UUP collaboration with the Indivisible movement continues in the campaign to defend an embattled American democracy. Cooperstown-Oneonta Indivisible invited UUP Oneonta representatives to participate in a small group discussion with Congressman Josh Riley (19th NYS Congressional District) on Friday, February 19, 2026, at 5:30 PM. Christ Church (Episcopal), 46 Fair Street, Cooperstown, graciously provided meeting space for this non-sectarian event.
Cooperstown-Oneonta Indivisible group leader Virginia Kennedy, a UUP member, introduced the Congressman and moderated the event. I wore a UUP red shirt and cap reinforcing that the union was in the house.
Setting the tone for the discussion, the Congressman said “call me Josh.” An Endicott native and the son of a maintenance worker, Riley graduated from Harvard Law School despite growing up in a neighborhood without professionals. His parents and boyhood neighbors are Republican, a demographic that contributes to Riley’s respect for freedom of expression. In build and demeanor, Josh Riley resembles the tall, lean, idealistic, fearless, humble Jefferson Smith as portrayed by Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Informal in dress and styling, as evidenced in the accompanying photo, Josh wears boots that have trodden many barns.
Cooperstown-Oneonta Indivisible Group Leader Virginia Kennedy and Congressman Josh Riley
Dialogue rather than oration provided the template for interface with the Congressman. During the two hours that followed, Riley listened intently and responded candidly to a range of specific questions on diverse domestic and international issues. I shared ideas about augmenting activism on campuses. Unlike the cultish insistence on absolute conformity to the MAGA leader, enforced by threats to dissenters, the alternative, emphasized Riley, is to recognize that spirited debate and differences are ok, even healthy. Indeed, fostering civil, respectful political discourse is a Riley priority as is the defense of democracy from autocracy.
Upbringing and constituency have educated Riley to the importance of representing diverse people. The New York State 19th Congressional district comprises a large, sprawling, primarily rural/small town area, encompassing 7,848.2 square miles. It includes the entirety or parts of 11 counties, extending from Ithaca in the West past the Hudson River to the Massachusetts border. Delaware County alone is larger than Rhode Island. No party affiliation is dominant in the district, and independents are a large component of its electorate. A key swing district, the 2026 electoral outcome in the 19th will have importance to organization of the U.S House of Representatives.
From the grassroots, Riley finds that many people struggle to pay housing, grocery, medical, and education bills. As he seeks to restore a culture of respect, empathy, and dialogue, Riley believes that affordability and safeguarding democracy are common denominator issues that provide shared ground in our America.
On a cold winter night, Rich left us soon after helping to extricate a driver’s stranded vehicle from the snow. He died as he lived—caring, compassionate, engaged.
Rich was devoted to community, good causes, and, above all, family. He was immensely proud of daughter Jess, noting that she was one of the few people equally adept with statistics and crafting the written word. For over 50 years, Rich and Loraine shared a remarkable love story — best friends, partners, parents, husband and wife. May indelible memories of special times provide a balm to Loraine, Jess, extended family, and friends as they move forward though this sad loss.
For my wife Nancy and I, one of the joys of summer was to meet Rich and Loraine by the pond at the Polar Bear for a specialty hamburger and ice cream. Summertime also included bucolic visits to the Tylers outside porch. A good storyteller and a good listener, Rich had a smile and laugh that set the world aright.
Generous with their time and energy, Rich and Loraine contributed to a range of benevolent organizations, amongst them UUP (United University Professions), the nation’s largest higher education union. Rich was UUP Oneonta’s longest serving and best treasurer. His home workshop, with tools neatly in proper place and nails and screws sorted by jar, provided the template for Rich’s tenure as UUP Oneonta Treasurer and contributions to the Finance Committee. Rich was meticulous, thorough, exacting, and transparent. While I was UUP Oneonta president, Rich made sure we abided by the rules and accounted for every penny, ensuring that we always aced outside audits with flying colors and allotted funds for core priorities. After his Chapter Treasurer reports, I would follow with, “Thanks, Rich, for keeping me out jail.” Retirement for Rich existed only in name: he remained Treasurer until the end.
A role model to other senior unionists, Rich received the Pearl H. Brod Outstanding Retiree Award from State UUP. I wrote the following in my recommendation supporting the award: “Rich spent a great deal of collaborative time with me constructing the proposed Chapter budget for the coming year. His presentations of the annual budget at the Executive Board meeting and the Chapter meeting exhibited his consistent clarity and responsiveness.”
