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News from and about UUP Oneonta

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News

Distribution of the Seventh UUP Survey Part II: Administrative Assessment

A screenshot of the Seventh UUP Survey to assess campus administration.

A Brief Note

Links to take the Administrative Assessment survey have been sent out to all active UUP Oneonta members via email.

Please check the email address you have on file with UUP Statewide for these communications and take the survey at your earliest convenience!

In order to ensure a high response rate, we will be sending out additional emails prompting our members to take the survey. If you have difficulty finding these emails or require a link to the survey, please contact us from the address that you have on file with the union:

I Need to Take The Assessment Survey! »

Introduction

Shortly, all members of the bargaining unit will receive the survey: Quality of Professional Life & Administrative Assessment: Part II. (Part I – Quality of Life was completed and then published in 2017). Working with Senior Chapter Officers, members of Executive Board, and other senior members, Robert Compton, the Interim VP for Academics created a streamlined survey. Ethan Fox (UUP Oneonta Communications Committee) and Dr. Jen-Ting Wang were gracious with their time, advice, and technical programing. Dissemination and tabulation of the survey will be electronic and guarantees the anonymity of the respondent. Our survey is periodic and ongoing, and this is our seventh iteration and the last complete survey response rate was 48.7% (full-time).

Those to be evaluated include the Offices of the President, Associate/Vice Presidents, and Associate/Deans across all divisions. The current or immediate occupant of the position will be identified in the survey. Please note that the draft survey below is provided for informational purposes below.

The rationale for the conduct of this survey rests on several factors, amongst them:

  1. UUP has an obligation to periodically survey its members about the quality of professional life and the performance of campus administrators;
  2. All employees, including administrators, should be accountable and they should have the opportunity to received direct feedback on their performance;
  3. Subordinate personnel are continuously evaluated;
  4. UUP Oneonta has an on-going and established process and practice of periodic assessment of both professional life and the administration; and
  5. Assessments of professional life and the administration provide useful feedback for both the administration and for UUP.

Offices to be Evaluated

The administration offices to be evaluated and the current occupants are noted (in parenthesis) below:

Chief Executive and Administrative Officers

  • Office of the President (Alberto Cardelle)
  • Office of Employee Services (Dia Carleton)

Academic Affairs Division

  • Office of the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs (Enrique Morales-Diaz)
  • Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (formerly Eileen Morgan-Zayachek)
  • Office of the Dean, School of Sciences (Tracy Allen)
  • Office of the Associate Dean, School of Sciences (Ursula Sanborn-Overby)
  • Office of the Dean, School of Education, Human Ecology, and Sports Studies (Mark Davies)
  • Office of the Associate Dean, School of Education, Human Ecology, and Sports Studies (Brian Beitzel)
  • Office of the Dean, School of Liberal Arts and Business (Jeanine Minge)
  • Office of the Associate Dean, School of Liberal Arts and Business (Brett Heindl)
  • Office of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies (Gabriel Aquino)
  • Office of the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies (Cynthia Falk)

Student Affairs Division

  • Office of the Vice President for Student Development (Tracy Johnson)
  • Office of the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Initiatives (Karen Brown)
  • Office of the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students (Michael Kush)
  • Office of the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Student Engagement (Jason Ostrowski)
  • Office of the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Residential Experience and Housing (Thomas Ragland)

Finance and Administration Division

  • Office of the Vice President for Finance & Administration (formerly Julie Piscitello; Interim VP Rebecca O’Donnell)
  • Office of the Associate Vice President & Controller (formerly AVP Rebecca O’Donnell)

University Advancement Division

  • Office of the Associate Vice President for University Advancement (Paul Adamo)

Equity and Inclusion

  • Office of the Vice President for Equity & Inclusion (Bernadette Tiapo)

Facilities, Safety, and Physical Plant

  • Office of the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Planning (Lachlan Squair)

Draft Administrative Assessment Survey

Seventh UUP Survey Part II: Administrative AssessmentDownload »
Categories
Featured Events Political Action

May Day 2026

Higher Ed Takes Action May Day 2026
A vibrant red promotional poster for International Workers' Day. On the left side, large off-white vertical text reads "MAY DAY INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY." The right side features a graphic of a red clenched fist raised in front of a red and black star with yellow-orange rays emanating from the center. A green ribbon at the top right repeats the phrase "FAIR CONTRACT NOW!" in white block letters. The bottom section lists event details for May 1, 2026, at SUNY Oneonta, alongside union logos and a QR code.

