Reportback Archives - UUP Oneonta

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 President Shirley Clark with NYS Assemblyman Brian Miller at Advocacy Day.

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 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 Article Download »

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.