Snapshots

NYSUT Endorsement Conference: Higher education issues were among the priorities discussed as part of NYSUT's Endorsement Conference held last month in Albany.

UUP participants included, from left, John Schmidt of Stony Brook, Ken Kallio of Geneseo and Ivan Steen of Albany. Following the conference, the NYSUT Board of Directors voted to endorse in most New York congressional, legislative and statewide races. Acting on the recommendation of the conference, the board also voted to withhold an endorsement in the gubernatorial race until after the September primaries. The October Voice will carry a list of all NYSUT-endorsed candidates.

Retiree participation: The Retiree Participation Committee is drafting recommendations on how retired UUPers can best contribute to their union. The committee — chaired by Tom Matthews of Geneseo — met recently at UUP headquarters. Pictured are Bob Kasprak of Optometry and Pearl Brod of Farmingdale, chair of the Committee on Active Retired Membership. Matthews said he hopes the committee will have its draft ready by the 2002 Fall Delegate Assembly, slated for Oct. 4-5 at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester.

Social justice: UUPers Bill Roth of Albany and Fred Miller of Oneonta, right, discuss a number of relevant topics during a recent Human and Civil Rights Commit-tee meeting at UUP headquarters. Among the issues discussed were family leave, violence against women, and patent and copyright laws.

New techie: Laura Kirch joins the UUP staff as director of information technology. She had assisted UUP as a database consultant for the last couple of years.

Kirch’s “experience with networks and computer technology is rather broad and deep,” noted UUP VP for Academics Phil Smith, to whom she will report. “For example, at her previous post, she was responsible for helping to maintain more than 200 network servers. So, our six should not be too intimidating.”

Movers and shakers: It took a lot of planning and a little muscle to get UUP and NYSUT’s new headquarters up and running, but — thanks to the hard work of officers and staff — the move came off without a hitch.

Helping to coordinate UUP’s effort were, above from left, VP Phil Smith, Secretary Eileen Landy, Comptroller Kathy Trudeau, VP John Marino and Laura Kirch, director of information technology. Other helpers were: Rob Trimarchi, technology administrator; Liz Kahnle, associate director of Member Benefits; and George Brooks, mail room coordinator.

VP Phil Smith, right, and staffer Laura Kirch work on telecommunications at the new building.

VP John Marino holds the last post-it note to be moved to UUP’s new headquarters in Latham.

(BldgLiz.tif) Staffer Liz Kahnle helps get the union’s mail room up and running.