This May 1st, We Say “Fair Contract Now” & “Workers Over Billionaires”!

UUP Oneonta, CSEA Oneonta, Cooperstown Oneonta Indivisible and more will hold a rally on May 1, 2026 (May Day / International Workers’ Day) in support of a fair, on-time contract for public higher education workers in New York State — and in defense of higher education jobs, the students they serve, academic freedom, and democracy.

This rally joins a coordinated national day of action, led by the May Day Strong coalition, bringing together workers, immigrants, students, and families in a growing list of thousands of rallies, marches, walkouts, town halls, and teach-ins.

Join US On MAY DAY »

Families across the country are facing rising costs of housing, healthcare, groceries, and child care while billionaires and corporations attack our neighbors, shred government budgets to fill their pockets, and reshape the rules to protect their power.

On May 1, participants will demand:

Together, we will take action alongside workers, parents, students, and community members who are uniting to demand better, safer, and stronger communities — places that put the needs of working families first. We’re standing up for thriving neighborhood public schools, affordable housing, and access to high-quality healthcare, prioritizing people over the profits of billionaires and their corporations. 

SIGN UP TO TAKE ACTION »

This May Day, we will reshape how our nation responds to the needs of working families by centering their lived experiences. We are building momentum toward a future that protects the rights, dignity, and well-being of everyone who works for a living.

A commitment to nonviolent action is a core principle behind all May Day events. All hosts and participants are expected to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who may disagree.

Event Details

WHERE

SUNY Oneonta, IRC Quad (Rain location: IRC 1)

WHEN

May 1st from 12-1pm

EVENT SHORTLINK

http://bit.ly/mayday-oneonta

RSVP HERE »

CAMPUS MAP & PARKING INFO

CAMPUS MAP »

ACCESSIBILITY INFO

The campus has accessible parking, entry, and ramps. Please see the Accessible Campus Routes Map, and contact the Office of Facilities at 607-436-3224 or at facilities@oneonta.edu for more detailed information.

Accessible Campus Routes map »

SIGNS

UUP May Day Signs »
More Artwork »

TOOLKITS

Higher Education Labor United (HELU) May Day Toolkit:
Hands Off Higher Ed: May Day 2026 Toolkit

Hands Off Higher Ed: May Day 2026 Toolkit »
RSVP HERE »


Categories
Featured Events

April & May Chapter Events

April

April 2
UUP Unplugged
1:00 – 2:00 pm || Human Ecology 144 – Martha Pratt Suite
NO RSVP NEEDED!

April 8
Chapter Meeting
Noon – 1:00 pm || Morris Hall – Le Cafe
UUP Statewide President Fred Kowal to give update on Contract Negotiations

APril 8 Chapter meeting RSVP »

April 9
Professionals Luncheon
Noon – 1:00 pm || Morris Hall – Le Cafe
UUP Statewide Vice President for Professionals Carolyn Kube to give update on Professional Survey

April 9 Professionals Luncheon RSVP »

May

May 1
May Day (International Workers’ Day) Rally with CSEA Oneonta
IRC Quad

May 13
Chapter Meeting
Noon – 1:00 pm || Morris Hall – Le Cafe

May 13 Chapter meeting RSVP »

May 17
UUP Oneonta Chapter Picnic
11:00 am – 4:00 pm || College Camp
BBQ Chicken, Corn, Baked Potato, Vegetable Lasagna, and more!
A family-friendly event – bring up to 3 guests.

May 14 Chapter Picnic RSVP »
Categories
Featured News Member Articles

Oneonta UUP Delegation in Albany Advocate for Stronger Investment in SUNY

UUP Oneonta Advocacy Day Representatives: Penina Kamina, Ethan Fox, Jessie Simpauco, Shirley Clark, Anthony Nichols, and Marvin Rodriguez

by Shirley A. Clark
UUP Oneonta Chapter
President

Despite the date shifting to March 17 due to winter storm Hernando, the Oneonta UUP Chapter still turned out to be a strong group of members committed to advocating for investment in SUNY. A dedicated team of SUNY Oneonta faculty and professionals traveled to Albany for Advocacy Day, joining colleagues from across the state to push for meaningful funding for public higher education. Representing SUNY Oneonta were Ethan Fox, Penina Kamina, Anthony Nichols, Jessie Simpauco, Shirley Clark, and Marvin Rodriguez, each lending their voice to a unified call for a stronger, more equitable SUNY. Our team had the opportunity to speak directly with Assemblyman Brian Miller and advocate for our SUNY budget priorities. Ethan Fox stepped forward to make a video with a strong message to Governor Hochul: Tax the Rich! Meanwhile, Anthony and Marvin went on to distribute literature containing our requests to Legislatures inside the Capitol Building. Our district Senator, Peter Oberacker, unfortunately was not present at this meeting, so we followed up with an e-mail request outlining the UUPs Budget priorities for SUNY.

