Protesters begin a "silent march" around the SUNY Fredonia campus as part of a rally demanding more state funding for the university in December.

A visit this week by State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. is not sitting well with the United University Professions or students at the Fredonia campus.

On Saturday afternoon, the union announced members will be at SUNY Fredonia to rally with students, elected officials and community members to call on SUNY to allocate $277 million in state operating aid in the enacted 2024-2025 budget to Fredonia and 18 other cash-strapped campuses based on need–and not follow a plan by SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. to weaken and ultimately close these campuses.

More than 300 people are expected to attend the noon rally on the campus in Dods Grove, which is located between Dods Hall and the Williams Center.

In June, Fredonia will cut 13 majors and associated faculty — backed by King — in an attempt to shrink a $17 million deficit. Fredonia and 18 other financially distressed SUNY campuses have a combined $146 million deficit caused by years of underfunding by the state.

Expected to be in attendance include: UUP President Frederick E. Kowal; Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel; Fredonia University Senate Chair Bruce Simon; Chautauqua County Legislator Susan Parker of Fredonia; Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson; Student Association member Dakota Richter; Benjamin Evans, Students for Fredonia and Christopher C. Taverna, UUP Fredonia Chapter President.

While on campus last week, King praised the direction SUNY Fredonia was moving in announcing the “Big Blue Transformation,” which reduces 13 majors. University officials said only 74 students are being impacted by the proposal.

Fredonia is not alone in the higher-education crisis. Buffalo State is under a hiring freeze as it copes with a shortfall topping $16 million while SUNY Potsdam worries about added reductions in the coming months.

“We’ve got to change in order to be sustainable for the long term,” King said of Kolison’s plan last week in a visit to campus. “At SUNY, we are very committed to the future of SUNY Fredonia. We want SUNY Fredonia to be successful for the next 200 years so in order to make sure that happens the campus has to make some smart financial decisions.”