(07/17/06) EWING ? Ripples of New Jersey?s budget crisis are hitting students, staff and faculty at colleges throughout New Jersey.

Representatives of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing say they are going to receive approximately $8 million less from the state next year. That amount constitutes about 21 percent of the college?s state funding. In order to compensate for that loss, TCNJ officials say they?ll be forced to make cuts. The number of staff and professors will be cut, grad school assistance programs will be reduced by approximately $800,000 and IT project will be cut by about $500,000.

The school?s men?s golf team and cheerleading squad will also be casualties of the cutbacks. Students say incoming freshmen will ultimately miss out on several perks the college used to offer. Many students say lawmakers should not have targeted higher education in their quest to balance the budget.