UUP: Members first in any Alfred merger

As the SUNY administration considers a merger of Alfred State College and Alfred University, the UUP leadership has one very clear message for members: Nothing will happen unless it’s good for the Alfred State academic and professional faculty.

“Unless the merger benefits the membership, UUP will stop it,” said union President William Scheuerman. “We’re working closely with (Chapter President) Bob Rees and other chapter leaders to garner the information we need to make rational and informed decisions. We need to approach it openly, because it could have some benefits for the faculty and the institution.”

UUP is awaiting the submission of a formal plan by the campus administrations.

Alfred State President William Rezak has said that the two campuses are exploring the possibility of having Alfred State become a statutory college under Alfred University, but no announcement of such a plan has been made. Statutory colleges are publicly funded technical colleges on the campuses of private universities and colleges.

Rees affirmed Scheuerman’s guarantee, noting that UUP leaders have visited the Alfred State campus to assure the 262 members of Alfred State’s bargaining unit they will be protected.

“The leadership has been right on top of this, and members should feel good knowing that UUP is acting on their behalf and in their best interest,” Rees said.

The campuses are located across the street from each other in Alfred, in Western New York’s Southern Tier region, about two hours southeast of Buffalo.

The combined student body would be about 5,500. That, in turn, could create jobs, Rezak said.

“We’ve said publicly that there should be no loss of jobs except by one of natural attrition,” Rezak said. “I see growth opportunity in the faculty and most of the professional staff.”

Alfred State offers two- and four-year degrees, with majors in agriculture, business, health, vocational and engineering technologies, and liberal arts and sciences. The private, four-year Alfred University offers degrees in liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering and professional studies.

In a longstanding partnership with SUNY, Alfred University also offers degrees through the renowned College of Ceramics, which is one of SUNY’s statutory colleges but is located on the Alfred University campus.

The state created the statutory colleges in the early 20th century. An offshoot of the once-thriving clay manufacturing industry in Alfred, the College of Ceramics offers programs ranging from fine arts to ceramics engineering and material sciences.

Given that each campus has strengths, Scheuerman said the union will listen to details on a merger if they unfold, but will also remain vigilant.

“As we learn more about the administration’s merger consideration, we will measure its worth against the single standard of our members’ well-being,” Scheuerman said.

— Darryl McGrath