Standing Up, Fighting Back—And Doing the Work
Last month, I attended the annual Higher Education Policy Council meeting sponsored by our State affiliate, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), followed by Lobby Day in Albany. Needless to say, there was much to talk about.
We have all seen the major changes and upheaval surrounding public education at the national level. There is now real uncertainty about things we may have taken for granted in our country: a fully staffed and functional federal Department of Education, the freedom of our students to learn, funding for critical research and for initiatives to foster equity, and other mainstays of an education system that has made our country truly great.
The vagueness of the “guidance” and directives coming from Washington make it difficult to map out a comprehensive plan in response at this point. Many of the changes are currently being fought in our legal system, and the outcomes are unclear. But one thing is certain: a unanimous sense of urgency among our union brothers and sisters at other SUNY community college locals, at the City University, and at our state and national affiliates (NYSUT and the American Federation of Teachers). We are united in our commitment to fight for our students, our colleagues, and our public colleges and universities.
As we strategize with union colleagues about the most effective ways to fight these proposed changes nationally, we continue to press our case on state and local levels. We are again calling for a “New Deal for Higher Education” in New York State, where SUNY and CUNY (especially our community colleges) have labored for far too long under austerity budgets. Now that our colleges and universities are under attack nation-wide, we need New York to lead the way in providing a well-funded system of public higher education. But the modest increases in the 2025-26 Executive Budget (with cuts in some other areas) are not enough to do the job.
NYSUT’s proposed “New Deal” is built on four pillars of State investment:
- Increased operating aid and funding for academic programs and services, and new faculty hires across our public higher education systems;
- Strengthened student support programs and services like EOP, advising, and student success initiatives;
- Increased access to higher education, by expanding on the Governor’s proposed New York Opportunity Promise Scholarship; and
- Capital funding that will address pressing infrastructure needs.
To pay for these investments, NYSUT is proposing that we confront the fact that New York has become a “tale of two States.” On one hand, we have almost 20 million New Yorkers, most of whom earn an average of about $49,000 a year; on the other, we have 128 billionaires, earning an average of $2.8 million annually. The vast majority of New Yorkers struggle with rising housing, transportation, and healthcare costs, forcing many to leave; meanwhile, the billionaires added $332 billion to their wealth over the last 7 years.
NYSUT is proposing two small changes to the State’s tax structure, to share the wealth more fairly and pay for a public higher education system that will keep New Yorkers right here:
- A one-half percent increase for those earning over $5 million, and for those earning over $25 million; and
- A less than 2% increase for the wealthiest corporations in the State.
Together, these small changes would have a huge impact on State revenues, generating an estimated $3 billion to benefit all New Yorkers, and provide fiscal sustainability for SUNY and CUNY.
We are also working with NYSUT to “Fix Tier Six” of the Teachers Retirement System. If you joined TRS after April 1, 2012, you’re a member of Tier 6—and you probably already know that means you have reduced benefits compared to previous retirement pension tiers:
- Unlike Tier 4 members, whose contributions are capped at 3 percent and end after 10 years, Tier 6 members pay 3 to 6 percent of their salaries into the pension system their entire career — and their contributions grow with pay raises.
- While Tier 4 members can retire at 55 with 30 years of service, Tier 6 members must work to age 63, up to 40 years of service, or face heavy penalties.
In real terms:
- Your average Tier 4 member retiring at 55 with 30 years would receive 60 percent of her Final Average Salary. She can retire and collect her pension, penalty free, with 30 years of service at 55 years old.
- Your average Tier 6 member, on the other hand, retiring at 55 with 30 years, would only receive 26.4 percent of her Final Average Salary — after paying tens of thousands more into the system. She can’t retire and collect her pension, without facing heavy penalties, until she’s 63!
NYSUT has been working for years to reform Tier 6, and some real successes have been won, but we’re not done yet. We need to keep advocating for change until members of Tier 6 (AND Tier 5) enjoy the same benefits as Tier 4 members.
That’s why we are proud to be hosting a NYSUT March and Rally HERE ON THE WCC CAMPUS to FIX TIER 6 on Thursday, March 6, from 4:00-5:30 pm. We will stand in solidarity with NYSUT, our fellow Westchester union locals and our elected officials, to call for change. We are also hoping to use this opportunity to highlight pension inequities for our adjunct faculty here at WCC, who take an inordinate amount of time to vest in TRS due to an outmoded method of reporting time to the retirement system.
I know we are all feeling the deep unease surrounding the shifts and changes that seem to be swirling around us in public education. I also know that despite the challenges of our current environment, you will continue to do the amazing and essential work that you do on behalf of our students. I hope you will take some comfort knowing that in this uncertain time, your Union continues to do the work as well, fighting on their behalf, and yours.
