New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta, United University Professions President Frederick Kowal, Professional Staff Congress President James Davis, and United College Employees of Fashion Institute of Technology President Roberta Elins will join dozens of higher education advocates from across New York at the Capitol on Tuesday, February 7 to call for a New Deal for Higher Education in New York: A $4.7 Billion Investment in Our Future.
“New York state must reaffirm public higher education’s role in our society by standing up for a just, inclusive and well-funded public higher education system,” said NYSUT President Andy Pallotta. “We can’t fall into the trap of shifting the increasing costs of public higher education onto the backs of our students.”
“We fully support Governor Hochul’s call for reimagining SUNY as the preeminent institution of higher education in the country,” said Frederick E. Kowal, UUP president. “While we appreciate the funding for SUNY in the Executive Budget, we remain gravely concerned about the untenable financial situation at too many of our campuses, and our three public teaching hospitals. More direct state aid is necessary to eradicate deep-seated financial problems at 19 state-operated campuses, which are facing projected or structural multimillion-dollar deficits. We look forward to partnering with the governor and the Legislature to provide adequate funding necessary to stabilize these campuses and our hospitals.”
“Our institutions are powerful sources of opportunity and economic growth. Yet they have been straining to achieve their missions on austerity budgets,” said PSC President James Davis. “A New Deal for Higher Education, with big investments in CUNY 4-year colleges and community colleges, as well as in SUNY campuses and hospitals across the state, would mean a better education for our students and a stronger New York.”
“The governor and legislature must increase supports for students attending community colleges and four-year campuses statewide. Our students have many needs, such as food insecurity. Wrap around services, like academic and mental health counseling are a must to ensure their academic success,” said Roberta Elins, United College Employees of Fashion Institute of Technology president.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.