UUP Oneonta Advocacy Day Representatives: Penina Kamina, Ethan Fox, Jessie Simpauco, Shirley Clark, Anthony Nichols, and Marvin Rodriguez
UUP Oneonta Advocacy Day Representatives: Penina Kamina, Ethan Fox, Jessie Simpauco, Shirley Clark, Anthony Nichols, and Marvin Rodriguez.
UUP Oneonta President Shirley Clark with NYS Assemblyman Brian Miller at Advocacy Day
UUP Oneonta President Shirley Clark with NYS Assemblyman Brian Miller at Advocacy Day.
UUP Statewide President Fred Kowal gives an inspirational speech
UUP Statewide President Fred Kowal gives an inspirational speech.
UUP Oneonta Advocacy Day Representatives: Ethan Fox, Jessie Simpauco, Anthony Nichols, and Marvin Rodriguez enjoying the presentation.
UUP Oneonta Advocacy Day Representatives: Ethan Fox, Jessie Simpauco, Anthony Nichols, and Marvin Rodriguez enjoying the presentation.
UUP Oneonta Chapter President Shirley Clark and Academic Delegate Penina Kamina
UUP Oneonta Chapter President Shirley Clark and Academic Delegate Penina Kamina.

Key Budget Priorities Presented by the Delegation

Campus Operating Aid

  • $141.8 million total, including:
    • $100 million in system‑wide operating support
    • $41.8 million in targeted aid to close structural deficits at the most fiscally stressed SUNY Campuses ESF, Buffalo State, Fredonia, and Potsdam. This funding is essential to stabilizing campuses, protecting academic programs, and preventing further cuts.

Full‑Time Faculty & Professionals

  • $53 million to expand and retain full‑time faculty and professional staff across all 29 state‑operated campuses This investment would help reverse years of staffing erosion and ensure students receive the high‑quality education they deserve.

SUNY Teaching Hospitals

  • Full coverage of employee fringe benefits and debt service costs for Downstate, Upstate, and Stony Brook for $75 million.
  • Requesting $82 million for Debt Service Costs.
  • Approve Executive Budget item maintaining Capital Funding Reappropriations. $750 million for Downstate and $450 million for Upstate Medical Centers.
  • Protection from federal Medicaid cuts. These measures would safeguard the hospitals’ ability to provide care, train medical professionals, and serve vulnerable communities.

Educational Opportunity Programs

  • $20 million increase for EOP
  • $5 million for Pre‑Medical EOP
  • Enactment of MHEOP (S.2046/A.3607) with $5 million in funding
  • These programs remain vital pathways for first‑generation and economically disadvantaged students.

NY Opportunity Promise Scholarship

  • Expansion to all SUNY campuses offering associate degrees in high‑demand fields Currently, the scholarship is limited to community colleges, leaving many SUNY students without access to this opportunity.

SUNY Research Fund

  • Creation of a state‑sponsored fund to offset frozen federal NIH/NSF grants This would protect faculty research independence and ensure SUNY remains competitive in securing and sustaining research talent.

A Unified Message for a Stronger SUNY

The SUNY Oneonta delegation’s presence in Albany underscored a simple truth: New York’s public universities are indispensable, but they cannot thrive without meaningful state partnership. Our commitment and strong turnout for Oneonta UUP on Advocacy Day reflects a shared assurance to strengthening SUNY; not just for today’s students, but for generations to come.

For a downloadable, printable version of this article please click here or see below:

3-19-26 Advocacy Day ArticleDownload »
Categories
Member Articles News

“Call Me Josh”: Congressman Riley in Conversation-Bill Simons, Secretary, UUP Oneonta

Virginia Kennedy and Josh Riley converse in recent meeting.

By Bill Simons, Secretary, UUP Oneonta

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.

Virginia Kennedy and Josh Riley converse in recent meeting.
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.

