Government, in regards to the prospective increase. He said "Most people who decide to go to CUNY. is not necessarily because of choice, but because they lack the resources to go to an expensive, prestigious university."

The proposed legislation includes a $ 53 million cut to CUNY, as well as a 120 dollar reduction in TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) assistance per person.

Figures given by the Professional Staff Congress, the union that represents more than 20,000 faculty and staff at the City University of New York, show that 36 percent of the proposed cuts are directed at higher education facilities. SUNY will experience a 90 million dollar reduction in funds and the Higher Education Services Cooperation will suffer a decrease of 35 million dollars.

"It's easy to say that students should pay as opposed to taking it from other areas," said Student Government president, Jamari Robinson. "I'm sure there are other reasonable places they could cut from."

Brooklyn College's chapter of NYPIRG has been actively protesting these potential budget cuts and TAP reductions. For the past few months, its members have been calling elected officials and encouraging Brooklyn College students to call as well.

Kathleen Jordan, member of the board of directors for NYPIRG, said that these calls are making a difference. She said that Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver, "was actually hanging up on students who called in." Jordan explained that ironically, "[It] is great, because if they are [government officials] annoyed with us, then that means they are getting the message."

In fact, Jordan and Hassan said both Silver and Carl Kruger, Brooklyn Senator and leader of the Senate Finance Committee, have declared their opposition to TAP reductions.

Demonstrations have also been mobilized in objection to these potential budget cuts. On October 15, the CUNY Campaign to Defend Education protested in front of the Department of Education. Other protests were held last week at Hunter College as well.

Although cuts to education are part of a larger package in which reductions are sought to be implemented (social services, health care, and transportation included), education is one of the hardest hit institutions, with a $587 million cut. In a press conference held on Oct. 27 at the state Capitol, Patterson admitted that, "This is a very painful plan." However, these steps, in addition to the one billion dollar budget cut implemented last year, would help clear New York State's 3 billion dollar deficit.

" I think that small increases in tuition are acceptable, as long as it stays affordable," said Dana Nacer, a senior majoring in the fine arts. "No one wants to pay more money for anything, but I guess I'm most supportive of it [the tuition increase] if I see the direct results."

Unfortunately, Brooklyn College has already been negatively affected from last year's budget cut.

Jordan said that the economics department is functioning under extreme conditions. "Every single class is operating at the fire safety limit; they physically can't shove any more students into the class," she said. Jordan attributes this problem to the large number of courses cut this past summer.

Adjunct Classics Professor, Aaron Poochigian, said that although it is only his first semester teaching at Brooklyn College, he has "noticed a considerable strain on resources," including "photocopying" and "printing." He added, "These students are presumably already under enough of a financial strain.it would be keeping with the school's mission statement" if tuition was to remain low.

The new budget cut proposal will be voted on this week by the legislature. If it is passed, the bill will continue on to Governor Patterson, who has the final vote.

"The goal is to get in as many calls as possible (in protest) before the legislature votes to let them know that we're following what's going on and that we're not okay with it," said Hassan. "For all the people who say 'I don't have an effect on the decisions the government makes,' that's not necessarily true.