URA members have been working hard with our Coalition of Rutgers Unions (CRU) colleagues to talk to legislators on both sides of the aisle to get their support to restore the $65 million dollars shortfall in the aid package for Rutgers. These proposed cuts compound the proposed federal grant cuts and directly impact our jobs.
Some monies that are line items that proposed to be cut include Rutgers operating aid, New Jersey Agricultural Experimental Station (which operates in all 21 counties), Garden State Guarantee that directly funds our students, NJ STEP, and many, many others. Even if your program and department are not directly named in the state budget, since we are so interdependent, cuts in one space could manifest into changes in your department.
Livingston Campus Lead Steward Mary Ellen Maguire said she had little idea what to expect when she arrived in Trenton to advocate for funding Thursday, June 19. “I left feeling proud to be a voice for our URA members. I spoke with many legislators, highlighting the impact of funding cuts on administrative staff,” said Maguire. “They all agreed that Rutgers would not function without our work. We are holding them to their word – no cuts to Rutgers funding!”
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