The recently approved New York state budget eliminates aid to private colleges and universities with endowments of at least $750 million, including Columbia University and NYU. The $18 million cut in aid affects 16 schools throughout the state. Opponents of the cuts argue that it will increase costs for hardworking students and their families who rely on the financial support provided by Bundy Aid to help them achieve their dream of a college degree. Supporters of the cuts say the aid to the “wealthy” private universities was hard to defend given competing priority to boost funding to the public colleges part of the SUNY and CUNY network.