Download a print copy of this article here:

2026-02-23-Bill-Simons-Josh-Riley-Article-February-23-26Download
Categories
Events

The Latest on AI and Our Work: A UUP Virtual Forum

A graphic flyer for a UUP virtual forum titled "The Latest on AI and Our Work." The flyer announces two sessions: March 9, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM, and March 16, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. It explains that the event will cover new AI job protections for UUP employees secured in Albany, as well as discussions on SUNY's large-scale AI initiatives and how to mitigate related threats. A red-bordered box contains a link for registration: bit.ly/uupaiourwork0326

Hello Fellow UUP Members,

Please join us for “The Latest on AI and Our Work: A UUP Virtual Forum.” We’ll hold sessions on March 9 and March 16 for UUP members to hear about major recent developments in AI that impact us. You can register here, and are invited to share the flyer below with UUP colleagues:

A graphic flyer for a UUP virtual forum titled "The Latest on AI and Our Work." The flyer announces two sessions: March 9, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM, and March 16, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. It explains that the event will cover new AI job protections for UUP employees secured in Albany, as well as discussions on SUNY's large-scale AI initiatives and how to mitigate related threats. A red-bordered box contains a link for registration: bit.ly/uupaiourwork0326.
Register for the virtual forum »

All UUP members are welcome to attend.

In solidarity,

Alissa

Categories
Events

No Kings 3.0 Info

Event poster for No Kings 3 on Saturday, March 28th. Further details in the post.

This post will be updated with new information regarding the 3rd No Kings rallies as it is released by local organizers.

RSVP for the March 28th No Kings 3.0 rally here:

RSVP HERE »

On March 28, communities across the nation will unite for No Kings Day, a day of action dedicated to defending the freedoms that uphold our democracy. This is a peaceful, people-powered movement calling for a future where every voice is heard, every idea can be expressed, and every individual can live and work with dignity and freedom. Together, we can ensure that our academic institutions and communities remain places of open inquiry, debate, and freedom of thought.

This day is about standing firm for the values that unite us. In a time when diverse ideas and perspectives are increasingly under attack, we stand firm in our belief that the freedom to speak, teach, research and learn without fear of retribution is essential to the integrity of our democracy and our institutions of higher learning.

We invite you to participate by attending an event or amplifying the message online. If you are planning on joining an event – please register with UUP HERE and we will register you with the No Kings location of your choosing. If you have already registered directly with the official No Kings Day event, please also register through this UUP registration link. Registering with UUP will ensure that we can coordinate, share signs, and support one another at these actions.  

If you are speaking at an event and would like talking points, please reach out to UUP Communications Director, Mike Lisi (mlisi@uupmail.org).

Key Tools and Resources:

We have the power and are claiming it together. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.

What began in 2025 as a single day of defiance has become a sustained national resistance to tyranny, spreading from small towns to city centers and across every community determined to defend democracy. Our peaceful movement is bigger than ever.

When our families are under attack and costs are pushing people to the brink, silence is not an option. We will defend ourselves and our communities against this administration’s unjust and cruel acts of violence.

On March 28th, rise up, take to the streets, and say it loud: no thrones, no crowns, no kings. We’re not watching history happen—we’re making it. Join us.

A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

Categories
Member Articles

Rich Tyler: A Legacy to Emulate

by Bill Simons, Secretary

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
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.

Download a print copy of this article- here:

Bill Simons – Rich Tyler Tribute ArticleDownload »
Categories
Member Articles

UUP Stalwart Armand La Potin: “I Am Not Afraid”

by Bill Simons, Secretary, UUP Oneonta

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.)

Armond LaPotin and Bill Simons
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.

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Bill Simons – Armand La Potin TributeDownload »
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Member Articles

ICE and the Crisis of Our Times: UUPers Participate in Indivisible Alliance

by Bill Simons, Secretary

Photos contributed by Ethan Fox, Rob Compton, and Nancy Simons

People at a rally
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.”

Source: UUP

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.”

State UUP continues to support and collaborate on No Kings rallies sponsored by the Indivisible movement. It defines itself by word and deed:

“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.” 

About | Indivisible

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.

Antonio Delgado and Virginia Kennedy greet each other
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.

Rob Compton, Bill Simons, and Ethan Fox at a recent rally
Union swag: UUP there—Rob, Bill, Ethan.
People at a recent rally
Generations united!

Be there for the UUP-supported Indivisible No King 3.0 Rally at noon, Saturday, March 28th on the Oneonta field next to Foothills. Registration information will come from Ethan. The democracy you save may be your own.

People at a recent rally
Undaunted by the cold

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Bill Simons Indivisible Article February 2026Download »

You can also see more information and register for No Kings 3.0 in Oneonta by clicking the button below:

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