New York state college students who qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program may face a decrease in award money next semester.

Gov. David Paterson announced Jan. 19 that the state’s executive budget for next year will include a proposed $71 million cut to the Tuition Assistance Program, a financial aid program that helps eligible New York residents pay tuition at approved colleges in the state. The proposal would also  eliminate TAP for graduate students.

In the plan, every current TAP recipient will receive a minimal $75 reduction in his or her TAP award per semester, which will save the state approximately $8.4 million. In addition, the maximum award for two-year degrees will decrease from $5,000 to $4,000, according to the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities.

The legislature has until April 1 to negotiate the final state budget, and if the proposed change is passed, it will go into effect next fall.

Dennis Kennedy, director of communications for the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities ­— an organization to inform college students about financial aid — said the commission has received more than 9,000 e-mails from concerned students since the proposal was made.

“Certainly, even the $75 cut or any chipping away of the state’s 35-year-old TAP program, which has 4 million students, is something that is concerning,” he said.

Kennedy said the cut is an attempt by the governor to decrease the budget deficit in New York. TAP brings aid to an average of 315,000 students each year.

In order to be eligible for TAP, students must be taking 12 or more credits per semester, be at an institution that charges at least $200 a year for tuition, declare a major 30 days from the designated add/drop period and maintain a 1.2 GPA after the second semester.

The award amount depends on the institution the student is attending, the student’s family income and the student’s financial status.

Kennedy said a $75 cut to each TAP award might affect students’ ability to go to college and pay for expenses.

“We’re working to mobilize students and student aid supporters to contact their elected officials to tell them about the importance of student aid, all in the hope that elected officials will vote to restore those funds,” he said.

The new TAP will also change eligibility standards. Those considered remedial students will have the same academic standards as they do now. All other students will be required to meet a new standard with a minimum of 15 credits and at least a 1.8 GPA by the end of their second semester.

Sophomore business major Pat McNally receives TAP as part of his financial aid package and said he is disappointed that he is going to be losing the money he needs to help pay for his education.

“It’s obviously not favorable,” he said. “Especially since my family is kind of stretched for cash in anything, that’s going to probably hurt us. My pocket money is whatever I have left over from textbooks so that will definitely hurt me a lot.”

The Executive Budget is a starting point for the official 2010-2011 budget. It is just a proposal as of now, Kennedy said, so those who oppose the change still have time to confront their state officials if they wish to do so. First, the governor sends his budget to the state Senate and the Assembly. The state Senate and the Assembly have a period of time to hear from concerned citizens and constituents and then decide to either decline or accept the governor’s proposal.

“It’s very true that [the governor’s proposal] could hold true come April, and we’re hoping and working with our legislators to ask them to restore those funds to the budget so that students can get the full funding for TAP,” Kennedy said.

There are many ways college students can get involved in campaigning to prevent the TAP cut, Kennedy said. Students can e-mail legislators directly from the commission’s Web site. On Feb. 9, 750 college students will meet with legislators in Albany to talk about the importance of student aid as part of Independent Sector and Student Lobby Day.

Larry Chambers, director of student financial services, said since the official budget will not be decided until April, the future for TAP recipients at the college is still unknown. He said he wants students to be aware of the change and be proactive about it.

“We encourage current TAP recipients to reach out to their state legislative representatives to express any concerns they might have over these TAP reductions,” he said.