The best day of the year for any Cornellian arguably falls on the last day of classes each spring semester — Slope Day. This year, however, the Slope Day Programming Board has been hit by a lack of funding from the University due to the current economic downturn. For some Cornellians, this is the first tangible effect of the economic issues plaguing the University. While Cornell steps away from Slope Day in favor of holding onto its staff, it is the students who must step in to protect the tradition.

Cornell’s endowment is down 27 percent and the campus must make a five-percent cut to its operating budget. In these trying times, the University faces some tough decisions.

The majority of the funding the SDPB receives from the University comes from the Office of the Dean of Students. Kent Hubbell ’67, dean of students, has said that the office will decrease its usual Slope Day spending in order to try to save its staff from layoffs.

By making his commitment to his staff clear, Hubbell is remaining dedicated to Skorton’s promise to hold onto as many staff as possible. Hopefully, Hubbell’s decision will be replicated in other University offices. Cornell’s staff, many of whom are already overworked due to the current hiring freeze, are busy keeping the campus running on a daily basis, often invisibly, by answering the phones, serving food and performing numerous other vital tasks. The University must work to save its employees’ jobs so that Cornell can continue functioning smoothly.

Even though the Office of the Dean of Student’s decision has been made, students can still take action to support the beloved tradition that is Slope Day. Concerned students should rally groups on campus to provide the SDPB with external funding. Cornellians can attend meetings and send e-mails to groups such as the Student Assembly, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and Cornell Concert Commission, which have all provided the SDPB assistance in the past. These groups all draw money from the student activity fee, so students have a right to make their voices known.

With the backing of student groups, Cornellians will be able to relax and have fun on May 1st knowing that the day’s festivities didn’t result in a loss of staff.