Students have organized a rally
aimed at fighting Governor George Pataki's proposed cuts in financial aid to New
York State students.
“Save Your Aid Day” is set for Wednesday,
March 12, at 6:30 p.m. in Chet's at Reamer
Campus Center.
The event will feature a panel of
speakers including Abe Lackman, president
of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities; Beth Post, director of
financial aid at Union; Gloria Taylor-Neal, director of the College's
HEOP/AOP; and a number of students who could be affected by the proposed cuts.
“The stakes for maintaining
financial aid funding have never been higher, and it's the voice of those most
impacted – the students and their families – that will make a difference in
this current budget crisis,” said Bill Schwarz, Union's director of corporate
and government relations.
About one quarter of Union students
receive grant aid directly from New York
State, according to Post. For the current
academic year, they will receive about $1.25 million in funds to assist with
college expenses. The governor's proposed budget reflects a significantly
reduced commitment and could mean a loss of up to one-third of each student's
state aid, she added.
With the state facing a more than $10 billion budget
deficit next year, the competition for funding is fierce, Schwarz said. “Students,
particularly those who receive aid, must attend the forum to understand the
issues and learn what they can do to make their voices heard in Albany,”
he said.