UUP is unparalleled in its ability to mobilize members to contact lawmakers — in person, by phone and via fax — on issues that would strengthen the state university for faculty and students. New York’s most prominent legislators have repeatedly stated that UUP is a leader in getting its message heard.

But there’s always room for improvement.

That was the message delivered by UUP Outreach Committee Co-chair Glenn McNitt during a recent two-day retreat in Lake George. It was there that McNitt told the new and returning committee members that the union can’t rest on its laurels.

“We did a pretty good job last year of reaching legislators who have SUNY campuses in their districts and talking to members of the Senate and Assembly Higher Education committees,” he said. “But we can do more.”

McNitt said hundreds of volunteer activists made face-to-face visits to lawmakers in their districts and at the Capitol. Yet not all chapters participated in the yearlong advocacy activities and not enough members are involved in the grassroots efforts. “We must increase participation by our members,” McNitt added.

Similarly, committee Co-chair and statewide VOTE/COPE Coordinator Thomas Tucker said voluntary contributions to the UUP/NYSUT political action fund are on the rise, but aren’t nearly as high as they could be. UUP contributions to VOTE/COPE average about $200,000 annually.

“So far, we’ve raised more money to date this year than last,” Tucker said, noting the current fund drive ends in January. “But we need to do a better job of educating our members on why they should contribute to VOTE/COPE.”

These messages weren’t lost on two new committee members. Margaret Bryan of Stony Brook HSC had worked on phone banks at her chapter, but hadn’t served on a statewide committee until now. “We need to be involved in the political arena if we want our schools and our union to survive,” she said.

Darlene Mercado of SUNY Buffalo echoed that. “Outreach is important because we need to remind lawmakers that there are things that SUNY needs,” she said.

Committee members spent much of the two-day meeting hammering out a tentative 2008-2009 legislative agenda, as well as selecting dates for regional legislative training and Albany-based advocacy days.

Rather than hosting advocacy days by campus or constituency type — such as last year’s Technology Sector or Part-timer advocacy days — the committee backed an idea to bring people to Albany by region. The plan is to bus the volunteer advocates to the Capitol and to provide them with talking points on all SUNY campus types within their region.

Meanwhile, the committee will meet again to finalize the annual legislative agenda before presenting it to the UUP Executive Board for approval.

Tucker outlined a new “rewards” program the union has instituted to increase participation in VOTE/COPE. The goal is to raise more money by getting more members to contribute.

Members who use payroll deduction to donate up to $5 per paycheck will receive a VOTE/COPE lapel pin; members who donate between $5 and $10 per paycheck will receive either a baseball cap or desk caddy; and those who give more than $10 per paycheck will receive either a tie or scarf.

Tucker said committee members — a.k.a. chapter VOTE/COPE coordinators — are responsible for increasing participation at each chapter by at least 10 percent. Each coordinator will receive a box containing the various tchotchkes, as well as an instruction guide, a CD outlining the benefits of VOTE/COPE, and a short informational video.

“Your job is done when the box is empty,” Tucker said.

Brooklyn HSCer Gideon Dunkley Jr., a first-time member of the UUP Outreach Committee, said he is looking forward to talking to his colleagues about the benefits of VOTE/COPE.

“Politics is the business of society and to participate you have to be in the game,” Dunkley said. “VOTE/COPE gives us a seat at the table so we can continue to advocate for our members.”

— Karen L. Mattison