CUNY COALITION AGAINST THE CUTS

Statement of Purpose

The CUNY Coalition Against the Cuts is a student based organization that organizes
students, faculty and staff from many CUNY and SUNY campuses, private universities and
New York City High Schools. Our common goal is to stop the proposed budget cuts to public
education and to fight for free and accessible quality education for all. The Coalition is non-
sectarian and seeks to mobilize all students and individuals who want to fight against and stop
these cuts. Since Pataki's and Giuliani's budgets directly target people from communities of
color, women and working class youth the most, we strive for a coalition body that represents
those communities.

While we do not discourage others from lobbying and letter writing campaigns, we
believe that mass, militant action -- such as demonstrations, mass education, protest marches,
and civil disobedience -- is the most effective way to stop this draconian assault on our futures.
We are committed to non-violent protest for social change in the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. We are also committed to grass roots mobilizing on the campuses and to mobilizing
mass actions in the streets that reflect our true numbers and which place maximum pressure
on the political and economic system.

The CUNY Coalition sees the universal right to a quality education as fundamental to
the creation of a just society. But we recognize that our current struggle against the budget
cuts is not limited to education. Therefore, we seek to unite with all forces fighting budget
cuts: especially labor and community based organization, whose power united with students
has the potential to win this fight. Our goal is to encourage and coordinate the self-activity of
large numbers of students and faculty throughout New York to channel their collective
energies toward building a state-wide, student led movement that can stop the current attacks
on education, offer information and educationals on the crisis, and lead future struggles in the
defense of free, quality education for everyone.

STOP THE BUDGET CUTS!
NO TUITION HIKES!
RESTORE FREE TUITION AND OPEN ADMISSIONS!
SAVE SEEK, HEOP, TAP, ESL, LITERACY PROGRAMS AND EOPS!
NO RETRENCHMENT NO LAYOFFS!

CANCEL THE DEBT!

TAX THE RICH TO MAKE CUNY FREE! ;

NO DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST PEOPLE FIGHTING THE CUTS!

SHUT THE CITY DOWN!

THE CUNY COALITION AGAINST THE CUTS:
212--642--2851