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Student/Faculty Higher Education Action Day in Albany

By Dave Lucas

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-889785.mp3

Albany, NY – More than 500 students, faculty and staff from SUNY and CUNY descended on Albany today, urging legislators to reject proposals to slash funding for public higher education, cut financial aid, and change tuition policy. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.

Throughout Student/Faculty Higher Education Action Day, more than 130 legislators meet with constituents from every corner of New York State. This year's meet concerns the Executive Budget, which if enacted would cut SUNY by $152 Million and CUNY $84.4 Million. Low and middle income students would be affected by the governor's proposed $74 million dollar cut to TAP - the tuition assistance program. The students and teachers who met with legislators are also worried about some structural changes propsed along with the Executive Budget that involve moving SUNY and CUNY tuition "off budget" which the group argues would foster a continuing downward spiral of state support for public education, leaving schools with a greater dependence on tuition dollars.