Phil Ramos

Concern about the governor’s cuts to higher education will bring Assemblyman Philip Ramos (D-Central Islip) and two Dowling College students together on Thursday. Assembly Update, a weekly television program, will feature a discussion between Ramos and the students on how the governor’s education cuts will dramatically affect New York State students.

The students, Emily Rentas, a psychology major and president of the Oakdale campus, and Kimberly Corrian, a political science major and president of the Brookhaven campus, will discuss the governor’s budget proposal − which includes a 50 percent reduction in all first time student award levels of TAP and a decrease in higher educational opportunity program funding of nearly 50 percent.

Assembly Update airs locally on:

"In his tenure the governor has targeted higher education with over $3 billion in cuts," Ramos said. "Unfortunately, this year is no different, and New York’s poorest students will be hit the hardest by the increased tuition."

The governor’s budget includes cuts to the:

• Education Opportunity Program by $7.48 million;
• Higher Education Opportunity Program by $10.5 million;
• SEEK program by $6.4 million; and
• College Discovery by $363,000.

The Assembly fought to fully restore the governor’s cuts to higher education and included new capitol projects and programs in the 2004-2005 enacted state budget, but the governor choose to veto many of these.

"It is becoming increasingly more difficult to afford college," Ramos said. "We need to listen to what student’s have to say about this year’s budget − which will have a profound impact on their current education and the future of New York State."