Advocacy days target constituencies

With the start of spring training just under way, the topic of conversation would normally have been baseball when Dave Butler of Canton stopped by his brother Marc’s Albany office last month.

But, instead, the talk was all about the Executive Budget proposal and its impact on SUNY. Comfortable, but professional, the Butler brothers — along with some of Dave’s colleagues from the North Country — discussed how the Canton campus was transitioning into four-year programs and how additional full-time faculty lines are needed to meet the new challenges at the college.

Certainly not everyday family chatter. But, then again, this wasn’t like every day. Dave Butler is president of SUNY Canton’s UUP chapter and an outspoken advocate for the University. Marc Butler is a state legislator and a member of the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee. And this particular cold February day was UCT Advocacy Day at the Capitol, bringing together dozens of UUPers from SUNY’s university colleges of technology — formerly called agricultural and technical schools — to meet with lawmakers about budget issues that specifically pertain to them.

The UCT Advocacy Day was the first in a series of Capitol visits designed for UUP constituency groups. It’s a new approach adopted this year by union President William Scheuerman and Legislation Chair Patricia Bentley of SUNY Plattsburgh.

“Our membership is diverse. Our University is diverse,” Scheuerman said. “It makes sense to bring to Albany the members who can best speak to the contributions made by their colleagues and their particular campus type.”

David Butler acknowledged that advocating on behalf of SUNY to his brother involved “a little acting.” Assemblyman Butler (R-Newport, Herkimer County), he explained, has a record of supporting the University.

“He’s not a hard sell,” Butler said. “He knows the value of SUNY to the people of New York.”

The following are other UUP Advocacy Days scheduled for Albany:

March 4 — University Centers and NYSTI

March 18 — Health Science Centers

March 25 — University Colleges

April 8 — Librarians

April 15 — Opportunity Programs

April 29 — Retirees

— Frank Maurizio