UUP’s in a New York state of mind: Legislative plan focuses on economic recovery

Each week during the year’s legislative session in Albany, UUP’s leaders and volunteer lobbyists blanket the Capitol with the union’s message that SUNY is a smart investment. Armed with materials and information supplied by legislative, labor and communications professionals — and acting out of their own personal commitment to the University — the UUPers have demonstrated an adeptness at convincing lawmakers that SUNY should be a priority in the state budget. Their influence and their persuasiveness have grown as proposals for devastating cuts have been thwarted and the University has begun to establish itself as one of the pre-eminent in the nation.

But now, as UUP advocates begin another trek from their chapters to the capital, they do so with perhaps a bit more confidence due to another weapon in their arsenal — public opinion. UUP has commissioned a statewide poll that shows, without a doubt, that New Yorkers hold SUNY in high regard and support a greater financial commitment by the state.

The NYSUT Polling Center conducted the survey of 602 likely New York voters across the state from Jan. 9-11.

“New Yorkers have an extremely high opinion of their state university,” said UUP President William Scheuerman. “This makes it very easy to be an advocate for increasing much-needed support for SUNY.”

The proof: Nearly 80 percent of the 602 New Yorkers polled said they had a positive impression of SUNY and 68 percent said funding for the University should be increased rather than remain flat, as was proposed by the SUNY Board of Trustees and the Executive Budget.

Other poll highlights:

• An overwhelming majority of those surveyed who are in hiring positions said they were “confident” SUNY graduates are well prepared to enter the workforce.
• 82 percent said they supported increased funding for SUNY to replace the more than 1,000 full-time faculty lines lost since the mid-1990s.
• When told about the high-quality medical education and health care provided by the SUNY health science centers, more than 87 percent of the respondents said they were convinced more funding was necessary.
• Nearly 85 percent said SUNY’s cutting-edge research was another good argument for increased funding.

— Frank Maurizio