For Immediate Release

July 28, 2022

ALBANY, NY – Today, United University Professions (UUP), the nation’s largest higher education union, issued the following statement on the SUNY Board of Trustees allocation of new state budget funding:

"This past budget session, UUP members were the loudest voices advocating on behalf of the State University system for the sorely-needed resources to provide the highest quality public higher education in the country. We were successful in these efforts and are now seeing over $250 million allocated for public campuses across New York. These funds will allow UUP members at the state-operated campuses and public teaching hospitals to continue educating, healing, and conducting research that is critical in our communities.

"UUP is in full agreement with the Chancellor, the Chair of the SUNY Board, and the Trustees that operating funds must be made permanent in the State's budget. Such funds are needed to restore our campuses not just from the disruptions of COVID, but more markedly following decades of disinvestment and austerity budgets. For our campuses to maintain ratios of faculty and staff to students that are comparable to other institutions and that ensure student success, we need further state investment and must make a shift away from an over-reliance on student tuition dollars.

"We are disappointed that the formula created by SUNY and the Finance Committee of the SUNY Board of Trustees does not provide more operating funds to the comprehensive four-year campuses that have seen significant fiscal stress due to COVID and state disinvestment. As UUP continues to advocate for the resources our members need to serve students and communities, we implore the Governor and the SUNY Board of Trustees to recognize that the diversity and specialization of our SUNY campuses is critical to New York State. None of our institutions should be left behind."