From the Chapter President

Advocate for SUNY!
Once again we must let our political leaders know that accessible and affordable public higher education is a priority. 

Join UUP colleagues advocating for SUNY with the New York State Legislature -- January 26, 2010 and many subsequent Tuesdays; Contact your chapter volunteers for more information on how you can help.


Governor Paterson has used a formulaic approach that results in a $90 million dollar cut to SUNY. This after hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts in the last 18 months. And, after the governor said on September 30, 2009, "'Where SUNY is concerned, they have taken some of the hardest hits in the reductions we've made so far. I'm going to view them in the future as being off-line from the other agencies,' said Paterson, who said the public colleges are a valuable 'resource' that's needed in a 'new innovation economy'".
(Read the article here)  

UUP is happy to see that SUNY recognizes this as well and is warning of serious results from the past and current budget cuts: "SUNY will do all it can to protect the quality of the education our students receive, but this is increasingly difficult at a time of scarce resources," said SUNY spokesman David Henahan. "Campuses will delay and eliminate programs and purchases and students could see larger class sections, fewer course offerings and reductions in other services."
(Read the article here)

Along with providing a path towards self-fulfillment, learning, and a more civil society, access to a SUNY degree is a driver of future innovation and economic security. UUP is glad to see others fully recognize and acknowledge that SUNY is the $olution; please tell the governor and the legislature and urge your friends, families and colleagues to do the same

“SUNY is one of the state’s major economic engines,” UUP President Phil Smith said. “It makes no sense to disinvest in SUNY at a time when the economy is already reeling.”
(Read the article here)

Get in touch with us
With new SUNY leadership and a new governor, these are somewhat unsettled times. Please be sure to contact one of your UUP volunteers if you have questions related to these topics or to your terms and conditions of employment.

Please get in touch with me or other chapter officers if you have any questions or concerns. And, please consider what you can do to improve our UUP chapter. Contact a chapter leader about campus and SUNY-wide opportunities.

John Schumacher