Governor Slices $51M From CUNY Funding; PSC Laments Impact

After a previous round of spending cuts affecting the State University of New York, Governor Paterson proposed a 7-percent reduction on Aug. 11 that would cost the City University of New York $51 million in state funding.

GOVERNOR PATERSON: A chunk from CUNY's hide.

The announcement came as part of a $1-billion package of cuts designed to deal with a state budget shortfall for the fiscal year starting next April 1, which is projected to be $6.4 billion. The Governor called the financial gap a "crisis ... as undeniable as it is dangerous."

PSC: 'Hit Higher Ed. Hardest'

But the proposed cuts were slammed by Professional Staff Congress President Barbara Bowen, who said that they would "slash the only opportunity for college education for thousands of New Yorkers."

"Governor Paterson's proposed cuts fall especially heavy on higher education," Ms. Bowen noted, adding that "public higher education in this state has already been cut to the bone ... New York lags far behind other states in per-capita funding for public higher education." CUNY's funding primarily comes from the city and state.

BARBARA BOWEN: 'Cutting beyond the bone.'

The Governor, who also announced reductions in health-care spending, local government assistance and what are considered pork-barrel expenses, said that the CUNY decreases were in line with previously announced cuts to SUNY.

Ms. Bowen asserted, however, that "CUNY and SUNY should be off the table when it comes to a discussion of cuts." She proposed that "the real solution is to restructure the tax system, or at least develop a temporary surcharge on the richest New Yorkers." The Governor has said he will raise taxes only as a last resort.

Avoiding Cut in Faculty

Michael Arena, Director of Communications at CUNY, said that the school was working with the Governor "to minimize the impact of the proposed state budget reductions." He admitted that because of the cuts "the University has implemented a pause in non-teaching hires" and that it "anticipated reductions in 'other than personal services,' such as supplies and equipment."

Despite his more-conciliatory tone, Mr. Arena said that the reductions were "substantial, especially given the expanded services the University provides to a public that needs access to quality higher-education opportunities during a period of economic downturn." His comments indicated that CUNY and SUNY would be affected in a similar way, with layoffs avoided but other facilities in the universities cut back.

He said that CUNY would concentrate on preserving its educational courses.