Over 12 million people in the United States are struggling to make their monthly student loan payments, and millions more see economic and personal opportunities pass as they prioritize paying down their debt. Does this sound like you or someone you know?

Many of these people may qualify for free federal programs that can help reduce their monthly payments and eventually lead to student loan forgiveness, but these lifeline programs are significantly under-enrolled. In an effort to help our members get access to these programs, United University Professions and the American Federation of Teachers are proud to host a Student Debt Clinic which will provide information on how to enroll in Income-Driven Repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

We will be offering a Student Debt Clinic on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at SUNY Binghamton, UUW 325 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

To attend a Student Debt Clinic, you must pre-register here: http://go.aft.org/StudentDebtClinicRSVP. From the “student debt clinic” drop-down menu, please select the UUP clinic that you are interested in attending – they are labeled “UUP [Campus Name] [time] [date].” In the affiliate field, type in the full name of our local (United University Professions), and it will autofill after a few keystrokes.

Registration is first-come, first-serve, and we must cap attendance for a single clinic at 50 participants in order to ensure that we are able to provide maximum assistance to attendees. [If you can’t make one of these clinics, don’t worry – we’re planning on offering them again. If you want to help host a clinic at your worksite, please let us know!]

Managing your student loan debt is the first step in taking on the inequities which plague our system of higher education, and we look forward to seeing you at the Student Debt Clinic and working together to find a collective solution to the problems of student debt and college affordability!

Register now!

Applications for the 2019-202 NYS/UUP Joint Labor-Management Committees, Individual Development Awards (IDA) are now available.  Awards up to $1000  are assigned on a competitive basis.

The deadline for applications is 5:pm, Saturday, February 1, 2020, with decisions about funding made by Friday, March 6, 2020.

Link to Binghamton’s NYS/UUP IDA information and application.

The 2017-18 UUP Binghamton Chapter budget request is available for your review. The budget request will be voted on during the UUP general membership meeting/breakfast on Wednesday, March 1, from 8:30 to 10 a.m in UUW-324. Click here to view the draft budget proposal.

To: President Harvey Stenger, Co-Chair, Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council
From: UUP Executive Board, Binghamton University
Date: March 9, 2016

Re: Resolution in support of 5 Principles of Fair Development

Whereas, Governor Cuomo announced that $2.25 billion in economic and community development funding would be awarded through Round V of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative and the Upstate Revitalization Initiative;

Whereas, the Southern Tier received $500 million as a part of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative Awards and that this historic investment is expected to have a $3 billion impact on the regional economy and create 10,000 new jobs;

Whereas, Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger co-chairs the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council;

Whereas, the UUP acts in the best interests of its members, the SUNY community, and the entire state of New York;

Whereas, the mission of UUP is not only to improve the terms and conditions of employment but also to defend the civil, professional, and human rights of those it represents; and

Whereas, all regional economic development initiatives have impact on the working conditions and well-being of employees at Binghamton University and their families;

Be it Resolved, that the UUP Executive Committee recommends to President Harvey Stenger that all decision-making by the STREDC regarding the allocation of all Upstate Revitalization Initiative Award funds follow these “5 Principles of Fair Development” :

Principle 1: UNIVERSALITY
Development shall increase the ability of all residents of the region to access the resources required to meet their fundamental needs including good jobs, education, health care, food, housing, and social security. It shall address these needs in a coordinated way. No single development goal shall be pursued to the detriment of other fundamental needs. Development must not result in the displacement of individuals or communities.

Principle 2: EQUITY
Development policies must enable equality of opportunity and outcome by prioritizing populations and communities with the greatest need. The Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council shall ensure residents of the region have priority for jobs that pay living wages, are protected in the right to organize, are guaranteed workplace protections and benefits, and communities most in need shall get priority to public services.

Principle 3: PARTICIPATION
Development decisions including, but not limited to, the provision of public contracts, subsidies, tax expenditures, and tax increment financing, must reflect the meaningful input of all residents of the region–or at least those residents most impacted by the development project–and other relevant stakeholders. In order to do so, the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council must create processes at all phases of development, including but not limited to planning, formation, implementation, and monitoring that gather meaningful input from residents and relevant stakeholders.

Principle 4: TRANSPARENCY
Public subsidies for development must be discussed, decided, implemented, and monitored in an open, easily accessible manner that maximizes examination and review by residents of the region.

Principle 5: ACCOUNTABILITY
Public representatives and publicly subsidized developers are under a duty to engage in development that is universal, equitable, indivisible, participatory, and transparent, and shall be held responsible for breach of that duty by an effective means of redress and remedy.

cc: Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council

Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Endicott Performing Arts Center, Washington Avenue, Endicott NY.
Doors open at 5:15 p.m. with speakers starting at 6:00 p.m.  Film begins at 6:15 p.m.

The Public Employees Federation (PEF), CSEA Local 648, and United University Professions (UUP) Binghamton Chapter are proud to present a FREE viewing of the movie SUFFRAGETTE. Speakers include Assemblywoman Lupardo, Broome County Executive Preston, Dr. Leigh A. Wheeler (Binghamton University), and UUP Binghamton Chapter President, Dr. Benita Roth.

The screening is open to the public. (Download Flier)

A voter registration table will be hosted by the League of Women Voters of Broome & Tioga Counties.

1) On February 10, 2016, the Executive Board of the UUP Binghamton Chapter passed the following motion:

MOVED that Binghamton University UUP strongly supports the workers of SODEXO as they negotiate a new contract.   MOTION PASSED WITHOUT DISSENT.  

This motion was passed because hundreds of Sodexho workers on campus, represented by United Professional & Service Employees Union (UPSEU) Local 1222 are in negotiations with Sodexho for a new and fair multi-year contract. The workers are currently working without a contract.  We at Binghamton UUP very much urge Sodexho to negotiate in good faith with the workers and to come to a fair agreement for these vital members of the Binghamton University community  

2) On December 14, 2015, after an email vote, the Executive Board of the UUP Binghamton Chapter passed the following motion via an email vote of 9 in favor and 1 opposed:

The Binghamton Chapter of UUP fully supports the adminstration’s plan to raise graduate student stipends and stands in solidarity with graduate students already at Binghamton University who are asking for equal pay for equal work.  We urge the administration to negotiate in good faith with the graduate students’ representatives so that fairness in compensation for graduate student work is maintained.

Please direct any questions to Benita Roth, Chapter President at broth@binghamton.edu.

A conference for professionals will be held on Wednesday, June 24, 5:30 to 8 pm at Binghamton University – University Union, room 120. Dinner will be provided.

Come and meet professionals from other campuses, share your interests and concerns. The conference topics are to be announced.

This is a free event, space is limited, sigh up early. RSVP by June 17, 2015
Register online: http://bit.ly/13UmyXL

Comments on new proposed federal regulations for teacher preparation are due to the Department of Education on
February 2.

It is very important for individuals and institutions to communicate their concerns to the Department of Education. There are features of these regulations which are likely to have negative consequences for teacher preparation programs and the schools they serve.

Visit UUP’s resource page at the following link for information and assistance. Posted materials include a UUP/PSC Fact Sheet and instructions for submitting comments.

http://uupinfo.org/committees/teached/TeachEdResourcePage.php

Fact Sheet – Proposed Federal Teacher Preparation Accountability Regulations

Sincerely,
Jamie Dangler, PhD
United University Professions
Vice President for Academics
Teacher Education Task Force chair