Late in the budget game, the NYSUT offshoot representing SUNY and CUNY faculty and staff is taking out ads in newspapers statewide aimed at parents with students returning for Thanksgiving, decrying proposed cuts which mean “she won’t graudate on time.”
“What? Another year of college! How are we going to afford that?” the ad, paid for by United University Professions, reads. “You’re happy she’s home for Thanksgiving, but what she just told you about her SUNY college leaves less to be thankful for. State budget cuts mean she won’t graduate on time. SUNY has been slashed by $410 million in the last 18 months. How will this affect you and your family? You and your children will be forced to pay more–and get less.”
David Paterson cut $143 million administratively from SUNY and CUNY’s budget as part of his latest round of deficit reduction. He and legislative leaders are still fighting over whether to cut school aid in the middle of the year (which NYSUT has radio ads lobbying against), but all sides seem to agree on the administrative cuts, including the CUNY cuts.
UUP says the ad will run next week of Thanksgiving in 129 weekly newspapers around the state.
