Thousands of SUNY and CUNY Students to Walk-Out in Protest of Tuition Hikes, Cuts, and Debt

Published: 10/04 1:52 pm


Updated: 10/04 4:03 pm

From Binghamton NYSR:

In 2011 New York State cut the SUNY/CUNY budget by over $300 million, passed a 5-year automatic annual tuition hike, and cut the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) by $31 million. Thousands of students throughout SUNY and CUNY are being mobilized by New York Students Rising (NYSR) to oppose these massive cuts to Public Higher Education alongside tuition hikes, crushing student debt, and rising unemployment. On Wed. Oct. 5 at 1pm, students from across the state will orchestrate a state-wide student walk-out to oppose the drastic austerity measures that continue to undermine New York State’s young people. As our economy crumbles and public universities are forced to price out working class students, Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to support efforts to give tax breaks to the wealthy and undermine our public institutions. This event will also coincide with a large march in New York City organized by the Occupy Wall Street group to combat the rise of austerity and income inequality, where many CUNY students will join activists and labor unions in the streets of the financial district.

Across the state, NYSR demands the repeal of NYSUNY 2020 and the related tuition hikes, an increase of state funding to SUNY and CUNY to be financed through the an extended millionaires tax and enforced stock transfer tax, and, instead of cushioning the financial crisis on the backs of students and staff, we ask SUNY and CUNY to "Chop from the Top," reducing top administrator salaries by 2.5 to 5% percent in order to make up budget short falls. At Binghamton, we call on Interim President McGrath to give his $70,000 salary increase back to the university to help cover the budget cuts. Binghamton's NYSR affiliate Concerned Binghamton Students also organized last year's Rally Against Irresponsible Spending, part the National Day of Action for Public Education on October 7 2010.

WHEN: Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 12 PM to 3 PM.

WHERE: Walkout beings out side the Library Tower at 12 PM; after marching around campus and rallying in the Cooper Administration Building, there will be a Teach In in Lecture Hall 7 at 2:15.

PARTICIPATING SUNY & CUNY CAMPUSES: University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, Purchase University, New Paltz University, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Brooklyn Community College, College of Staten Island, Bronx Community College, and CUNY Grad Center.


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