UPDATES

Testing is Ongoing and MANDITORY!

If you are on campus, you are subject to Testing!

For all those who have a presence on campus, regardless of length of time spent or if you have contact with others, you must test weekly!

Chapter Elections Update:

Nominations are Closed

UUP Potsdam still does have open positions

In addition, any UUP Member who wished to write in can do so, a minimum of 5 write-in votes are needed to be considered an elected member.

All UUP Potsdam Members who are officially registers nominees as well as UUP Potsdam Members who wish to Write-In are WELCOME to submit a "Candidate Statement" to the UUP Chapter Office

Each election cycle, nominees are encouraged to participate in the "Candidate Edition" of our chapter newsletter, which will be sent to UUP Potsdam membership on or by 03/12/2021

Participating Candidates wishing to participate in the newsletter must:

1. Write a Candidate Statement of 500 words or Less via Microsoft Word or Email only (please note emails may display differently, word is recommended)
1. For those who are running for multiple chapter positions/categories, you may submit a statement for each category
   
2. anything over 500 words the remainder will be cut
2. Provide a headshot photo if you wish (NOT Required)
3. Email the above, no later than 5:00pm, 03/08/2021 to Potsdam@uupmail.org
1. Include your name, email and best contact number
2. Include the chapter position/category in which that statement is for (especially if you are running for more than one)
3. All statement submissions will receive a reply email that your statement has been received with-in 48hours. If you do not, please reach out prior to 02/08/2021 or your statement will not be included.

Click on the following for more information:

Election Information

Election Calendar

Please Note it is recommended that you email from your non.edu email.

Statements will be posted in order of category and alphabetical by candidate.

If you are interested in serving and have any questions feel free to email our chapter office at potsdam@uupmail.org or reach out to our chapter assistant Jennifer Hernandez.

UUP Potsdam wished the best of luck to all those who are running.

Please join the UUP Benefits Department Wednesdays at 12 pm for Benefits 101 Webinar. During the webinar, UUP’s Director of Member Benefits Doreen Bango will give you tips for maximizing your benefits.

You can register Here

Dear Colleagues:

UUP is not a union that sits on the sidelines. We are champions for our students, our union, and we are pushing solutions and programs to better New York. For these reasons and more, I am asking you to join your colleagues and invite your students, to advocate for SUNY opportunity programs, access, affordability, and the resources needed to support our SUNY, our students and our communities.

SUNY opportunity programs have been an economic and educational ladder for thousands. We must continue to promote and advocate for these programs as well as new ones such as MEOP, and fight for the necessary revenue to fund them. Please join us on March 11th for our SUNY Opportunity Virtual Advocacy Day! The day will begin with a plenary where we will be joined by students, educators and elected officials. We will then take the remainder of the day to do the work of meeting with state legislators and advocating. You can register today here. Advocacy registration will close at 5PM on March 4.

All who register for this important event will receive an invitation for a March 10th virtual advocacy training. There will be two training session offered (12PM and 7PM).

Please share this email with your students and your colleagues. All who wish to participate must register using the above link.

Thank you for all the work you have been doing over these past months. Our union is stronger with your voice.

In Solidarity,

Fred

Dear Colleagues,

Over 12 million people in the United States are struggling to make their monthly student loan payments, and millions more see economic and personal opportunities pass as they prioritize paying down their debt. Does this sound like you or someone you know?

Many of these people may qualify for free federal programs that can help reduce their monthly payments and eventually lead to student loan forgiveness, but these lifeline programs are significantly under-enrolled. In an effort to help our members get access to these programs, United University Professions and the American Federation of Teachers are proud to host a Student Debt Clinic which will provide information on how to enroll in Income-Driven Repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

We will be offering virtual Student Debt Clinics on the following dates:

Wednesday, March 03, 2021 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM via webinar.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM via webinar.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM via webinar.

To attend a Student Debt Clinic, you must pre-register here: http://go.aft.org/StudentDebtClinicRSVP. From the “student debt clinic” drop down menu, please select the UUP clinic that you are interested in attending – they are labeled “UUP [Virtual Student Debt Clinic] [date] [time].” In the affiliate field, type in the full name of our local (United University Professions), and it will autofill after a few keystrokes.

