Tell Governor & Leaders: Stimulus Money is Meant to Save Jobs in Higher Education

Yes, we can defend Rutgers--even in these difficult times. But we must act quickly! Please send the message below today to urge Governor Corzine and key state legislators to spend federal stimulus dollars as they were intended by law. 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, proposed by President Obama and passed by Congress, created a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. Through this fund, nearly $1.1 billion of federal stimulus aid is allocated to our state for investment in K-12 and higher education. The intent, as outlined in the guidance from the Department of Education (DOE), is to avoid devastating cuts, layoffs and mitigate the need for tuition increases. The DOE guidance document can be viewed here:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/guidance.pdf

Faculty, part-time lecturers, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, and administrators need to join together and call on the state to comply with the DOE guidance and provide federal stimulus funds to the Rutgers community. Further, President McCormick, his chancellors and deans, and the rest of his central administration team need to turn away from the politics of panic and division and join us in focusing the full energies of Rutgers community on constructive solutions to our budget crisis. The absence of University budgetary transparency means we cannot be certain that the cuts requested are appropriate.

New Jersey Senate and Assembly budget committees will be meeting next Tuesday (April 28) and Wednesday (April 29) to consider the proposed higher education budget and hear testimony on its impacts. From there, a budget bill will be drafted by the legislative leadership to be debated by the full Legislature. We can turn this around, if you speak up now! The deadline on the state budget is June 30th, but Trenton needs to hear from us now! Send an email today!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Stimulus $ Can Fill the Gap in Higher Education

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Now that guidelines on the allocation of federal stimulus money have been issued by the United States Department of Education, I urge you to redirect those federal funds proportionally to Rutgers and the other institutions of higher education--where Congress and President Obama have indicated they belong.

New Jersey's budget should do its part to stimulate recovery. Cut backs in higher education undermine our efforts to recover and reinvest. Please realize that cutting jobs and courses will erode the quality of our education and work against the federal stimulus program.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 24, 2009


Background Information

It’s time to separate fact from fiction and take the kind of concrete steps that will prevent cuts and layoffs at the University.  They are sowing panic and division. With the absence of overall University budgetary transparency, how can we be certain that the cuts requested are appropriate?  

Contrary to President McCormick’s recent message to the Rutgers community, we are just at the beginning, not the end, of the road to real solutions.  First and foremost, convincing the state to properly allocate federal stimulus dollars towards higher education in New Jersey in line with federal guidelines will go a long way towards filling the projected budget shortfall at Rutgers.