USA Africa Dialogue Series - Suny-Albany: 160 faculty to go

From: Bret Benjamin <bret.benjamin@gmail.com>

Date: October 24, 2010 12:58:16 PM CDT

Subject: SUNYUnderSiege Website

Dear friends and colleagues,

As some of you have likely heard by now, the SUNY system has been ravaged by cuts from the legislature, and SUNY Albany has announced plans to cut 160 full-time positions, along with five programs: French, Italian, Russian, Theater, and Classics.

The University campus has been impressively mobilized by these events, and much good work is being done to resist our President's proposals.  But we desperately need the righteous anger and collective analysis of the broader community.  To this end, we've set up the SUNYUnderSiege website (http://www.SUNYUnderSiege.pbworks.com) below to begin coordinating efforts and mounting a broad campaign in defense of public education.

Please take a moment to visit the site.  If you have time to write to our President, Chancellor, or to the Legislators identified, fantastic; please send us copies of those letters if you do so that we can make them public as well.  If not, perhaps you can sign the online petition that focuses on the cuts to the language programs.

Perhaps most important, please help us spread the word by forwarding the announcement below to relevant lists and any interested parties individuals or institutions.  We can use all the pressure and all the creative solutions that our allies can provide.

In solidarity,

Bret

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Collective action is urgently needed in defense of public education and the SUNY system.  We invite you to join us at SUNY Under Siege: http://www.SUNYUnderSiege.pbworks.com

On October 1, University at Albany President George Philip announced plans to cut 160 full-time positions and deactivate five academic programs in the Humanities: French, Russian, Italian. Theater and Classics. This ill-conceived decision comes in the wake of a devastating de-funding of the SUNY System by the New York State Legislature.  Education budgets have been slashed more than any other public sector: $210 million has been cut from the SUNY budget this year, meaning SUNY's total operating budget has been reduced by 30% over the past three years.  UAlbany itself has suffered a $33.5 million reduction over the past three years and faces a $12 million budget gap this year.  And while these cuts are particularly severe, they are only the latest in a thirty-year decline in state funding for public education.

This situation demands both rigorous analysis and organized opposition.  Please join us at http://www.SUNYUnderSiege.pbworks.com, a website produced by a coalition of faculty, students, staff, labor organizations and community groups at the University at Albany.  SUNYUnderSiege collects information and analysis about the crisis at SUNY, suggestions about contacting administrators and legislators, links to media coverage, information about upcoming campus events, selected letters of protest, alumni statements, and more.

Help us to keep the pressure on!  We need SUNY students, faculty, staff, and community members to continue turning out in force at University and State fora where these issues are being discussed.  Equally important, our administrators and legislators need to hear from our colleagues and concerned observers across the country and world about the implications that such educational funding decisions will have on SUNY and on public education more broadly.

We continue to develop SUNYUnderSiege.pbworks.com and ask for your comments, analysis, and materials.  Please visit us regularly for updates about the struggle at SUNY, and please forward this link widely.

In solidarity,

SUNYUnderSiege

fight4publiceducation@gmail.com

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--

Bret Benjamin

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies,

HU 335, Department of English

University at Albany, SUNY

Albany, NY 12222

518.442.4058

http://www.albany.edu/~bret

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