WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, United University Professions (UUP) Statewide President Fred Kowal visited Buffalo on Tuesday (March 1st) to headline a rally that drew a number of Western New York Union Leaders, Elected Officials and Higher Education Advocates, all who joined together to call on Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature to allocate more than $250 million in funding for the State University of New York’s (SUNY) Campuses and its Public Teaching Hospitals.  (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Fred Kowal, President of United University Professions (UUP) - the Nation’s largest Higher Education Union, led a rally with UUP Members, Western New York Union Leaders, Elected Officials and Higher Ed Advocates at Buffalo State College on Tuesday (March 1st) to publicly call on Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature to allocate more than $250 million in funding for State University of New York (SUNY) campuses and its Public Teaching Hospitals across New York.  

With an opening stop in Buffalo, UUP’s Week of Action events that have been designed to convince State Lawmakers to do the right thing for SUNY are slated to continue throughout the rest of the week in Albany, New Paltz, Plattsburgh and New York City.

Kowal and those who spoke at the rally encouraged all to apply pressure to Governor Hochul and State Lawmakers to fully fund Higher Public Education and reestablish the SUNY System as a cornerstone of New York’s communities, which has fallen for more than a decade due to disinvestment under the previous Cuomo Administration.  

“For ‘decades,’ our SUNY institutions ‘have continued to provide a world-class’ education to ‘millions’ of students, ‘despite steadily declining’ State aid to SUNY.  Over the past fifteen years, SUNY’s lost ($7 billion) in funding - ‘an unacceptable and untenable strain’ to put on the system responsible for ‘educating the next generation’ of New York’s Workforce.  ‘Similarly, it is unconscionable to underfund our’ Public Teaching Hospitals, ‘which serve as critical hubs of care for hundreds of thousands’ of New Yorkers,” a passionate Kowal said during a packed noontime rally and news conference held inside Buffalo State’s Campbell Student Union. 

“This year, Governor Hochul and our Lawmakers ‘must undo this damage and restore full funding to protect the immense opportunity SUNY offers.’  This ‘disinvestment cannot continue’ and our leaders ‘must act immediately to do right’ by our students, our patients and our SUNY,” said Kowal, whose State Union represents more than 42,000 Academic, Professional Faculty and Retirees who work at 29 New York State-operated campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Syracuse and at Stony Brook.

UUP is requesting $255.8 million in funding to revitalize SUNY, strengthen communities and local economies throughout the State and support of its Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Care Workers on the front lines of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

UUP’s specific funding requests include: $100 million in additional new direct operating aid to SUNY State-operated campuses; $68.8 million in debt relief for SUNY Public Teaching Hospitals; $87 million for Public Teaching Hospitals to fulfill their crucial mission of saving lives and stemming the pandemic; Expanded eligibility for Essential Health Care Worker bonuses so that every Front Line Health Care Worker is compensated for their service; and An increase in the number of sustainability Staff on campuses to better meet Climate Crisis threats.  

“This ‘fight is all about SUNY being abandoned’ by the State.  ‘It should be supported by public dollars, not (student ) tuition and fees,’” said Kowal, underscoring the fact New York needs to take care of those in its Public Teaching Hospitals “who kept us alive during (the) COVID (Pandemic).” 

“I want a ‘fair, good and real’ deal for those who teach and who are students,” said Kowal as he stood in front of a banner that read: Restore Opportunity – Restore SUNY! “We ‘have a lot of work to do.’  ‘It’s a down-payment on the future.’  ‘It’s a down-payment on hope.’  Call your Legislators ‘and let them know that this is deeply needed.’”

Kowal was joined by a number of Union Leaders and Members, including the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF), the Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 10, the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), International Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 4, and of course a heavy dose of UUPers, many of who work on the Buffalo State Campus.

WNYALF President Peter DeJesus called the SUNY System, “from Fredonia to Buffalo State (here in Western New York) the ‘lifeblood’ of the community - ‘a job creator that creates our future leaders who have the tools to get the job done.’”

"The WNY Area Labor Federation ‘enthusiastically supports’ the efforts of our UUP Brothers and Sisters to push New York State ‘to enrich’ the SUNY budget by ($250 million).  ‘We need to raise its budget to fund our future,’” DeJesus said.  “New York State ‘has one of the finest systems of higher education in the U.S.’  Buffalo ‘is home to one of the four State University centers and the University at Buffalo.  Education ‘is an essential component of the social and economic infrastructure of Western New York.’  ‘Increasing’ the SUNY budget ‘will provide more educational and employment opportunities that are important to Western New Yorkers, especially People of Color and other people of ‘marginalized’ communities.’”

Buffalo AFL-CIO Labor Council President Denise Abbott said: “I am Nurse and I am a Mother and ‘we need to make (SUNY) accessible and affordable.’  Our students, and my daughter, ‘are under the weight and burden of (school) debt.’  Some students ‘are sleeping in their cars’ (because they cannot afford room and board).  ‘Some are working two jobs’ (while going to school to pay for tuition).  This funding ‘is so important because we need consistent faculty (who help) students go on to be great adults.’  ‘Restore this opportunity for SUNY.’”

Another speaker, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, told those attending the rally: “It is ‘as simple as this: Our future, our community’s future, means we have to keep up.’  ‘We must educate (our young people in order) to compete.’  The Governor, the Senate and the Assembly ‘need to include’ these SUNY increases (in the budget).  ‘Fully investing in them will bring expanded opportunities statewide, build a stronger Erie County and strengthen our community for the future.’  I ‘join’ UUP ‘in urging the legislature to fully fund our SUNY Schools.’  ‘We must restore the opportunity and restore SUNY.’”

Buffalo State United Students Government President James Speaker also spoke at the rally: "As President of The United Students Government here at Buffalo State College, ‘I know the challenges our students face firsthand.’  Financial aid, student loans ‘and a lack of resources play a huge role in a student's ability to successfully complete a degree’ - and a ‘fully-funded’ SUNY ‘is the answer to a long-standing problem here in New York State.’  Governor Hochul ‘has an opportunity to reverse decades of budgeting which didn't take the stance that New York State should be the national leader in higher education’ – ‘now is the time to act.’”

For More Information On UUP’s Efforts To Restore Funding And Opportunity To Public Higher Education In New York State, Go To: Https://Uupinfo.Org/Legislation/Pdf/UUP22StateLegAgenda.Pdf.