Trying times provide a window to character. A devastating fire and explosion completely destroyed the Tylers’ new log-cabin home atop Franklin Mountain on Monday morning, March 26, 2012. Rich and Loraine had devoted hundreds of hours of their own physical labor and participated in all phases of the building of their “log-cabin” dream home. Many couples would have crumpled in the face of such a catastrophe. Instead, summoning courage and resolve, Rich and Loraine, assisted by a wide circle of friends, many of them UUPers, rebuilt their home and embarked on years of new adventures.
There was a New York Yankees right fielder named Tommy Henrich. On and off the baseball diamond, he did everything well — good batting average, solid power at the plate, heads-up base running, sure glove in the field, and accurate throwing arm. He was essential to the Yankees’ 1930s and 1940s dynasty. But due to his own modesty and the attention focused on his nonpareil teammate Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Henrich didn’t get a lot of publicity. Those who knew the game, however, understood the importance of Henrich’s contributions and nicknamed him “Old Reliable.” Rich Tyler was UUP Oneonta’s Old Reliable.
Rich Tyler, third from the right, always at the center of the UUP Team.
For decades, Rich was always there. When UUP needed to assemble a squad to do SUNY advocacy, whether locally or at the state legislature in Albany, Rich — and Loraine — stepped forward. Many photographs of Oneonta UUPers meeting with legislators, particularly Senator Jim Seward and Assemblyman Bill Magee, include Rich. During UUP Oneonta’s long and ultimately successful fight for proper Labor Day observance on campus, Rich would invariably bring expertise to the raising and stabilizing of the large, heavy, canvas union tent in the quad. At Chapter social hours, now termed UUP Unplugged, it was Rich who lugged the oversize coffee cannister. When veteran unionist Joe Baldwin developed vision problems, Rich drove him to meetings. During Chapter cash-deposit events, Rich stood close to the entrance, making sure attendees received return of their outlay. He joined the welcome contingent at the main gate when UUP Oneonta, with NYSUT allies, sponsored a ballgame at Damaschke Field.
A major liaison to State UUP, Rich kept abreast of evolving fiscal rules emanating from Albany and beyond. His long service on the State UUP Finance Committee fostered a special relationship between Rich and the late longtime State UUP Treasurer Rowena Blackman Stroud. Rich was well known in the chambers of several State UUP officers and professional staffers. And for years Rich participated as an Oneonta representative in the deliberations of the State Delegate Assembly, often joining a union picket line in Albany.
Math and teaching, individually and in tandem, provided Rich with enduring avocation and vocation. Figuring out math problems and then teaching others to do so appealed to him. Rich came to Oneonta as an undergraduate, and his teaching career deepened that relationship. A demanding and dedicated instructor, he gifted his knowledge and skills to a generation of math students. Colleague James York observed, “He was an absolute treasure as a coworker in the Math Department, where I would see him almost every day. We would often share our teaching experiences and thoughts about the world during our breaks between classes. His subtle sense of humor was combined with a genuine kindness and sharp mind. Rich will forever hold a special place in our memory as a quiet, friendly, and thoughtful spirit who contributed so much to the academic and professional facets of our college.” It is appropriate that a math puzzle book accompanied Rich to his final resting place.
Undoubtedly, Rich’s coming of age in the hamlet of Orange Lake on the outskirts of Newburgh, New York, contributed to his sense of community. Small-town neighborliness burnished his template. Naval duty highlighted Rich’s patriotism but also made him alive to the possibility of the capricious imposition of authority from on high. Rich’s service extended to the community. He was a stalwart of Habitat for Humanity and the philanthropic activities of the local religious community. With quite strength and decency, Rich reminds one of Jimmy Stewart’s portrayal of George Bailey in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. Union activist Dr. Betty Wambui reflects that Rich’s “partnership [with] Loraine was a lesson in what loving friendship and service mean… His gentle, quiet, kindness and energy… [what] he gave to his Alma Mater and Union will continue to inspire.” Rich bequeaths a legacy to emulate.
