The following article was adopted from RIT U. News
Original article by Kathy Lindsley, Dec. 10, 2008

Facebook opens up opportunities

Tuesday, Dec. 16, New York Gov. David Paterson will released his first Executive Budget. With New York State facing a projected deficit as high as $15 billion, funding for college student financial aid programs faces a serious threat.

The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities is using a variety of innovative methods to rally support funding for student assistance programs.

“We launched the ‘New York Student Aid Alliance’ Facebook site as a virtual social network for students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who we hope will join our efforts,” says commission Vice President Terri Standish-Kuon ’88 (professional and technical communications). “We’re asking people to take just 10 seconds to go to the site and find out how they can help.

More than 300,000 students in New York depend on state financial assistance to meet their college costs. The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Science and Technology Entry Programs (STEP/C-STEP), and Liberty Partnerships Programs are all expected to be impacted by the funding cuts.

To learn more about participating in the New York Student Aid Alliance, go to the group’s Facebook page.