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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 6th, 2009

UUP, SUNY New Paltz students push to save nursing, grad programs

WHO: United University Professions, students and other unions
WHAT: News conference
WHEN: Thursday, May 7 at 11a.m.
WHERE: SUNY New Paltz Lecture Center, Room 108
WHY: To save vital nursing and graduate education programs

On Thursday, May 7th at 11am, UUP President Phillip H. Smith and New Paltz UUP Chapter President F. Glenn McNitt will lead a news conference that questions the rationale behind the planned elimination of the college’s entire nursing department and the suspension of graduate education programs in chemistry, earth science,
French, math and Spanish.

Smith and the other speakers will detail the devastating impacts these reductions would have and discuss how these programs can be saved.

Other speakers include: Eleanor Richards, chairperson of the New Paltz nursing department; two nursing students; and two faculty members from other affected programs.

Maria Mach, CSEA Local 751 president whose family is feeling the impact of this cut will also speak, along with NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer Lee Cutler, a former adjunct professor in a graduate program at New Paltz.

UUP represents 35,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 New York state-operated campuses, and is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.

-30-