“Like every student speaking here, I have a story,” said NVCC Student Government Association President Katherine Abreu. “At the early age of 7, I experienced domestic violence within my household. School was my safe haven.  I am a successful young woman who plans to go on to Western Connecticut State University for my bachelor’s.  I want to show women who have similar stories like mine that anything is possible. But how will they, if the same resources I took advantage of will not be available to them in the future?”

Abreu joined students from other community colleges, the state universities and Charter Oak State College in advocating for affordable, quality public education by providing spoken testimony at the public hearing. Other students submitted written testimony.

A proposed cut of 5.75 percent would apply to all CSCU funds and would be on top of cuts imposed by a deficit mitigation package adopted in December. Combined, this represents a total effective cut of over 7 percent.

“Funding our system should be seen as an investment, a vital component of the state’s ability to succeed in such areas as economic development, transportation, and second chance society,” said CSCU President Mark Ojakian. “Appropriation of our funds should not just be seen as meeting a cost but as a critical investment in the residents of our state today as well as their future.”

NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis attended the Appropriations Committee hearing on the Governor’s proposed budget for higher education in FY 2017.  The President remarked that, “It was a good moment for our system and our students as they witnessed our system President Ojakian present his remarks and then remained engaged throughout the process, listening to our CSCU students and thanking them each personally.   As a person who grew up in a dictatorship until the age of eleven, the democratic process of participating and being heard by those in a position of authority never ceases to impress me.  Our students were impressive because of their level of care and involvement, and are to be thanked for representing us so well at the expense of taking time from very busy schedules to do just that.  It was a proud moment all around.”