Snapshots

Record generosity: UUP President Bill Scheuerman and state Education Commissioner Richard Mills, center, co-chairs of the 2001 statewide SEFA campaign, celebrate a record-breaking campaign with CSEA President Danny Donohue, left. State employees raised $9.2 million — up 5 percent from the previous year — and an additional $126,000 for the World Trade Center Relief Fund. SUNY employees, including many UUPers, were the top givers at $2.3 million.

Money matters: UUP Treasurer Rowena Blackman-Stroud provides practical training to new chapter treasurers attending regional workshops. At a workshop in Syracuse, Herb Fink of Brockport, left, gets a few lessons in Quicken software from UUP accountant Joelsen Staley. UUP comptroller Kathy Trudeau was also on hand to share her expertise on managing chapter finances.

Issues talk: UUPer Edison Bond of Brooklyn HSC, left, talks to NYSUT and United Federation of Teachers staffers during the annual Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus weekend held in Albany earlier this year.

Setting the agenda: The Women’s Rights and Concerns Committee of the UUP New Paltz chapter, in partnership with the CSEA Region 3 Women’s Committee, present the conference “Women Setting the Agenda: At Home, in the Work-place and in Their Union.” AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson, third from left, was keynote speaker during the one-day event on the New Paltz campus.

Women in the lead: UUP leaders attending the AFT Women’s Issues Conference in Washington, D.C., take a few minutes out of their busy schedules to pose for a photo. From left are: UUP President Bill Scheuerman; Toni Freeman-Coughlin, Alfred; Vicki Janik, Farmingdale; Secretary Eileen Landy; Candy Merbler, Albany; Treasurer Rowena Blackman-Stroud; and Patty Bentley, Plattsburgh.

Retiree participation: Tom Matthews of Geneseo, left, chairs a meeting of the new Retiree Participation Committee, which is charged with recommending ways to further integrate retirees into the union. Jack Richert of Buffalo HSC, right, also serves on the committee.

Regional meetings: UUPers from Albany-area chapters gathered to discuss the SUNY budget and other union issues, including Trustee de Russy’s controversial comments. Latonia Spencer and Candy Merbler, right, of SUNY Albany discuss the union’s strong financial position. NYSTI UUPers, from left, Karen Kammer, Bonnee Scott-Alexander and John Romeo look over the agenda.

Advocating for their university: John Schmidt, left, and Ed Drummond, UUP chapter presidents at Stony Brook and Stony Brook HSC, respectively, flank Stony Brook University President Shirley Strum Kenny during a recent legislative event in Albany. During their one-day visit to lawmakers’ offices, this trio — along with 12 busloads of unionists, students and administrators — called for an increase in state support for SUNY.