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New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible
access, fully representative of all segments of the population in a complete range
of academic, professional and vocational postsecondary programs — to meet the
needs of both traditional and non-traditional students and to address local,
regional and state needs and goals.”
–– New York State Education Law, Section 351
Legislative Info
Contact info
Political Action Calendar
Any member of UUP who wishes to attend any of UUP-UMU Legislative events, please contact the UUP Office at 422-3643 or email syracuse@uupmail.org for information.
Legislative Agenda
- Protect SUNY’s Core Mission
- Ensure access to public higher education for all New Yorkers
- Maintain SUNY’s ability to offer quality education and student services
- Keep SUNY hospitals public and preserve vital services at the health science centers
- Protect SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Centers and Educational Opportunity Programs
- Codify the Office for Diversity and Educational Equity in state Education Law
- Increase the availability of full-time tenure track faculty and protect part-time and contingent faculty
- Protect the public trust by preserving legislative oversight of SUNY
- Promote Social Justice
- Protect access to SUNY for employees and students with disabilities
- Reform the current regressive NYS income tax structure
- Enact the New York State Fair Pay Act
- Support sovereign immunity legislation to restore public employee rights
- Support paid family medical leave for all New Yorkers
- Support health care for all New Yorkers
- Strengthen Workers’ Rights
- Provide unemployment insurance for part-time SUNY employees
- Protect health insurance benefits for SUNY retirees
- Maintain NYSTI’s independence and restore employees to 12-month status
— Former UUP President Phillip H. Smith
2014 End of Session Legislative Recap
Dear Colleagues:
The New York State Senate and Assembly have concluded the 2014 legislative session. Throughout the process we were successful in advancing a number of our priorities. One such priority was the Public Higher Education Quality Initiative Endowment. This was the first year that NYSUT, and its affiliates, pushed for the creation of an endowment.
This issue quickly gained traction and was even considered during the budget process. During this legislative session we were able to reach a conceptual agreement on the proposed language with SUNY. By the end of session, an endowment bill was introduced by the higher education committee chairs in both houses of the Legislature.
In addition to the endowment, I am pleased to report that the advocacy efforts of UUP and its coalitions achieved the following throughout the 2014 legislation session (includes budget issues):
- Passage of a bill that will allow all public employees who served in the military to receive pension credit for military service regardless of when they served.
- Increased the legislative and gubernatorial support for the DREAM Act, which passed the Assembly.
- Increased the SUNY Hospital State Subsidy.
- Increased the maximum TAP award for college students by $165.
- Increased the funding for the Educational Opportunity Program and ATTAIN Labs.
- Movement of the FOIL bill out of the Senate and Assembly Governmental Operations Committees. In prior years this bill failed to advance out of these committees
- Defeated damaging language that would have opened the door for the privatization of SUNY’s hospitals.
- Defeated a budget proposal that would have increased out-of-pocket healthcare costs to certain retirees and would have diminished health care benefits.
- Averted action that would have resulted in the creation of a firewall between the individual accounts of the SUNY hospital systems.
- Averted action that would have resulted in the SUNY trustees identifying baccalaureate degree programs that could be offered exclusively online at reduced rates and credits, creating the Accelerated Proficiency Degree.
- Averted language that would have permitted the SUNY chancellor to convene a task force to examine ways in which the university centers at Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook could be made more autonomous.
These and other selected legislative and budget results are included in the attached comprehensive legislative summary. I want to thank you for your advocacy efforts. Together we met with approximately 150 legislators throughout this legislative session, which does not count the number of legislators that we met with during the Higher Education Advocacy day. As the 2014 legislative season closes, we will need your continued efforts in the coming months during New York’s fast-paced political season. Our hard work and grassroots political action in the summer and fall will set the stage for a successful 2015 legislative session.
Together we MUST show up, be prepared, and make a difference. I look forward to continuing our work together.
In Solidarity,
Fred
