UUP Press Releases

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 18, 2006

Executive Budget fails the needs of a growing SUNY

Gov. George Pataki’s Executive Budget shortchanges the future of the State University of New York by allocating only a fraction of the funds it needs to grow, according to William E. Scheuerman, president of United University Professions.

“SUNY’s budget request would have allowed the university to grow from a good higher education system to a great one, in part by increasing the number of full-time faculty so SUNY could enroll more eligible students and not turn them away,” Scheuerman said. “At best, the governor’s budget leaves SUNY in neutral. At worst, it sends a message that improving the SUNY system is a low priority.”

Scheuerman noted that the governor’s budget does not allocate any funds to hire additional full-time teaching faculty, despite a clear need for more academic and professional faculty. “SUNY’s student population has grown by 44,000 at the same time it’s lost 1,000 full-time faculty. Unless that shortage is corrected, thousands of students will continue to be closed out of classes or denied access altogether,” Scheuerman emphasized.

UUP also opposes the governor’s proposal to turn SUNY hospitals into private not-for-profit corporations. “These are public hospitals that provide quality health care to the public, without regard to their ability to afford health care. The state has a social responsibility to maintain their status,” Scheuerman said. The union leader said the proposed budget also shortchanges SUNY’s teaching hospitals by not fully funding their fixed costs, including higher energy costs.

Scheuerman said UUP looks forward to working with state lawmakers to revise the budget so it            
contains the funds that SUNY needs to better serve students and hospital patients. “Adequately funding SUNY is a smart investment that will yield positive economic benefits for all New Yorkers,” Scheuerman concluded.

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).    

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