Armand played a big role in my migration from union member to UUP activist. It was during the first year of the Cuomo administration — that of Mario not Andrew — and the year was 1983. Raising the specter of $1.8 billion NYS deficit — big money in those days — Governor Cuomo called for a reduction of 14,000 state jobs. At SUNY and other state institutions, there was fear. But UUP mobilized, and the Oneonta Chapter filled a bus. Tagging along with Armand, who was no stranger to NYS politics, I witnessed the power of collective action on the decisions of Albany legislators. Most of the dreaded layoffs never transpired. Although it took another decade and the prodding of Ed Wesnofske and Loraine Tyler for me to run for UUP office, it was Armand who started me on that path.
Although he never sought union office himself, Armand was a UUP stalwart. He held many leadership roles in the Oneonta community, SUNY Oneonta, and professional associations, but within the union he exemplified the best of the UUP grassroots base. From UUP’s 1973 inception onward through the next half century, he was a strong supporter of the union, even in retirement.
He was a fixture — and often a vocal one — at many Chapter meetings. Armand continued to advocate for SUNY and wrote for The Sentinel. During the 16 years I served as UUP Oneonta president, Armand shared important insights about SUNY, and, along with Ed, my wife Nancy, and Academic VP Rob Compton, was one of the few people to tell me loudly when I was wrong.
Through abundant contributions to SUNY Oneonta, Armand demonstrated the centrality and commitment of UUPers to the institution. He was a master teacher devoted to his students. In addition to memorable American history surveys, Armand taught highly regarded courses concerning the Colonial era, American Revolution, and Native Americans. His dramatic presentations could transport mesmerized undergraduates back to the 1692 Salem witchcraft hysteria or the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. As the years rolled by, appreciative former students remained in contact, evolving into friends.
A prolific scholar, Armand’s articles appeared in prominent disciplinary journals, and he authored three seminal books. His Hugh Lenox Scott, 1853–1934 Reluctant Warrior is the definitive biography of an important American life.
Armand evolved into a jack of all trades. Supervising interns, he made trips to government, non-profit, and commercial sites in New York City, displaying a native’s virtuosity in navigating urban traffic. Armand brought order — for a time — to the college catalogue. With his beloved future wife Carolyn — herself an iconic figure in Human Ecology — he sought to rationalize assessment and prevent its metastasizing. Armand contributed considerably to the growth of the Graduate Program during its period of ascent.
Following a robust campaign, featuring him calling on and dialoguing with every registered voter in Ward 5, Armand won election to the Oneonta City Council. As a councilman, he represented his constituents conscientiously and effectively, blocking a misguided project that would have diminished the quality of residential life.
Images of Armand across the decades cascade across my consciousness. Among the many, a tableau from mid-afternoon on Friday, December 9, 1988, remains vivid. I just finished the last class of the semester in a course on social & intellectual history. After speaking post-class with a few students, I stepped out of Shumacher 200 into the lobby. To my surprise, there was Armand accompanied by Political Science prof and first president of UUP Oneonta Denny Shea. Standing together, they looked intently at me. Armand, a Republican, and Denny, a Democrat, were political rivals in local politics but both dear friends of mine. They handed me the semester’s final issue of The State Times, the SUNY Oneonta student newspaper, then published in print, and instructed me to read a letter to the editor bearing eight signatures. I did and felt increasingly uneasy as I read a vitriolic denunciation of my role in sponsoring a recent lecture by a Fathers’ Rights advocate. The letter by signatories who had neither attended the program nor demonstrated awareness that a publicly available videotape of the event existed, accused me of creating a violent atmosphere. In something akin to shock, I looked up from the printed page, and Armand and Denny, meeting my gaze, told me, “You are not alone.” And in the hard-fought but ultimately victorious battle ahead to preserve freedom of speech on campus, I was not. (William Simons, “Intimidation as Academic Debate,” Academic Questions, June 20, 1993, pp. 63-70.)
UUP stalwart Armand La Potin, left, with Bill.
Armand bequeathed memories in multiple genres. At a Damaschke Field ballgame circa 2000, I periodically spouted baseball trivia as Armand and I cheered the Oneonta Tigers. However, every time I did so a solitary older man, draped in a well-worn trench coat and his head topped by porkpie hat, would without encouragement trump my stories. He sat in the same bench row immediately to our right. Toward the end of the game, I asserted that complete games had become rare in baseball and no American League pitcher had reached 20+ since the mid-1980s. The venerable irritant immediately added, “Yes, not since Bert Blyleven completed 24 games in 1985.” Armand opined, “The old guy knows more than you.” It turns out that the know-it-all was Jim Hamilton, standout baseball columnist for The Daily Star.
