The $90 million budget cut unilaterally imposed on SUNY by the governor will irreparably harm a public university system that has already endured massive reductions.

That’s the warning UUP President Phillip Smith delivered in a news release just hours after the governor announced midyear cuts that strike straight to the heart of SUNY.

“The latest reduction goes beyond draconian,” Smith added. “It means SUNY will likely be forced to deny access to thousands of students by scaling back on its student admissions and enrollments. That would leave thousands of New Yorkers with no place to go for an affordable, accessible public education.”

UUP has a strong ally in Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky, chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, who recognizes that rising unemployment has led to record increases in college enrollments.

“This is not the time to make disproportionate cuts in higher education,” she said in a statement co-signed by the majority members on the committee. “We believe this is an unfair burden on New York’s students and the state’s economic future.”

SUNY had already endured its share of budget reductions, beginning with midyear cuts in 2008 of $148 million, representing 25 percent of the cuts taken against state agencies. The University lost another $172 million in state support in the 2009-10 state budget, bringing the overall cut to SUNY to an astounding $410 million. That figure amounts to a nearly 30 percent reduction in state support that would have been available to SUNY.

The leader of UUP’s statewide affiliate, NYSUT, was also quick to express his dismay at the governor’s action.

“The midyear elimination of $90 million from an already underfunded SUNY budget would impact essential services at a time of great need,” said NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi.

“We strongly urge the governor to reconsider this latest round of cuts to SUNY and reverse course to eliminate the spending reduction,” Smith added. “The future of thousands of New Yorkers and the future of the state’s economy may well rest with his decision.”

— Donald Feldstein