Governor Michael S. Dukakis yesterday urged University of Massachusetts students to help him make a 10-per-cent "minimum" cut in state spending for higher education.

His plea drew a mixture of loud boos and applause from nearly 1000 people jammed into a student union hall at the UMass-Amherst campus.

Dukakis asked for specific recommendations from students on cutbacks and pledged to make cuts that would not affect teaching or student services. But during a news briefing, he hinted that sacrifices in certain student programs may be necessary.

Dukakis told the students that all state operations except higher education have been holding down spending.

"You know there is 10 per cent waste in the University budget. You know it and so do I." he claimed.

UMass President Robert C. Wood said the university would be forced to rank its programs by priority because a 10 per cent cut applied across the board would weaken every program.