THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE HON. YDANIS RODRIGUEZ

CITY HALL
NEW YORK, NY 10007
(212) 788-7053
*** Press Release***
March 31, 2011
Contact: Angel Audiffred (646) 483-0730

STUDENTS OF BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN

COMMUNITY COLLEGE STAGE WALK OUT
Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez spoke to hundreds of students and faculty at
BMCC protest of proposed budget cuts to CUNY

CUNY students are facing $91.5 million cut to senior colleges and $12.3 million
cut to community colleges

New York, NY– City University of New York students in lower Manhattan, faced with
additional cuts to their education, came together today to organize a day of rallies in
support of public education.

The State budget for fiscal year 2012 proposes an additional $91.5 million in cuts to
senior colleges, and $12.3 million in cuts to community colleges. These drastic cuts come
on top of a quarter of a billion dollars worth of cuts that have been handed down to
CUNY over the past three years. The students at BMCC have steadily been organizing
themselves to create a movement against these austerity measures, with hundreds of
students attending rallies which happened throughout the day.

“I stand with my brothers and sisters at BMCC in organizing with each other to make
their voices heard. When I came to the United States from the Dominican Republic, it
was the City University system that helped me to succeed and attain the position I am at
today. The repeated cuts that the State has handed down to CUNY over the past few
years only serve to hurt students who coming from working and middle class
backgrounds, such as myself. Whether it be through larger class sizes, fewer full time
faculty or cuts in financial aid, CUNY students are suffering in order to fill budget gaps.
While I appreciate the 40% that the State restored to the community college budget, we
are still faced with over $100 million in cuts overall. This is not sustainable, and I
congratulate the CUNY students who are becoming part of a movement to defend higher
education, as I believe it is the right thing to do” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.
“Our students already face larger classes, a shortage of full-time
faculty, fewer available courses and higher tuition. This budget will put
educational quality at risk. But the fight is not over, and students are a
critical part of it. Together, we escalate our campaign for economic
justice, and we will not be alone” said Barbara Bowen, President of the
Professional Staff Congress, the union that represents over 22,000
faculty and staff at CUNY.

“As University Student Senator Vice Chairmen for evening and part-
time student affairs, today I stand strong with BMCC students and rally
with them as they take a stand against the proposed budget cuts
which will affect all CUNY students. As students at one of the largest
enrollment institutions within CUNY, we today make our voices heard”
said University Student Senator Vladimir Charles.

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