United University Professions – Fredonia Chapter

LEGISLATORS FORECAST DIFFICULT FIGHT FOR STATE FUNDING

In a year when New York is expected to have a small budget surplus, public colleges and universities may see a small increase in their state funding.

But it’s unlikely that any SUNY campus will see a significant restoration of the nearly $2 billions in state budget cuts to the SUNY system since the start of the Great Recession.

To read the rest of the article – The Voice Nov/Dec 2014 issue

Union membership:
• Part-time employees are members of the collective bargaining unit represented by UUP. Employees who join UUP are full UUP members. They receive a full vote in all union elections and contract ratifications. They may hold any office in UUP and have all the same rights as full-time employees. http://uupinfo.org/constitution/constitution.php
• The UUP constitution requires that every UUP Chapter have an elected Part-Time Concerns officer. http://uupinfo.org/constitution/constitution.php

To read the rest of the document – Part-time Fact Sheet 2011-2016

Hi All,

As you may know, UUP Fredonia chapter has been advocating $1000/credit as the minimum salary for adjunct faculty since fall of 2013.

I would like to let you know that, last week, Provost Terry Brown officially announced the great news (see the attached memo)!

Starting spring 2015 the minimum adjunct faculty salary will be increased to $900/credit. Thus someone, who is teaching a three credit course will be paid $2700. Eventually, this will be raised to $1000/credit.

Best wishes,

Ziya Arnavut, Ph.D.
UUP Fredonia Chapter President

Contingent Faculty Minimum memo October 15, 2014

Newly elected NYSUT President Karen Magee’s message to UUPers was loud and clear: higher education is important to NYSUT.

Vitally important.

Magee, who spoke at the 2014 Spring Delegate Assembly dinner May 2, smiled as she was met with loud applause from delegates. She wasted no time telling them what they wanted to hear: that UUP can depend on NYSUT now and in the future.

“Higher ed faculty, health care professionals, teachers and SRPs—you all have something to say and the `new’ NYSUT is here to listen and to deliver!,” she said.

“I know in my heart that she will deliver on that pledge because she has already been there for UUP,” said UUP President Fred Kowal, as he introduced Magee. “She joined us in Brooklyn to fight for public health care and she is committed to fighting all the attacks that come against us.”

UUP strongly supported Magee and her slate—Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta, vice presidents Catalina Fortino and Paul Pecorale, and Secretary-Treasurer Martin Messner—in NYSUT’s April elections. All the NYSUT officers attended the delegate dinner.

After her speech, Magee and the rest of the NYSUT officers pulled on red UUP t-shirts as UUPers rose to their feet and applauded loudly.

Magee told delegates that NYSUT’s new leadership is keenly aware of higher ed issues, and is ready to lend its support and resources to aid UUP in its ongoing challenges—such as the chronic underfunding of SUNY, preserving jobs and services at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and SUNY’s other public hospitals and medical schools, and gaining equity for adjuncts.

“Thanks to our SUNY institutions, every citizen of New York state has access to a high-quality degree and top-notch health care,” Magee said. “And we want to make sure that access continues.”

She’s already made good on her promise. NYSUT was instrumental in negotiations that led to the state Board of Regents’ April 28 decision to delay full implementation of the edTPA and review its use as a requirement for initial teacher certification.

“These days, in their rush to hand out giveaways to big corporations and the wealthy, it seems like our state lawmakers have forgotten the value of the SUNY system,” she said. “But let me tell you, we’re here to make sure they remember!”

Magee closed her six-minute speech by urging delegates to “be the union” and calling on them to advocate for causes important for unions and the community, such as voting yes for local public school budgets May 20.

One way to do that is by joining NYSUT and UUP in Lake Placid for “Picket in the Pines,” a May 4 protest against anti-union “reformers” from the Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) meeting at Whiteface Lodge May 4-6 for Camp Philos, billed as a “philosopher’s camp on education reform.” The event is hosted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“Show up, sign up, speak up,” she said. “Do whatever you can—big or small—to advance our cause as unionists and professionals.”

At the recent membership meeting on April 2, 2014, UUP Fredonia Chapter’s 2014-2015 budget has been approved by the members who attended in person. We thank those members who attended. For more information about the budget, please click on the Budget option on the menu bar.

Know Your Contract Workshop was held at SUNY Fredonia.  The question and answer workshop was attended by 84 Fredonia UUP members.  Presenters were Fred Kowal, Jamie Dangler, Philippe Abraham, and Tara Singer-Blumberg.

Here are some questions from Workshop:

Q: What is used to calculate Dependent Care Advantage/Flexible Spending Accounts?
A: Base salary (available to all full-time and part-time employees).

Q: DSA background?
A: Different from any previous contract–not added to base; campuses required to distribute $ to part-timers.
President Horvath will share exact amounts to be distributed to full-timers and part-timers with Ziya and Tara today; campus President’s decision, UUP role is to consult when requested and to act as watch dog. President Horvath did consult with UUP in Labor Management; no one perspective stood out when we took a survey, so we didn’t advocate a particular method. Management will certify to UUP who got what.

You can find the rest of the questions on Workshop document in this link : Know Your Contract Workshop 2013