The Student Association and UB's New York State Student Assembly Delegates have begun a letter writing campaign in protest of Governor George E. Pataki's proposed cuts to the Tuition Assistance Program and Educational Opportunities Program.
Due to a declining economy and the after-effects of Sept. 11, Pataki's proposed Executive Budget for the 2002-2003 fiscal year calls for a $155 million cut to the Tuition Assistance Program, over $13.3 million in cuts in the Educational Opportunity and other tuition assistance programs, as well as a $3.4 million decrease in SUNY childcare programs.
The budget has yet to be approved by both houses of the State Legislature, and a final budget is expected in May.
"It is the hope of SA to move several thousand letters in a series of mailings prior to the passing of the budget," said NYSSA Delegate Jennifer Brace.
In addition to the letter-writing campaign, SA and NYSSA lobbied against the budget in Albany last month, while meeting with local and state assemblymen and congressmen.
The letter asks legislators, "Please do not underestimate the number of people who are affected by these cuts, and please do not forget that an investment in SUNY is an investment in New York State's future." The letter also notes that 378,000 NY students and their families will be affected by the proposed cuts.
According to NYSSA Delegate Laszlo Kerekgyarto, SA staff will be directly involved, drafting the letters and bringing them to students to sign. The SA staff conducted a "dorm storm" Thursday, April 18, obtaining signatures from students in the residence halls, to be duplicated and distributed to both the Buffalo and Albany offices of state senators Mary Lou Rath and William Stachowski, as well as assemblymen Sam Hoyt and James Hayes, who represent UB's South and North campuses.
Letters are now available for students to sign in the SA office, located in 350 Student Union. SA will then send the letters to both the Buffalo and Albany offices of the Buffalo representatives
Phillip Burge, a sophomore undecided major who receives assistance from the TAP program, said he would be upset if he could no longer receive financial aid, but does not believe lawmakers will take notice of the letter-writing campaign.
"I'm pretty sure that's a waste of time," Burge said. "If it works out for the government to keep TAP the way it is, they will, but it will have nothing to do with some letter campaign."
