Act Now to Urge More City Funding for CUNY
Mayor Bloomberg’s Executive Budget proposes a slight increase in funding for CUNY community colleges, but it depends too much on tuition hikes and doesn’t meet the needs of low-income, minority and immigrant students who attend CUNY. Visit our City Budget Campaign page to learn the issues, and then send a letter to the New York City Council demanding greater investment in CUNY.
State Legislative Initiatives 2012
Albany finished the budget, but there still are important legislative initiatives to enact. Next Monday and Tuesday, dozens of PSC members will travel to Albany to take part in NYSUT’s second Committee of 100 Lobby Day. In face-to-face meetings with their legislators, PSC members will join colleagues from around the state to advocate for legislation to provide unemployment insurance for adjuncts, increase transparency at the CUNY and SUNY Research Foundations and college foundations, prevent workplace bullying, expand college access for undocumented students and improve CUNY trustee selection. Visit our State Legislative Priorities 2012 page to read about the bills, download advocacy materials, and take action online.
Silent Vigil at Brooklyn College—Wednesday, May 16
Please join our colleagues and students at Brooklyn College on Wednesday, May 16 for a silent vigil to protest the use of extraordinary force and arrests to break up a non-violent demonstration by students on May 2. The vigil will start outside Boylan Hall at 12:30 PM. The PSC Delegate Assembly passed a resolution on May 10 condemning the actions by CUNY and its security forces, and called for support of the May 16 demonstration. Read the Brooklyn College PSC chapter’s webpage for the chapter’s call to action and their letter of protest to Brooklyn College President Karen Gould. See the Reclaim Brooklyn College website for video from May 2.
Another City is Possible Rally—Tuesday, May 15 at Times Square
The “Another City is Possible” week of action, sponsored by a broad coalition of groups, will culminate this Tuesday, May 15 with a day-long schedule of actions. PSC will participate in the Economic Injustice Tour of Midtown Manhattan, which begins at 4:00 PM in Bryant Park (Look for us in the Northwest corner of the park) and the mass convergence that starts at 6:00 PM in Times Square. PSC will be at the tour and rally to protest cuts to higher education and unfair tax loopholes for the corporations and the rich.
Get Ready to Graduate Day of Action—Friday, May 18 at BMCC
A network of student activist groups is organizing a statewide day of action on Friday, May 18 to demand funding for public higher education and highlight the lack of opportunities for graduating seniors. Students United for a Free CUNY is organizing a schedule of events that begins with a Rally/ Performances/ Speak-out at BMCC at 12:00 noon. Learn more about the day’s events at their Facebook event page. Please join our students in their demands for “funding for education not wars, not deportations, not prisons!”
Count Me In 2012
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), PSC’s national affiliate, is kicking off the campaign to re-elect President Obama by asking every union member: Can we count you in? When AFT endorsed President Obama for re-election in February, they cited his record of accomplishments and his commitment to fight for the middle class, and they pointed to the positions taken by Mitt Romney during the Republican Primary. The Republican primaries put Romney’s priorities on full view, making it clear that his vision for our country’s future is not compatible with the needs of American students and educators. While the AFT and the PSC have not always agreed with the administration on educational issues, President Obama knows that our country cannot prosper without investment in public education paid for with more progressive taxation. This election is too important to sit out, so let the AFT know, we can count on you.
Union-Wide Election Results—New Caucus Re-Elected
On May 8, The Elections Committee certified the results for the 2012 PSC-CUNY elections for the 27-member Executive Council (including president, first vice president, secretary and treasurer), and delegates to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), and American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Newly-elected officials take on May 21. The election was uncontested (with the exception of one delegate position to the AFT convention/ NYSUT RA). The New Caucus slate won all positions in all the spring elections. Links to the lists of the winners are on the Elections Committee webpage.
One-on-One Retirement Advice, On Campus
CUNY employees who enroll in the Optional Retirement Program with TIAA-CREF can arrange to attend a one-on-one counseling session to learn more about the benefits available. Here’s a schedule of upcoming individual counseling sessions that will take place at CUNY Campuses through the remainder of May and June of 2012. To schedule a personal advice session, call 800 732-8353, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 8 PM.
Clarion and PSC-CUNY.ORG Receive NYSUT Journalism Awards
Congratulations to the Clarion and PSC communications staff for the awards they received in the annul NYSUT Journalism Awards, and to PSC member-activist Michelle Fine, who won first place in the category of Best Opinion Writing for her Viewpoint piece “Reclaiming Public Institutions, Our Best Hope for a Vibrant Democracy.” The Clarion also received awards of merit in the categories of Best Publication and Best Editorial Design. The website (www.psc-cuny.org) won awards of merit in the Best Website and Best Community Outreach Using Electronic Media categories.
