CUNY's 2006-2007 funding request for disability services has begun to come into focus. After evaluating the viability of the four different funding proposals, CUNY has decided to shelve the New York State Education Funding legislation and the "College Access Now" Proposal in favor of the $250,000 increase in the University's budget request and the $1.3 million aggregated in the "CUNY Compact". If successful, these requests will bring in $1.55 million for CUNY Disability Services in 2006-2007!

CUNY has made significant progress in moving these proposals forward.

At this point, the best way to move these proposals forward is to enlist the support of members of the University community in a letter writing campaign. Towards this end, the University has placed a disability funding focused sample letter on www.supportcuny.org.

Members of the University community can help by:

1. logging on to the supportcuny.org website

2. registering with supportCUNY.org

3. sending letters in support of CUNY's disability services funding requests to their legislative representatives and the Assembly & Senate leadership.

supportCUNY.org has proven to be a powerful tool in impressing upon legislators the importance of issues of concern to the University. Please disseminate this website widely to members of your campus community.To help you get the word out, attached please find a pdf flyer and a Word version of the text of this flyer.

Despite a 30% growth in enrollment and escalating costs of reasonable accommodations, CUNY has not received a funding increase for disability services in 12 years!

While the annual cost of sign language interpreter services for one deaf student can exceed $40,000 and universally accessible computer workstations can easily cost $4,000 per unit, CUNY receives only $267 per student to fund crucial support services!

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Using your personal computer, or a campus computer purchased with Student Activity or Technology Fees:

1. Log on to www.supportcuny.org

2. Make sure that you've become a member of supportcuny.org

3. Scroll down to "State Advocacy Campaign"

4. Click on "Student Disability Letter"

5. Modify this letter to show State legislative representatives your support for the additional $1.55 million requested by CUNY for disability services at our 19 campuses.