UUP-to-date

Legislation: Teacher quality on higher ed agenda — UUP’s national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), will take advantage of Congress’s reauthorizing of the Higher Education Act to push for more resources to improve teacher training and quality, according to AFT President Sandra Feldman, below.

Meeting recently in Washington, D.C., with the AFT Higher Ed Program and Policy Council, chaired by UUP President William Scheuerman, Feldman reminded leaders of the recommendations of the AFT’s 2000 K-16 Teacher Education Task Force report that called for more rigor in teacher preparation, including a requirement for an academic major for prospective teachers and more clinical practice.

“The definition of what makes a highly qualified teacher will be subject of a big debate,” Feldman predicted. “We want the AFT to be part of it.”

Congress is expected to take up the Higher Education Act, which is reauthorized every five years, in its next session.

AFT Higher Ed Program and Policy Council leaders also discussed plans to confront such thorny issues as erosions in tenure rights and the increasing reliance on part-time faculty.

Southern Tier: Alfred colleges put merger on hold — Merger talks between SUNY Alfred and Alfred University have been called off indefinitely.

On the table was discussion to make the state-operated SUNY Alfred a contract college within the private Alfred University located across the street.

According to the Associated Press, the two colleges — located in a Southern Tier community that has only 1,000 year-round residents — put the proposed merger on hold for two key reasons: the cost of merging the two campuses and the dramatic difference in tuition costs.

“We were worried we’d have two freshman in the same English composition class, one from here paying $3,200 a year and one from Alfred University paying $19,000 a year,” SUNY Alfred President William Rezak told the wire service. “That’s not fair — you simply can’t do that.”

In a prepared statement, Alfred University President Charles Edmondson said the short-term risks overshadowed the long-term benefits, according to the Associated Press.

Rezak made his comments to faculty and staff members in mid-November. At the same time, the campus president announced his retirement, effective June 30.

Kudos: Three UUPers feted for achievements — Three longtime UUP activists have been recognized for special achievements on their campuses and in their communities.

• Pat Clarke has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the YWCA of Ulster County for her more than 20 years of service to SUNY New Paltz’s Women’s Studies Department.
• Elfie Mermigas was given a Siegel Award, Buffalo HSC’s highest commendation for excellence in teaching. Mermigas is the first non-physician to win the award.
• Barbara Silverstone received the grand prize in Upstate Medical University’s Dr. Bruce Dearing Writing Award Competition (faculty/employee category) for her short story, Bessie. The award, named after Upstate’s first professor of medical humanities, celebrates the connection between the healing sciences and creative arts.

Cortese is an elected vice president of the AFT and the state AFL-CIO.