| Dear Colleagues, We have a start date! UUP and the State will meet on February 4 to begin negotiating a new contract. Our current Agreement expires on July 1, 2026. We want an on-time contract for the first time in recent memory. No delayed raises. No interrupted programs. No uncertainty. We want an on-time contract that meets the needs of our members. In recent rounds, the State has not been willing to begin negotiations until the contract has expired or is about to expire. Getting the State to the table early in this round is an important first step, made possible because of the momentum created by member involvement in our bargaining preparations. We’ve been moving rapidly to prepare without sacrificing the member-driven engagement and thorough preparation, that characterizes our union’s approach to bargaining. As you know we’ve hosted town hall negotiations visits, an extensive negotiation survey where more than 13,000 members identified bargaining priorities, weekly “Know Your Contract” workshops, and much more. Our Negotiations Team has been meeting regularly since April to develop a focused, ambitious, transformational package of bargaining proposals that address the issues raised by our members. Now we are ready to bargain. To achieve the contract we deserve, however, members must stay informed and involved at every step. Can we count on you to take the following immediate steps? Register for a virtual town hall on Feb 3 at noon to kick-off our contract negotiations and show support for your bargaining team. Log in to the UUP Members’ Only page to see our first Negotiations Bulletin. We’ll post regular, detailed reports on progress at the table as well as actions members can take. Log in yourself, but better yet, talk to your colleagues to make sure everyone has login information. If you are having trouble signing in, please call 518-640-6624. Request a “Ready to Bargain” poster for your door or window to show support for our union.Plan to wear UUP or red clothing on 2/4. Take a photo and post to social media with the hashtag #UUPContract. Please tag @uupinfo when posting. Become a Rapid Responder so that we can contact you about important updates, announcements, or actions. We’re excited to get to the table to fight for the workplace provisions that our members want and deserve. Thanks for taking these first steps in our contract campaign; expect more information and contract actions to come! In Solidarity, Fred Kowal, UUP President Bret Benjamin, UUP Chief Contract Negotiator |
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Contract Negotiations Start Feb 4
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Call for 2025-26 Individual Development Awards applications
2025-2026 Individual Development Awards
Deadline for Submitting Applications: March 1, 2026.
Submit your application here: SUBMIT 2025-2026 UUP IDA Application Here
The application process for the Individual Development Awards — a benefit negotiated as part of our statewide Agreement — is now open!!
New Paltz has been allocated $51,949.88 through the statewide Joint Labor-Management Committee (JLMC) for distribution in the current cycle. This IDA cycle covers activities from July 2, 2025 to July 1, 2026. All activities and purchases must have occurred during that time period.
The maximum grant for the IDA program for the entire 2025-2026 cycle is $2,000. Individuals may submit up to two (2) applications for a maximum of $2,000 in total. (Given the number of applications in recent years, most grants have been awarded less than the maximum amount.)
If you are proposing two projects, please submit them in separate applications, via two (2) responses to the IDA submission link.
For more information on all UUP/New York State grant opportunities visit this webpage: https://oer.ny.gov/grant-opportunities
There are new guidelines for this cycle. Please read the guidelines carefully. To go directly to the IDA guidelines, click here: 2025-2026 UUP IDA guidelines.pdf
For the application form that you will need to submit, click here: 2025-2026 UUP IDA Application
For a current list of the 2025-26 IDA Categories and Exclusions, click here. This list summarizes some of the major changes in the guidelines for this UUP IDA cycle.
Submit your application and required materials here: Submit 2025-2026 UUP IDA Application. Be sure to name your file LASTname FIRSTname UUP IDA Application (for example, Wilson Beth UUP IDA application).
Complete the requested information. You will be asked to upload a single file that includes: the application, a brief project description, a brief CV, and supporting documents (such as a conference acceptance letter, workshop brochure, quotes, or announcement). All of this information must be in ONE pdf or word doc file. Please consult the 2025-2026 Categories and Exclusions list for additional information regarding IDA-reimbursable expenses and expenses that are excluded.
Funds are intended to assist eligible employees to develop their full professional potential and to prepare for advancement. Funding may be provided to enhance teaching, research capabilities, professional knowledge, and skills. The deadline for receipt of completed applications is March 1, 2026 –no exceptions.
The activity period for this cycle of IDA awards runs from July 2, 2025 to July 1, 2026. All projects/proposals must occur within that time frame. Part-timers are encouraged to apply, as 15% of the pool of funding available is initially earmarked for them; any funds left unused by part-time employee applications are swept into the remaining pool for full-timers.
The SUNY New Paltz Campus Professional Development Committee, a joint labor-management committee that reviews applications and decides on funding priorities and award amounts, includes:
For UUP:
Ken Nystrom, Anthropology, IDA Committee Chair
Maryalice Citera, Psychology
Mark Rumnit, Scholar’s Mentorship Program
For the Administration:
Anneliese Kniffen, HRDI
Devon Duhaney, Teaching and Learning
Jennifer Palen, Records and Registration
As in recent years, all decisions made by the local IDA committee will be reviewed by the NYS/UUP Joint Labor-Management Committee (aka OER) prior to awarding grants.
If you have any questions or need additional information, contact Mary Thompson at thompsom@newpaltz.edu or Ken Nystrom at nystromk@newpaltz.edu.
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UUP Legislative Win re: AI
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to share a significant victory that UUP achieved just before the holidays. As you may be aware, UUP has strongly advocated for labor protections in instances where SUNY deploys artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Legislation that UUP worked to have introduced and stewarded during the 2025 legislative session was recently signed into law by Governor Hochul which provides significant labor protections for UUP employees when AI technologies are introduced into our workplaces. Specifically, the new law provides that use of AI by SUNY shall not:
– affect existing collective bargaining rights or representation;
– result in an employee’s discharge, displacement or loss of position; this includes partial displacement such as a reduction in the hours of non-overtime work, wages, or employment benefits; and
– permit the transfer of duties and functions currently performed by UUP members to an AI system.
– alter the rights, benefits or privileges of SUNY employees, including but not limited to terms and conditions of employment, civil service status, and collective bargaining unit membership status.
While this is a substantial victory for our members, this is just the beginning of what will be an ongoing fight to preserve our work as AI development continues and its utilization rapidly increases. We are aware, for instance, of a number of new AI technologies that SUNY is introducing that touch core areas of our work, including the SUNY AI tutor, the functions of which SUNY will be sharing with UUP leadership in the coming weeks. UUP is committed to remaining vigilant about the impacts of this and all of the AI programs that are making their way into our work.
To that end, I urge you to contact your chapter or Labor Relations Specialist about any actions or incidents by your campus administration that may infringe upon the protections delineated above. In addition, UUP is in the process of establishing a reporting form through which members can detail campus AI utilization and flag any potential conflicts with our new legal protections. This information will be compiled, tracked and used to help UUP both enforce the current law and to press for ever-stronger protections for public employees as AI is introduced in our workplaces.
In solidarity,
Frederick E. Kowal, Ph.D.
President, United University Professions
