For Immediate Release

January 5, 2022

ALBANY, NY – Today, United University Professions President Frederick E. Kowal issued this statement in response to Gov. Hochul’s State of the State Address.

“At last, we have a governor who recognizes the value of public higher education to our students, our patients and the citizens of New York state. In her State of the State Address, Gov. Kathy Hochul laid the groundwork to reverse what has been more than a decade of disinvestment in SUNY. We welcome the governor’s agenda and are eager to work with her to break the pattern of 11 years of underfunding for SUNY.

"From recruiting and retaining diverse full-time faculty and staff to making SUNY a ‘nation-leading public higher education system,’ to setting up child care centers on SUNY campuses, the governor has truly made public higher education in New York state a priority for the first time in decades.

"We also support Gov. Hochul’s commitment to health care—including SUNY’s public teaching hospitals—with a promise to set aside $10 billion to support the delivery of high-quality health care to all New Yorkers. A portion of those funds will be used for $3,000 bonuses for weary health care professionals on the front lines of the pandemic—payments that UUP has called for since the start of the pandemic.

“The importance of SUNY’s public teaching hospitals has become fully realized during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of people have relied on our hospitals for care—as they continue to graduate thousands of doctors and medical professionals each year. It is not enough for the state to simply maintain these facilities; it is time to expand and improve medical services at our hospitals.

“SUNY is one of New York’s most vibrant and important economic engines, providing paths to success for tens of thousands of students each year. We support Gov. Hochul’s vision and we urge her and the Legislature to follow through by providing this necessary funding in the 2022-2023 state budget.”