May 18, 2026

Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky has been a good friend to UUP, so much so that UUP honored her with its 2026 Friend of UUP award.

Stavisky, chair of the Senate’s Committee on Higher Education, couldn’t make it to UUP’s 2026 Spring Delegate Assembly to accept the award, but she taped a video for UUP—which was played at the DA-- thanking union leaders for the honor.

Now she’s got her award—courtesy of UUP.

UUP President Fred Kowal delivered the award to Stavisky May 12 and posed for a photo with her, above, in her office at the state Capitol.

“UUP’s relationship with state lawmakers matters to this union the whole year round, and not just during budget season,” said Kowal. “We cultivate good friendships with lawmakers whose ideals and goals match our own, on both sides of the aisle. It’s a bonus for us when these friendships are based on years of trust and mutual respect. We are fortunate indeed to have such a friendship with Senator Toby Ann Stavisky of the 11th Senate District.”

Stavisky, the first woman from Queens County elected to the state Senate and the first woman to chair the Assembly Higher Ed Committee, was elected in 1999 and has served ever since. She is running for reelection this year.

“There’s just a whole different tone, a better tone, in how lawmakers view this union, and we attribute that in no small part to the respect that Sen. Stavisky has for higher education,” Kowal said.

In her video to UUP, Stavisky thanked UUP for honoring her for the award and said she looked forward to working with UUP in the future.

“Together we’ve accomplished a great deal and I’m optimistic about the future,” Stavisky said.