The chant rang out in the Campus Center at SUNY Old Westbury.
“Don’t cut TAP! Don’t cut TAP!” shouted about two dozen students rallying against Gov. Paterson’s proposed cut of $47 million to the Tuition Assistance Program, and a $620 annual tuition hike.
“Education should be top priority,” said Stanley Fritz, 22, a senior from Brooklyn and the student government association president. Fritz said he understood the necessity of a tuition raise, but said cutting need-based TAP grants “would be crippling to the educational society” and would punish students and those who want to better themselves.
Sebastian Bullock, 18, from Queens, the higher education project leader for the college’s chapter of the New York Public Interest Reseach Group and a freshman studying psychology, begged the governor “to give us a chance and let us learn.” He added, “TAP was the one thing that gave me the chance to get a higher education and if it gets cut, I probably won’t be able to go to school.”
Freshman J.R. Blackwoods, 18, from Rockland, who is studying business and media communications, said “even a little bit counts,” adding that his father had just gotten laid off. Blackwoods said is looking for a job so he can get through the upcoming weeks without burdening his parents by asking them for money for laundry and other living expenses.
Senior Dagersy Jaquez, 21, a psychology major from Brooklyn, said she receives “a lot of financial aid” and a cut in TAP funds would mean she would have to take out more loans, which she said are difficult to pay back. “If TAP is cut, it’s going to affect enrollment in college — even mine.”
Aside from student testimonials and pleas to the governor, Old Westbury students also signed about 500 Valentines begging the governor to “Have a heart. Don’t cut TAP!” Student leaders also plan to send letters to State Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset) and Assemb. Rob Walker (R-Hicksville).
N’Neka Wilson, NYPIRG project coordinator, said that other means need to be found to fix the state deficit. “I feel there are a lot of things to be addressed and if there are five issues, education should be number one.”