Registration is first come, first serve, and we must cap attendance for a single clinic at 75 participants in order to ensure that we are able to provide maximum assistance to attendees. Registration will close 48 hours prior to the virtual clinic. Webinar login information will be provided prior to the clinic to all who register. [If you can’t make one of these clinics, don’t worry – we’re planning on offering them every payday. If you want to help host a clinic at your worksite, please let us know!]

Managing your student loan debt is the first step in taking on the inequities which plague our system of higher education, and we look forward to seeing you at the Student Debt Clinic and working together to find a collective solution to the problems of student debt and college affordability!

Register now!

Please see Statewide President Fred Kowals statement below on UUP Member eligibility

UUP is working by the hour to ensure All Unit members working in-person be added!

To Schedule and verify your eligibility

go to the NYS Vaccine Eligibility Site

Who can get the Vaccine?

go to NYS List of Eligibility Phased Distribution Currently 1a & 1b

I am pleased to announce that we have reached agreement with SUNY to extend our mandatory surveillance testing agreement through to June 30, 2021. The new agreement is attached.

As was the case with our first agreement, this agreement provides that academic and professional staff who have any on campus obligation will receive surveillance testing at the same frequency as surveillance testing of students on campus. The agreement continues to provide that mandatory employee testing must be short swab testing that is conducted free of charge to the employee on work time.

The extension agreement also includes provisions protecting employee privacy to the extent possible and expanded provisions clarifying that neither test results nor test samples will be used for any purpose other than compliance with public health requirements. It further provides that test samples will not be retained by campuses at all or by labs any longer than is necessary to meet public health requirements.

We are continuing to advocate with SUNY for health and safety protocols that will best protect our members and our campus communities as we move forward. Our priority remains the same: Protecting the health and safety of everyone in all campus communities. Continued surveillance testing is a critical part of this effort, and we will continue to press SUNY for all measures to ensure our collective well-being.

Governor's Office of Employee Relations (GOER)

will be extending the agreement through April 2, 2021.

In that we have no objections to the extension and expecting that neither will any of the other statewide unions, we will continue to advocate for its liberal interpretation so as to protect the health and safety of our campus communities during this most dangerous period of the COVID pandemic.

Dear Colleagues,

As promised earlier this week, we have completed our analysis of the Governor’s proposed budget for FY 2021-22. You will find noteworthy details from that analysis below. It will come as no surprise, given the continuing fiscal impact of the pandemic on the State, this is an extremely difficult budget year at best. Much of the outcome of this year’s budget negotiations will depend on the amount of any additional federal support. If it is less than the State anticipates the budget situation will become more complicated. If it is as much at the State hopes many proposed cuts may no longer be necessary.

In addition to our analysis below, I have also attached SUNY’s budget analysis for your information and use when discussing the potential impact of the Governor’s budget proposal on your campus with your administration.

Our advocacy will necessitate a lot of effort from all UUP members. Please take the time to do one or all of the below actions and share them with your colleagues. Amplifying our voice through as many modes and as many members as possible is vital for our message to be heard.

• Attend a State Advocacy Meeting. Sign up here to learn more about upcoming UUP virtual advocacy meetings and rallies.
• Write a Letter. Send a letter to your Senators and member of Congress regarding President Biden’s Stimulus plan and the need for it to pass. Click here to send your letters today.
• Send a Social Media Message. Tweet directly at Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and your congressional representative urging them to support the President Biden’s Stimulus bill. Click here for the social media toolkit.
• Make a phone call. Join UUP colleagues and coalition partners across the state for this urgent and easy action. We will be making three calls to Congress, pushing for the adoption of President Biden's $1.9 Trillion stimulus package. We will provide the phone numbers and the script; you provide the energy and commitment! Register here.

