Citing the uncertainty caused by the state’s fiscal crisis, NYSUT—UUP’s statewide affiliate—organized an Extraordinary Committee of 100 advocacy day in Albany. This Feb. 3 effort came in addition to NYSUT’s regularly scheduled Committee of 100 held March 24.
NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin spelled out the reason for the special advocacy day in a letter distributed during UUP’s Winter Delegate Assembly.
“The purpose of this meeting is to advocate for restoration of devastating cuts in education, certain higher education programs … and the need to raise revenues through a progressive income tax formula to fund vital education and human service programs,” Lubin wrote. “While we are aware of the challenges of traveling to and from Albany on a given day, the need to demonstrate our commitment to public education … far outweighs the logistical challenges we face.”
His message resonated among UUPers, as about two dozen members from 10 chapters joined hundreds of their NYSUT brothers and sisters in Albany to personally air their concerns to state lawmakers.
UUP President Phillip Smith teamed up with Lubin and other higher education leaders, including PSC President Barbara Bowen, and Ellen Schuler Mauk, representing SUNY community colleges, in meetings with three legislative leaders. The leaders’ group met with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos.
“The three leaders heard our strong message about preserving access to an affordable, public higher education for all New Yorkers by providing more support for SUNY, as well as the need to sustain SUNY’s teaching hospitals,” Smith said.
The other UUP advocates joined NYSUT members in visits to dozens of legislators, pressing for changes in the governor’s proposed budget that would provide additional funds for SUNY and speaking up against the proposal to deny UUPers this year’s negotiated, scheduled pay increase.
The A./S.2020 bill that would grant the University at Buffalo the power to independently raise tuition and sell or lease its property without legislative oversight drew particular attention from member advocates from Western New York. Vice President for Academics Frederick Floss of Buffalo State pressed Sen. Dale Volker (R-Depew) to consider the problems posed by the bill, including the fact that the bill contains no labor protections.
For Melvin Vargas-Irizzary of Brooklyn HSC, the Committee of 100 marked only his second foray into advocacy.
“I felt like I made a difference,” he said after visiting nine legislative offices. “This proves you can be heard no matter who you are or where you came from.”
— Donald Feldstein