The Voice

Once again, SUNY finds itself left out in the cold in Gov. David Paterson’s proposed Executive Budget for 2010-11.

Did I say cold? Deep freeze may be a better way to describe it.

In January, the governor lopped off another $118 million in state support. Now, SUNY?is being subjected to an additional “employee savings” cut of $34.4 million, bringing the total cut to nearly $153 million.

As if that weren’t enough, he also proposed his so-called Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act that would allow SUNY campuses to enter into contracts, leases, partnerships and joint ventures without legislative approval or oversight by the attorney general and comptroller. Let me be very clear: This act will lead to privatizing SUNY and its workers! It is clearly an anti-labor proposal.

The blare of police sirens echoed through Albany’s West Capitol Park, intruding on UUP President Phillip Smith’s impassioned call for action to more than 300 unionists at a rally to save SUNY from massive proposed state budget cuts. The irony wasn’t lost on Smith.

“Yeah, there are sirens,” he shouted over the din as the crowd cheered. “This is an emergency! We have to defeat these budget cuts. We have to defeat the so-called Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act. We cannot sacrifice SUNY.”

The New York State Theatre Institute as it is today will cease to exist if Gov. David Paterson’s plan to cut state funding to the Troy theater becomes reality.

So says NYSTI Chapter President John Romeo.

Romeo would know. He has fought his share of budget battles, including Paterson’s unsuccessful 2009 attempt to merge NYSTI with The Egg.

The stakes are much higher this year.

Under the governor’s proposed Executive Budget, NYSTI would lose all state funding by 2011-12, leaving it to operate as a self-supporting entity dependent on ticket sales, corporate donations and government grants. NYSTI, created by state legislation in 1974, relies on state funding for about 85 percent of its budget.

New York can’t fix its budget woes on the backs of students and their parents. But that’s exactly what’s happening. The governor’s Executive Budget proposal again slams SUNY, this time to the tune of $153 million.

UUP knows that students and parents would be asked to pay more, and get less, if these cuts are enacted. That’s why the union is fighting back with a multifaceted public awareness campaign that includes a television ad, and a new proactive Web site that urge lawmakers to keep their promise of a quality, affordable college education for all New Yorkers.

Television ad

The governor’s Executive Budget doesn’t bode well for the University. If enacted as proposed:

• SUNY would be asked to absorb a cut of nearly $153 million, bringing the total cut in two years to $562 million—at a time when enrollment has grown by 40,000 students since 1990. The $153 million cut represents 25% of the total state agency cutback in the 2010-11 Executive Budget.

• State funding for SUNY would be $85 million less than it was in 1990-91.

UUP opposes plans to:

• Eliminate an additional $152.4 million from SUNY’s operating budget.

• Cut $1.8 million in funding for NYSTI.

• Reduce Medicaid funding to SUNY teaching hospitals and health science centers, and double the “sick tax” from .35% to .75%.

• Require SUNY hospitals and HSCs to make an extra $20.5 million payment to ERS to make up for losses.

• Ask unions to re-negotiate contractual pay raises or to consider a payroll lag.

Delegates to the 2010 Winter Delegate Assembly in Albany covered a wide range of union business Feb. 5-6. They debated policy, attended meetings, wrote and faxed lawmakers to support SUNY, and listened to committee and officers’ reports. They also heard about the challenges confronting public higher education—both in New York and around the country—and heard pledges from UUP and AFT leaders that their unions will not relent in the battle to save public education. Read on for highlights of the union’s two-day winter policymaking convention.

“The state of our union is strong,” UUP President Phillip Smith exclaimed as he began his hour-long address at the opening plenary session of the 2010 Winter Delegate Assembly. He pointed to the largest rally UUP had ever held (see related story, page 4), to the biggest turnout of members for a union advocacy day (Jan. 26 in Albany), and to chapters conducting meetings with state lawmakers in their home districts.

But Smith indicated UUP will need to muster every ounce of that strength to meet the challenges it faces.

Their first DA was exactly what they had hoped it would be. There were movies and snacks, video games and coloring books. And nap time.

Of course, that’s to be expected if you’re under the age of 10.

At the request of the Task Force on Family Friendliness, UUP launched a trial “Family Hospitality Suite” designed to ease the burden on parents trying to juggle family and union activities. Eight youngsters between the ages of 3 and 10 spent most of the two-day convention under the watchful eyes of three nannies from the New England Nanny Service.

“Members of the task force brainstormed on what we could do to make it easier for our newer, younger colleagues to come to a DA,” said Geneseo delegate Meg Stolee, task force chair. “Why should having kids be an impediment to being active in your union?”

At times, parents brought their children into plenary sessions or other union meetings. At others, nannies took the kids on a walk around the hotel, which included a stop at the fountain to make a wish.

Despite what the anti-labor naysayers love to trumpet, it is evident that union members are quick to dip into their pockets or lend a hand to help those who find themselves in less fortunate situations.

Such was the case during the 2010 Winter DA in Albany, where delegates passed a resolution to support Haiti in its efforts to heal and rebuild following the Jan. 12 earthquake. The resolution also called on UUP to pass the hat—an effort that raised more than $1,700 in a matter of minutes. UUP added $1,000 to the donations collected, bringing the total to $2,755.16.

Delegates also acted on a number of other resolutions, including the following:

The parking lots are nearly empty. The sidewalks sport a light blanket of freshly fallen snow. The classrooms are quiet and vacant. It certainly looks like activity has ground to a halt on this SUNY campus during intersession.

But looks can be deceiving. In fact, professional members of UUP are hard at work keeping SUNY humming and making sure all is in readiness for the semester to come.

“The campus just doesn’t roll up the sidewalks when the last class dismisses,” said Cobleskill’s Director of Residential Life Ed Asselin. “Campus housing is a year-round adventure.”