UUP Press Releases

CONTACT: Denyce Duncan Lacy or Don Feldstein at (518) 640-6600
Lacy’s cell number is (518) 265-3114

NEWS FROM NEW YORK NEWS CONNECTION

A statewide news service for New York

 Producer: Jane Metzler, 68 Cortlandt Place, Tenafly, NJ 07670 Phone: 201-266-4249  E-mail: nyncnews@publicnewsservice.org

 Sound files at: www.publicnewsservice.org

March 17, 2005

“Looking Good”-Odds for On-Time State Budget and Funding for SUNY

Albany, NY– New York may actually have a state budget by the April 1st deadline for the first time in years, observers say. And advocates for the State University of New York are pleased that budget is expected to include more money for SUNY and will not pay for it with a tuition increase. Comments from William Scheuerman (SHOY-r-man), president of United University Professions, which represents nearly 30 thousand faculty and staff members on 29 State University of New York campuses.

Interviewer: “When hell freezes over.” How some political observers might have described the chances of the New York legislature passing a budget by the legally mandated April first deadline. Political scientist, Dr. William Scheuerman is president of United University Professions, which represents thousands of faculty and staff members on 29 State University of New York campuses. He says hell appears to be cooling off this session because squabbling lawmakers have felt a chill from their constituents and they’re working together for a change.

(Click here to listen to Bill Scheuerman's answer.) 

Interviewer: Scheuerman says advocates for New York’s public university system are pleased with what state lawmakers have come up with thus far and they’re keeping the pressure on the legislature to make sure SUNY gets the funding it needs.

(Click here to listen to Bill Scheuerman's answer.)

Interviewer: Two thirds of all graduating high school seniors get their college educations at one of SUNY’s 64 campuses. Scheuerman says educating nearly half a million students costs money.

(Click here to listen to Bill Scheuerman's answer.) 

UUP represents more then 34,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 New York State-operated campuses, and is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).    

-30-