Outreach Commitee Co-Chair Glenn McNitt, left, offers a few pointers to North Country advocates-in-training.

In preparation for UUP’s annual political action campaign, the union’s Outreach Committee is traversing the state, holding training sessions to educate members on the best ways to advocate for the state university and its academic and professional faculty.

Committee Co-chairs Glenn McNitt of New Paltz and Thomas Tucker of SUNY Buffalo are using the regional trainings to gear up for the union’s legislative advocacy efforts, which officially kick off in January with a multimedia advertising campaign, followed by the annual Legislative Luncheon Feb. 12 in Albany.

“Our members understand the power of political action in SUNY’s success,” UUP President William Scheuerman said. “That’s why so many of them are willing to take time out of their busy schedules to develop and hone their advocacy skills.”

During a recent training session in Lake Placid, more than a dozen activists from the UUP chapters at Canton, Plattsburgh and Potsdam received the training and tools they need to make the case for SUNY.

“UUP is unique when compared to other higher education systems, such as California and New Jersey,” McNitt said. “There, union leaders lobby once a year in what’s really a photo-op or they hire lobbyists to advocate for them.

“UUP does it differently. We send our members, because nobody can make the case better than you. You bring powerful insights to the legislators and that’s why we want you there.”

The advocates-in-training were given talking points and the tentative 2008 legislative agenda to guide them throughout the training. Key union issues during the last few legislative sessions: securing more full-time faculty, and thwarting efforts to privatize SUNY hospitals. Last year, the union was successful in gaining an additional $168 million for more full-time lines and in keeping Upstate Medical University in Syracuse within SUNY.

As The Voice went to press, the final touches were being put on the 2008 legislative agenda. The statewide Executive Board was expected to approve the plan at its November meeting.

As part of their training, participants engaged in role-playing activities that mimic real-life meetings with lawmakers. Members are taught to advocate in teams, and to name a leader, reporter and expediter. The leader sets the tenor of the meeting; the reporter observes, remembers and jots down details later; the expediter keeps the meeting on task.

Tucker acted the part of a well-seasoned assemblyman, asking pointed questions about the union’s priorities and on how to fund their specific requests. His questions forced participants to think on their feet, and helped them to understand the need to know the issues before walking into a legislator’s office.

McNitt moved between the groups, taking notes and offering suggestions when the role-playing hit a snag. “Don’t stray too far off track,” McNitt said. “Remember, our primary purpose is to educate, inform and persuade them to act on behalf of our members and SUNY.”

“The North Country colleges have unique issues and we want our voices heard,” said Tracie Guzzio of Plattsburgh. “The training gives us a better sense of how things work.”

Other effective advocacy tips: Determine points the team would like to make, and make them within 15 minutes; and ask the lawmaker to share UUP’s priorities with chairs of relevant committees and the party leadership.

“Legislators look to us to provide them with the information they can’t get elsewhere,” McNitt said. “You will be the major resource to the lawmakers you visit. And that’s the real value of having members be our advocates.”

The Outreach Committee this fall also conducted regional training sessions for UUP chapters in Central and Western New York and on Long Island.

— Karen L. Mattison