State
LEGISLATURE
PASSES Budget/
NIXES
"EMPOWERMENT"
ACT.
On Tuesday,
8/3/10, the New
York State
Legislature
finally
passed a budget—and
it did not
include the
“Public Higher
Education
Empowerment and
Innovation Act,”
the plan to
charge different
tuition for
different majors
and to replace
public funding
for CUNY and
SUNY with
private tuition
dollars. The PSC
strongly
opposed
PHEEIA.
Details.
State Budget Cuts: While stopping PHEEIA was a major victory, the budget approved by the Legislature currently includes funding reductions for CUNY senior and community colleges. There is, however, some possibility these reductions can be mitigated if federal legislation for increased funding to the states passes this week. The PSC will do everything we can do to resist reductions and to protect the interests of our members and of CUNY students.
U.S. Senate Acts to Save Teacher Jobs:
By a 61-39 vote, the U.S. Senate approved $26 billion in aid for cash-strapped states August 5. The measure provides $10 billion that will help avert layoffs of more than 100,000 teachers and school support personnel across the country, including 7,100 K-12 education workers in New York State. It also contains $16 billion to help states defray Medicaid expenses, including $2 billion for New York. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called members back to Washington on Tuesday, August 10, to vote on the measure. If it passes the House as expected, it will be sent to President Obama, who supports the legislation. To contact your Congressperson about this crucial vote, click
here.
CITY BUDGET
UPDATE.
The City budget
for CUNY, passed
on Tuesday 6/29,
is welcomed good
news. CUNY
community
college base aid
was increased
over last year’s
budget; a
significant
victory in this
difficult budget
climate.
There were some
disappointments,
too.
Full update.
BUDGET CAMPAIGN: 2010-11