Often accompanied by our mutual friend Gerrit Gantvoort, Amand and I walked thousands of miles over the years. Our summer route notched laps through Neahwa Park. Typically, we ended the excursion at the Golden Guernsey where the ice cream bill rotated. In those days, a wooden outfield fence precluded us from checking the ballgame score as we passed Damaschke Field. Thus, in the preseason Armand brought a mallet and chisel so we could knock through a knothole to create a peephole in that outfield fence. As Armand readied the spot, Gerrit scouted the road to the left for obtrusive witnesses while I shouted reconnaissance reports from the right. Alas, the meticulously planned operation was scrapped when a passing police car took interest in our tools.
From his hospice bed in Tucson, Armand telephoned me and began by saying, “Sit down — I’m dying. I am not afraid, and I am not in pain.” The next day, Armand died — Thursday, December 18, 2025, of kidney failure. Amongst many other things, Armand La Potin was a UUP stalwart.
Photos contributed by Ethan Fox, Rob Compton, and Nancy Simons
Of the people, by the people, for the people!
These are not ordinary times. In conjunction with the leaders of other unions, State UUP President Fred Kowal underlines the seriousness of the situation in America 2026:
“Most disturbing has been the use of deadly force by federal law enforcement, chiefly by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including the recent murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Victims include those killed while in custody at internment camps as well as those peacefully protesting or simply witnessing ICE agents conducting their ‘operations.’ The power of the state to kill is not one that can or should ever be used indiscriminately. Yet, that is what is happening in our country right now.”
The terms and conditions of UUP employees do not exist within the vacuum of an imagined ivory tower. SUNY Upstate Medical University employee and UUP member Alcibiades Lazaro Ramierez González was seized and spent time in ICE detainment. ICE is present in Otsego County, and the incumbent local sheriff has committed to collaboration with ICE. At SUNY Oneonta, there are employees and students vulnerable to ICE seizure. In addition, diversity curriculum and federal funding are under threat from policies of the current presidential administration, as other institutions can attest. To those who counsel that activism on campus and community will only energize the opposition, recall the words of Nazi critic Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Nearly 30 years as a union officer, 16 of them as chapter president, have shown me that silence is a far greater danger than activism.
The words of Kowal and other union leaders are unequivocal: “Unions have always been at the forefront of the struggle against authoritarian regimes. It is time for organized labor to take the necessary steps toward escalating widespread resistance against this one… academic unions have an obligation to our members, our campus workplaces, the students we teach and the communities where we live and work to speak out, to organize and to take a stand.”
“Indivisible is a nationwide movement of millions of people working to stop the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and to demand a real democracy. We believe that politics is too important to leave up to the politicians – it requires all of us to get on the field.”
Locally, Virginia Kennedy, a UUP member who donned the union shirt during the local No Kings rally, is the group leader of Cooperstown/Oneonta Indivisible.
Cooperstown/Oneonta Indivisible leader Virginia Kennedy, left, with Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado.
Those of us, including UUP Oneonta Political Action Leader Ethan Fox, our late Treasurer Rich Tyler and his wife/partner and UUP leader of multiple portfolios Loraine DEI Officer Penina Kamina, Vice President for Professionals Jesse Simpauco, Professional Delegate Anthony Nichols, President Shirley Clark, Acting Vice President for Academics Rob Compton,Secretary Bill Simons, Health/Safety Officer Ron Bishop, former Grievance Officer Paul Conway, former Academic Delegate Gina Keel, Todd Evan, Matt Murphy, Chilton Reyolds and his TLTC team, Matt and Michelle Hendley, Miguel Leon, and Joe Ingrassia, can attest to the impact of Indivisible events. Virginia’s exceptional motivational leadership are on display at organizational meetings, sessions with government officials and candidates, rallies, documentary filming, and food drives.
Over 12 million people in the United States are struggling to make their monthly student loan payments, and millions more see economic and personal opportunities pass as they prioritize paying down their debt. Does this sound like you or someone you know?
Many of these people may qualify for free federal programs that can help reduce their monthly payments and eventually lead to student loan forgiveness, but these lifeline programs are significantly under-enrolled. In an effort to help our members get access to these programs, United University Professions and the American Federation of Teachers are proud to host a Student Debt Clinic which will provide information on how to enroll in Income-Driven Repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
We will be offering virtual Members Only Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinics on the following dates:
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM via Zoom
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM via Zoom
To attend one of the virtual Members Only Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinics, you must pre-register here: http://go.aft.org/StudentDebtClinicRSVP
From the “student debt clinic” drop down menu, please select the UUP clinic that you are interested in attending – they are labeled “UUP [Virtual Student Debt Clinic] [date] [time].” In the affiliate field, type in the full name of our local (United University Professions), and it will autofill after a few keystrokes.
