For Immediate Release

March 1, 2022

UUP Members, Local Elected Officials and Higher Education Advocates Rally in Buffalo to Request More Than $250M for SUNY Campuses and Public Teaching Hospitals

BUFFALO, NY – United University Professions (UUP), the nation’s largest higher education union, rallied with its allies in Buffalo today, calling on the state Legislature to allocate more than $250M in additional state funding to SUNY campuses and public teaching hospitals.

UUP President Frederick E. Kowal joined Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Peter DeJesus of the AFL-CIO, SUNY students, and higher education advocates at SUNY Buffalo State to pressure lawmakers to fully fund public higher education and reestablish the SUNY system as a cornerstone of New York’s communities after more than a decade of disinvestment under the Cuomo administration.

“For decades, our SUNY institutions have continued to provide a world-class education to millions of students, despite steadily declining state aid to SUNY. Over the past 15 years, SUNY has lost $7 billion in funding – an unacceptable and untenable strain to put on the system responsible for educating the next generation of New York’s workforce. Similarly, it is unconscionable to underfund our public teaching hospitals, which serve as critical hubs of care for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers,” said Kowal. “This year, Governor Kathy Hochul and our lawmakers must undo this damage, and restore full funding to protect the immense opportunity that SUNY offers. This disinvestment cannot continue, and our leaders must act immediately to do right by our students, our patients and our SUNY.”

“The SUNY system provides a path to life success for students at all points of their academic careers and SUNY schools are the cornerstones of our higher education portfolio,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Fully investing in them will bring expanded opportunities statewide, build a stronger Erie County, and strengthen our community for the future. I join UUP in urging the legislature to fully fund our SUNY schools.”

"The WNY Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO enthusiastically supports the efforts of our UUP Brothers and Sisters to push New York State to enrich the SUNY budget by $250 million. New York state has one of the finest systems of higher education in the U.S. Buffalo is home to one of the 4 state university centers and the University at Buffalo. Education is an essential component of the social and economic infrastructure of Western New York. Increasing the SUNY budget will provide more educational and employment opportunities that are important to Western New Yorkers, especially people of color and other people of marginalized communities,” said Peter De Jesus Jr., President, Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.

"As President of The United Students Government here at Buffalo State College, I know the challenges our students face firsthand. Financial aid, student loans, and a lack of resources play a huge role in a student's ability to successfully complete a degree - and a Fully Funded SUNY is the answer to a longstanding problem here in New York State. Governor Hochul has an opportunity to reverse decades of budgeting which didn't take the stance that New York State should be the national leader in higher education, and now is the time to act,” said James Speaker, Buffalo State United Students Government President.

UUP is requesting $255.8 million in funding to revitalize SUNY, strengthen communities and local economies throughout New York state, and support the public teaching hospitals and health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. UUP’s specific funding requests include:

• $100 million in additional new direct operating aid to SUNY state-operated campuses;
• $68.8 million in debt relief for SUNY public teaching hospitals;
• At least $87 million for public teaching hospitals to fulfill their critical mission of saving lives and stemming the pandemic;
• Expanded eligibility for essential health care worker bonuses so that every front-line health care worker is compensated for their service; and
• An increase in the number of sustainability staff on campuses to better meet the climate crisis threat.

UUP’s Week of Action events continues throughout the week in Albany, New Paltz, Plattsburgh and New York City. For more information on UUP’s NY HEALS campaign and efforts to restore funding and opportunity to public higher education in New York, visit: https://uupinfo.org/legislation/pdf/UUP22StateLegAgenda.pdf.