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| You should have received in the mail recently a nomination form for Special Elections this Spring. Sorry for the surprise–statewide got ahead of us a bit on this! Here’s what’s going on: Chapter President Beth Wilson will be retiring from SUNY at the end of the current academic year. She has submitted her resignation from the position of Chapter President effective May 31, so there will be a vacancy in this important position for the remaining year of the current term. At its December meeting, members of our chapter Executive Committee discussed the options to fill this vacancy–which include a simple majority vote by the EC to appoint someone to the post. It was the consensus of our leadership that in the interests of greater transparency and union democracy, it would be better to run a full Chapter election, allowing all members to vote. And so this is why nomination forms were sent out this week by statewide–we are now in the nomination period, which closes on March 4 (when all nominations are due to arrive in the statewide UUP office). Academic members will only see a spot on the form to nominate for the position of President; Professional members will also have an opportunity to nominate for Vice President of Professionals, another position which is currently vacant. All nominations received will be posted to the Members Only portal at www.uupinfo.org by March 6; voting will take place via snail mail ballots between March 16 and April 20. Ballots will be counted by the statewide Constitution and Governance Committee, and the winners will be announced on or about April 22. |
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Special Chapter Elections 2026
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Contract Negotiations Start Feb 4
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 -
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.
