UUP President Fred Kowal at SUNY Fredonia in October.

It appears significant cuts may be on the horizon at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Members of United University Professions, America’s largest higher education union, plan to gather with students and allies for a silent march on campus Tuesday to oppose anticipated program cuts at the campus. UUP members will also urge SUNY to fund the campus fairly using $163 million in new direct state funding for SUNY. The lunchtime event coincides with rising concerns about a potential announcement from SUNY that programs will be cut at SUNY Fredonia.

At noon, members and marchers will gather on campus in front of Fenton Hall, which houses the campus president’s office. They will then march silently across campus to send the message that cuts are not necessary and that significant reductions in programming amount to an assault on the union labor that runs the SUNY system.

SUNY Fredonia, which has reported a $17 million deficit, is one of 18 campuses facing projected multimillion-dollar deficits heading into 2024.

“It’s imperative that campuses like SUNY Fredonia receive equitable funding, so they are able to serve the diverse educational needs of students across the state,” said UUP statewide President Fred Kowal.

Kowal was at SUNY Fredonia last month to tell staff and faculty the UUP will fight any attempts to make program reductions.

SUNY Fredonia, like many other higher-education institutions, has been plagued by enrollment decreases. Since fall 2018, the campus has gone from 4,405 students to 3,236 – a decrease of 1,169 or 26.5% over that time span.