The Legislative Committee of the New York State Student Assembly is planning to protest the proposed changes to the Tuition Assistance Program in Gov. George E. Pataki's proposed 2002-2003 Executive Budget, according to UB delegate and vice president of NYSSA George Pape. NYSSA represents SUNY concerns on a statewide level.
The governor's budget would restructure TAP to create a financial incentive for students to remain in college until graduation. Under Pataki's plan, students would receive two-thirds of their TAP award upon matriculation in a New York university, with the remaining third awarded upon completion of a degree program, in addition to any interest accrued from student loans supplementing the TAP payment.
Pape is actively involved in the campaign to contest the governor's plan. According to Pape, the legislative committee has drafted a letter and memorandum that will be forwarded to each of the 64 SUNY campuses for review by the student governments.
"[The governor's proposal] frees up $155 million dollars, which the governor has 'borrowed' from students, to be spent elsewhere in the budget," the memorandum states. "Students who depend on TAP awards to finance their education are going to lose 1/3 of their funding, at a time when the country is deep in recession and the earning potential for a high school graduate is disheartening."
Ideally, the student governments will forward the letters to the governor - on their own dime - to force him "to understand that the SUNY students are going to be coming out in arms [against the TAP changes]," Pape said.
The letters will be mailed out early next week. Joel Kelsey, chair of the legislative committee, will be responsible for placing follow-up calls to each of the student governments to make certain the students understand the situation.
At UB, NYSSA delegate Jennifer Brace will take charge of informing the student body of the proposal. Pape will speak at upcoming meetings of the Black Student Union, Poder and possibly the Equal Opportunity Program SA as part of that effort.