Registration is first-come, first-serve, and we must cap attendance for a single clinic at 125 participants to ensure that we are able to provide maximum assistance to attendees. Registration will close 48 hours prior to the virtual clinic. Webinar login information will be provided prior to the clinic to all who register. [If you can’t make one of these virtual clinics, don’t worry – we’re planning on offering them every payday. If you want to help host a chapter-specific virtual clinic, please let us know!]
Managing your student loan debt is the first step in taking on the inequities which plague our system of higher education, and we look forward to seeing you at the virtual Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinic and working together to find a collective solution to the problems of student debt and college affordability!
We have added an additional “UUP 101” webinar for those who have been unable to attend previous workshops. This workshop will cover UUP’s structure, who we are, who we represent, what we do, and our role in the larger labor movement.
Webinars will now be held on:
Wednesday, February 18 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Wednesday, March 18 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
To join the discussion, please register using the link below.
Over 12 million people in the United States are struggling to make their monthly student loan payments, and millions more see economic and personal opportunities pass as they prioritize paying down their debt. Does this sound like you or someone you know?
Many of these people may qualify for free federal programs that can help reduce their monthly payments and eventually lead to student loan forgiveness, but these lifeline programs are significantly under-enrolled. In an effort to help our members get access to these programs, United University Professions and the American Federation of Teachers are proud to host a Student Debt Clinic which will provide information on how to enroll in Income-Driven Repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
We will be offering virtual Members Only Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinics on the following dates:
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM via Zoom
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM via Zoom
To attend one of the virtual Members Only Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinics, you must pre-register here: http://go.aft.org/StudentDebtClinicRSVP.
From the “student debt clinic” drop down menu, please select the UUP clinic that you are interested in attending – they are labeled “UUP [Virtual Student Debt Clinic] [date] [time].” In the affiliate field, type in the full name of our local (United University Professions), and it will autofill after a few keystrokes.
Registration is first-come, first-serve, and we must cap attendance for a single clinic at 125 participants to ensure that we are able to provide maximum assistance to attendees. Registration will close 48 hours prior to the virtual clinic. Webinar login information will be provided prior to the clinic to all who register. [If you can’t make one of these virtual clinics, don’t worry – we’re planning on offering them every payday. If you want to help host a chapter-specific virtual clinic, please let us know!]
Managing your student loan debt is the first step in taking on the inequities which plague our system of higher education, and we look forward to seeing you at the virtual Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Clinic and working together to find a collective solution to the problems of student debt and college affordability!
Register now!
Jeri
She / Her / Hers
[My work day may look different than yours. Please do not feel obligated to respond to my emails beyond your work hours.]
Please join me in spreading the word regarding our Beyond Med webinar.
Join us to learn more about an exclusive UUP Members only benefit regarding Beyond Med on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 12:00pm. There will be a chance to win gift cards!
As a UUP member you have discounts on elective and cosmetic services that other health plans leave out. You have access to a premier network of providers and virtual care or concierge at home available.
Services include, but are not limited to : Weight Loss + Rx, Fertility, Massage, Nutrition, wellness devices, holistic medicine and so much more
Please distribute widely to your membership regarding the January 2026 Pre-Retirement Workshops.
Dear Chapter Leadership and Members:
UUP’s popular monthly Pre-Retirement Workshops are scheduled for January 20th and January 22, 2026. The part 1 workshop will take place on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 12:00 pm which will cover Healthcare/Medicare.
The part 2 workshop will take place on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 12:00 pm which will cover union benefits (dental & vision)
You may take these workshops as many times as you like as the information is rather complex especially with Medicare and feel free to have your spouse/partner attend with you. Also, you can take these two workshops in any order as they don’t depend on each other. For this and other UUP programing information go to the UUP Events Calendar https://uupinfo.org/calendar/
You will need to register for the workshops, and a Zoom link is sent the day before the workshop to the email address that you register under.
We do notrecord these workshops because of privacy concerns and because the information does change, and we want to make sure you have the most current information.
