UUP Cortland Chapter

From Fred Kowal and others you may have heard about the Professor Watchlist, a website that seeks to “expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.”

This website poses a clear threat to academic freedom. Over the past century, such lists have been used to harass and intimidate faculty, and have a chilling effect on academic freedom and free speech.

WHAT ADDING YOUR NAME TO THIS OPEN LETTER DOES: Please join me in signing an open letter to Turning Point USA, the creators of the Watchlist, which asks them to add our names to their Watchlist because we decry their attempt to stifle academic freedom.  Let’s stand in solidarity with colleagues who have been singled out by this website: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/add-my-name-to-the-professor-watchlist?source=email&

Remember the old adage about the environment, “the solution to pollution is dilution”?  Well, that’s the strategy that AAUP has adopted to minimize the effects of this Professor Watchlist.  I’m game.

Dear Colleagues,

In the days since the election, UUP has recommitted to work that upholds the values we hold dear: access to affordable public higher education, affordable health care for all, and the protection of civil rights, women’s rights, social justice, tolerance and respect. We are committed to the fight against racism, hatred and hypocrisy. As part of our mobilization, and because it reflects our dedication to our principles, UUP has become an official Partner of the Women’s March on Washington scheduled for January 21, 2017!

While UUP is not organizing transportation for the March, we are facilitating your ability to find and purchase bus tickets. We are offering a $60 bus subsidy to the first 300 UUP members who register – go to www.uupinfo.org and click on Women’s March on Washington. As you register you will be directed to information about bus transportation from your region to Washington. Instructions about where and how to purchase transportation are included in that information.

We share the Mission and Vision of the March’s organizers as well as their Guiding Principles, both of which are attached to this email.

Please join me at the Women’s March on Washington on January 21!

In Solidarity,

Fred

The Tompkins County Workers’ Center and the Midstate Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, will hold the 33rd Annual Labor Day Picnic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, September 5th, in Ithaca’s Stewart Park. This year’s picnic theme is “Labor Rights Are Civil Rights”. (Sign in on Facebook)
This year’s program will include the music of Black Lives Matter – Ithaca Organizer, Sammus, an Ithaca-based rap artist and producer; along with Featured Guest Speaker, and Black Lives Matter – Ithaca Organizer, Professor Russell Rickford, speaking on the links between economic justice and the Movement for Black Lives, as well as local activist folk singer, Colleen Kattau (Gringa Grooves from the Heart).

The picnic is free and everyone is invited. Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share and to enjoy the free burgers (meat and veggie), hot dogs, ice cream and beverages.

The annual awards have become a highlight of the Labor Day Picnic over the years, and this year will be no different. The Mother Jones and Joe Hill awards are presented to people for their activism, organizing, and sacrifice at work. The Friend of Labor award is presented to a member of the community who has spoken out publicly or taken action in support of working people. The notorious Goat of Labor goes to an especially egregious offender of workers’ rights and/or the value of labor to our common good.

Local human service agencies, Living Wage Employers, and other organizations are welcome to have organizing tables at the event (however, please contact in advance). For more information, contact the Workers’ Center at TCWRH@tcworkerscenter.org, 607-269-0409, or via the website, www.TCWorkersCenter.org

August 10, 2016

Dear UUP Member:

We are committed to communicating with the membership about contract negotiations–to the greatest extent possible–as negotiations proceed. This is your contract, and we want members to be informed, involved, and active throughout the process.

To facilitate this communication, we have created a new Members-Only web portal. Here is the link to the portal:

https://uuphost.org/myuup/MembersOnly/check.php. A link to the portal is also accessible via the UUP website; click on the “UUP Negotiations Information” box in the top right corner of the page.

Conceptual proposals from UUP and the state, exchanged July 15 during our first bargaining session with the State, are now posted in the new Members-Only section.

The Members-Only section is password-protected; use the last five digits of your employee ID as your unique password to enter the site. Your employee ID can be found in the center of your pay stub, listed as “NYS EMPLID”.

Please do not publically share or post information found in the Members-Only section; this information is confidential and intended for UUP members only.

In Solidarity,

Fred

Dear UUP Members,

Please consider visiting UUP’s comment portal to submit comments and suggestions pertaining to the edTPA and other teacher certification exams:

http://uupinfo.org/committees/teached/teachercertcomments.php

The UUP leadership welcomes member comments and suggestions to inform our discussions with State Education Department officials, Board of Regents members, and legislators.

UUP has three representatives on a state edTPA Task Force, which was convened by the Board of Regents and has been charged to review issues and concerns raised by the field with regard to the edTPA. The state task force has been asked to assess all possible options – from the status quo (no policy change) to allowing institutions/programs to select other performance assessment options. Task Force meetings began in April 2016 and will continue through the summer. The next meeting is July 26.

UUP’s web portal is one avenue members can use to communicate their views and suggestions. Confidentiality is assured. Members can also e-mail or call me directly.

Thanks to all our Academics and Professionals in teacher education who have been communicating their views and experiences to the UUP leadership. We appreciate your updates as things continue to evolve.

Sincerely,
Jamie Dangler, PhD
Vice President for Academics
UUP Teacher Education Task Force chair
United University Professions
1-800-342-4206
jdangler@uupmail.org