Here are the details:

OVERALL: The proposed executive budget for SUNY, along with the rest of the FY 2021-22 executive proposals, is premised on $6 billion in new federal aid coming to New York. The uncertainty of this aid – whether any future aid will go directly to states, and the final amount of that relief – means the executive budget proposal is highly provisional. If New York State does not receive the $6 billion in federal aid that the Division of Budget anticipates, more drastic budget actions may be taken. If Congress sends the $15 billion to New York that Governor Cuomo has requested, the Division of Budget has announced that funding cuts and revenue actions contained in the proposed budget may not be necessary. What happens if new federal aid to New York falls between $6 billion and $15 billion is not yet clear.

Assuming the future influx of $6 billion in federal aid, Governor Cuomo’s FY 2021-22 Executive Budget avoids the hundreds of millions of dollars in spending cuts that SUNY was asked to plan for in Fall 2020. Instead, the budget proposes a 5% reduction in direct state aid to campuses ($46.4 million) and a $2.5 million cut in University-wide programs, for a total reduction of $48.9 million. The executive budget does not allocate the proposed 5% cut. Instead, it contains language vesting the Chancellor with authority to develop a plan, subject to Board of Trustees approval, for how the reduction will be allocated across the system.

Despite earlier worries, several important funding areas are held harmless from the proposed 5% cut and are maintained at FY 2020-21 levels including: state financial aid programs (e.g. Excelsior scholarship and TAP funding), state support for employee fringe benefits costs, and debt service. In addition, the opportunity programs (EOP/EOC/ATTAIN) are all maintained at current funding levels including the legislative additions included in the FY 2020-21 budget.

The executive has announced that the 20% in direct State funding to campuses that was withheld this fall will be reduced to a 5% withholding. This withholding could impact campuses, though it could be mitigated by federal funds that were part of the package passed by Congress and signed by Donald Trump in the final days of 2020. The State has also indicated that the 15% balance will be released to campuses this spring. Once again, state financial aid programs will be held harmless and the State has announced that the 20% of state financial aid funding withheld this fall will be restored to campuses this spring.

The executive budget continues to set aside $18 million in state aid to be allocated to state-operated campuses per an approved plan of the SUNY Board of Trustees. The language stipulates that a portion of these funds be used to support new classroom faculty. Funding of $4 million is once again set aside from the System Administration appropriation for the Open Educational Resources Initiative to help reduce or eliminate the costs of textbooks for students.

New Revenue Raisers: The Executive Budget proposes several changes to boost state revenues and avoid further spending cuts, including a temporary and refundable surcharge on high incomes, delaying a middle-class tax cut, and taxing vacation rentals. Other initiatives, like the legalization of recreational cannabis, will take more time to generate significant revenue. However, the budget does not include any permanent tax increases on wealth or high incomes and does not endorse any UUP priority revenue raisers, such as the stock transfer tax or a billionaire’s tax. The Governor’s revenue proposals are unacceptably conservative and do not ask New York's wealthiest taxpayers to pay their fair share. UUP will continue to aggressively advocate for progressive tax hikes to fully fund SUNY needs.

Rational Tuition and Maintenance of Effort: The Executive budget proposes a new predictable tuition plan, which allows a maximum increase of $200 per year for the standard resident undergraduate tuition rate. The new proposal also authorizes the Board of Trustees to establish variable tuition rates at the doctoral degree institutions which may exceed the standard tuition rate. Additionally, SUNY is authorized to establish different (likely lower) tuition rates for high-demand certificate programs and distance learning. The rational tuition plan which includes the historic basic maintenance of effort language will extend through 2024-2025.

UUP Contractual Raises: While not directly addressed in his budget proposal, Governor Cuomo has announced that New York State intends to continue withholding the 2020 2% across-the-board salary increase and to defer the 2021 2% across-the-board increase contractually provided for in the 2016-2022 NYS-UUP negotiated contract. The announced delay will continue into the beginning of FY 2023 (i.e., the spring of 2022). However, the schedule for these payments may accelerate if the state receives its $15 billion high-end request for federal aid. We continue to pursue the grievance and IP process to win the release of these negotiated increases.

