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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Proposed cuts to SUNY will mangle its mission, UUP says

Albany, Jan. 29, 2003 -- "The Executive Budget proposal for SUNY is a 'lose, lose' plan that mangles the mission of the University," said UUP President William E. Scheuerman.
The 2003-04 Executive Budget reduces taxpayer support for the University's state-operated campuses by $183.5 million and relies on a tuition increase of $196.9 million to replace the decline in general fund revenues. Scheuerman expressed serious concern that "this funding scheme will threaten thousands of jobs and will mangle SUNY's mission to provide a quality, accessible and affordable education for its students."

Scheuerman said: "The Executive Budget proposal would mean the loss of nearly 4,000 faculty positions if tuition isn't increased as proposed -- a loss that would adversely affect not only our members but students who are already finding it nearly impossible to take the courses they need to graduate on time. Access to the University would suffer and quality would be severely jeopardized."

A reduction in state aid based on the assumption that tuition will cover the revenue shortfall is "a tenuous budget plan based on a house of cards," added Scheuerman. "It's very possible tuition won't be able to replace the lost state revenue because enrollment is likely to drop from such a huge tuition hike."

New Yorkers understand the importance of SUNY to their communities, Scheuerman said, referring to recent poll results in which more than three-quarters of registered voters surveyed said the SUNY college in their community is important to the local economy.

"Since SUNY creates jobs and trains so much of New York's workforce, now is the time for the state to adequately fund the University," Scheuerman said.

"There's a disconnect between public opinion and public policy," he said. "Now more than ever, New York needs a strong SUNY."

UUP represents more then 34,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 New York State-operated campuses, and is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).    

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