As you may already know, NYPIRG is a statewide, non-partisan, not-for-profit research and advocacy organization directed by college and university students who are elected from each of the 20 campuses that have a NYPIRG chapter. As a student directed organization, NYPIRG represents New York City and State college students’ interests in maintaining access to high quality, affordable higher education at both public and independent institutions. It is this mission that brings us here today to introduce you to NYPIRG and outline our city priorities for higher education.

On the surface, the 2002-03 Preliminary Budget appears to be not too severe. However, at a closer glance, the Mayor’s recommendation of a nearly $13 million cut from CUNY, specifically the total elimination of the merit scholarship program, will hurt many CUNY students’ access to an affordable and quality education. We look toward the Council, specifically this committee, to restore this funding.

The Mayor’s Preliminary Budget cuts $6.5 million from the Peter F. Vallone Merit Scholarship program at the senior college level and $500,000 at the community college level. These cuts terminate the award at CUNY. The scholarship provides $1,450 per year to deserving New York City students who attend CUNY. NYPIRG urges the city to restore the $7 million cut from the program.

The elimination of scholarship money is not the only way the city budget proposal shortchanges CUNY students. As you can see in the attached graph, since the beginning of the 1990’s, the city share of community college operating costs has declined, while the students’ share has drastically increased. Lack of ample city funding for CUNY in the form of operating costs and financial aid programs, coupled with insufficient funding from the state, significantly contributes to this high cost to students and their families. This year, students’ share will further increase as CUNY institutes a $150 per year technology fee and ends the last-semester-free bonus.

As such, NYPIRG urges the city to restore the cuts and to increase funding for community colleges, to cover at least one-third of their operating costs‹eventually allowing for a decrease in tuition and fees, which will ease the burden on students and their families. It is even more of an imperative to invest in higher education during hard times when many return to school for re-training or as a result of lost jobs and students and their families are struggling to make ends meet.

We are also here to talk about full-time faculty lines. Our full-time faculty lines are lower than ever and the budget includes no funding for their replenishment. Full-time faculty are essential for a high quality higher education as they provide students with professors who have office hours and time to meet between classes to guide, counsel, and advise students. Since 1975, CUNY has lost more than 5,600 full-time faculty lines. Today, just 43 percent of faculty at CUNY are full-time, less than half the professors on campus, and way under the CUNY-stated goal of 70 percent. Last year, I attended Queensborough Community College. There, full-time faculty lines make up a mere 35 percent of total faculty. We implore the city to increase funding for full-time faculty lines, and to continue to increase this number over the next few years.

In addition to city concerns, NYPIRG would like to underscore some pressing issues at the state level, namely the Governor’s TAP proposal, undocumented students at CUNY, and welfare and higher education. We look to the Council Higher Education Committee to join us to lobby the State Legislature on these matters. CUNY students from NYPIRG and USS will be traveling to Albany on March 4 and invite you to join us.

As you know, the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) provides up to $3,200 or full tuition grants to eligible CUNY students. Under Governor Pataki’s new plan, students will receive only two-thirds of their awards while they’re in school and receive the remaining one-third after graduation. For the poorest CUNY students, this means a $1,088 reduction each year, accruing to over $4,000 in four years. Neither student loans nor funding from our own empty pockets is a good option as it may mean taking on another job, working more hours, more debt and hassle, or even dropping out of school. NYPIRG urges you to oppose the Governor’s TAP plan.

The recent CUNY decision to charge out-of-state tuition to undocumented students is troubling. Undocumented students in New York State deserve the right to an affordable higher education. They enrich CUNY and, if allowed, can greatly contribute to the city economy. NYPIRG, in coalition with other student groups and unions, will lobby the legislature to support and sign the two bills sponsored by Assembly Members Espaillat and Rivera, which strive to assist undocumented students at both CUNY and SUNY. We invite your support in this effort.

The Work-Study Internship Bill, which allows college students on public assistance to count on-campus work-study and internships toward their workfare requirements, will expire at the end of June. NYPIRG, in conjunction with CUNY, the Welfare Rights Initiative (WRI), and others, worked hard to get this bill passed in 1999. We will, again, put forth much effort to ensure that this bill is renewed as it provides important campus-based training for students on public assistance and allows them to remain in the classroom. It is also an important step toward allowing class work itself to count toward WEP. We encourage you to join us.

Thank you Chairperson Barron and the committee for this opportunity to testify. We look forward to working with the new Council and Higher Education Committee, and to bringing more student voices to the table at future hearings. We will be happy to answer any questions.