TAP Gap: Although the TAP program is held harmless from spending cuts in the Governor’s proposal for FY 2021-22, the Executive Budget does not address the growing TAP gap. By continuing to ignore the issue, state leadership leaves SUNY campuses with over $70 million in unreimbursed costs each year, depriving them of funds needed to meet the needs of TAP recipients and impeding their ability to stabilize budgets amid the pandemic. UUP will continue pushing for full funding of this program to protect campuses and ensure that the state’s future workforce and citizens can contribute productively to New York’s health and prosperity.

Hospitals: The Executive Budget again includes an appropriation of $230 million in State funding to support the required match for federal Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) funding. It also maintains level funding for capital projects by allocating $50 million to each of the three SUNY hospitals. Unfortunately, Governor Cuomo’s proposal fails to restore the historic State subsidy and includes no other state support for the SUNY hospitals. UUP is advocating that the State provide critical mission funding to the SUNY hospitals to ensure that they can lead the charge in training the next generation of healthcare professionals, developing cutting-edge treatments, and caring for underserved communities.

Capital Budget: The FY 2022 Executive Budget keeps SUNY’s critical maintenance funding level at $550 million. No new funding is provided for the 2:1 capital matching program enacted in FY 2021.

Individual Programs: The Executive Budget removes legislative additions to the FY 2021 budget (a $2.5M decrease in funding) for the following University-wide programs:

• $700,000: Small Business Development Centers
• $600,000: Graduate Diversity Fellowships
• $500,000: Tele-Counseling Initiative for mental health services
• $250,000: Cornell Veterinary College
• $200,000: Institute for Leadership and Diversity and Inclusion
• $150,000: Hispanic Leadership Institute
• $100,000: Benjamin Center at New Paltz

The following executive proposals could, if passed, impact UUP-represented employees and retirees:

Unemployment Benefits for Part-Time Employees

The executive budget includes provisions to adjust the calculation for unemployment insurance benefits paid to individuals working part-time. Currently, individuals working part-time while collecting unemployment have their benefits reduced by 25-percent each workday, regardless of the time worked or the amount paid to them. This proposal will adjust this calculation to provide them with less of a reduction based on their part-time work.

Paid Leave for COVID Vaccinations

The executive budget requires both public and private employers to provide up to four hours of paid leave for up to two COVID-19 vaccinations for each employee. Employers would be prohibited from taking any retaliatory actions against employees who take this leave but may require relevant documentation from the employee.

Standard Medicare Part B Reimbursement

Under current law, the state provides full reimbursement of the Medicare Part B standard premium ($144.60 per month in 2020, increased to $148.50 in 2021, federal rate) to all eligible state retirees. The executive budget imposes a flat dollar reimbursement rate at $148.50.

Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMAA) for NYSHIP Retirees

The executive budget proposal amends the civil service law to eliminate the reimbursement of additional Income Related Medicare Adjustment Amount premiums paid by higher-income state retirees, beginning January 1, 2022.

NYSHIP Retiree Health Insurance Premium Sliding Scale

The executive budget proposes a graduated premium structure for retiree health benefits for all civilian state employees retiring on or after October 1, 2021. Under this proposal, retirees would contribute a greater share toward health insurance premiums based on years of service prior to retirement. This is an issue for current UUP members who will be eligible for NYSHIP coverage in retirement, as people seeking to retire on or after October 1, 2021, will not have enough time to prepare for an unexpected and significant increase in their retiree health care premiums.

There you have it. There is much to digest, but the conclusion is clear: The governor has not altered his decade long pattern of flat funding for SUNY, while also cutting support for the hospitals. The fight is on for us to get federal assistance but, as I testified yesterday, the reality is that federal assistance will only serve as triage for the economic wounds in New York. To get a full recovery, we need the state’s leaders to pass and implement a full package of aggressive, progressive tax changes to generate the revenue needed to reform the social infrastructure our state desperately needs in public higher education, healthcare and green energy transformation. It’s on us to join that fight, joined by our allies and coalition partners across the state. Our future depends on it.

In Solidarity,

Fred

Potsdam Chapter Office

Email: potsdam@uupmail.org
Website: https://www.uuppotsdam.org/
Location: SUNY Potsdam
Phone: 315-267-3177
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UUPPotsdam/