Midyear cuts threatened for SUNY and CUNY community colleges have been averted thanks to vigorous and persuasive advocacy by NYSUT and its higher education affiliates.
As state lawmakers prepared to act on a deficit reduction plan Tuesday, NYSUT legislative staff were reporting that the union's concerted push on behalf of community colleges has staved off Gov. David Paterson's proposal to impose 10 percent midyear cuts on community colleges.
NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin reported that the union's message - that community colleges are needed more than ever in an economic downturn - found a receptive response from lawmakers, who refused to go along with mid-year cuts of $11 million at SUNY and $4.2 million at CUNY. Now our work will focus on the governor's proposed cuts for the 2009-10 budget, Lubin said.