United University Professions

Stony Brook University

President’s Message

Greetings Colleagues,

I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude for your support in the election. It is an honor to serve as Stony Brook’s West Chapter UUP President, and I look forward to working together to strengthen our union and advocate for our members. As we welcome the arrival of spring and the conclusion of another academic year, I want to acknowledge the dedication and resilience you have demonstrated—this year may have been calmer than the last, but it has been just as demanding.

During the past fall semester, my primary focus as interim president was on growing UUP membership and reinforcing the delegation representing our members. While there were challenges along the way, I remained steadfast in my commitment to achieving our goals within the necessary timeline. One significant milestone was the amendment of our chapter Bylaws to allow for additional officer positions, ensuring stronger representation for our members—thank you to all who supported this essential change.

Additionally, our New Employee Orientation (NEO) presentation process has been successfully revamped in collaboration with Human Resources, making it more structured and effective. As a result of strategic process changes, employee engagement, and organized outreach, we have secured three additional delegate positions for both professional and academic members. These new positions amplify our voice at the statewide Delegate Assembly, where we vote on resolutions and other critical matters affecting our union.

Over the past several months, our chapter has been actively preparing for the union election by hosting meetings, luncheons, and welcoming a visit from our statewide liaison officer, Jeri O’Bryan-Losee, Secretary/Treasurer. She also conducted an Election 101 informational workshop to encourage member participation and leadership. Knowledge is power, and it is exciting to educate and empower our members. This leads me to an important message—participation. A strong union is built on active engagement, not just dues. You are the union. When you participate, others follow. Organize, contribute, and support your union—it’s how we build strength together.

Beyond our own election, the national election last fall brought significant changes, and this past winter, Stony Brook University experienced the impact of federal funding reductions from the National Institutes of Health. Many faculty members and researchers are grappling with the consequences of grant reductions and non-renewals. With NIH funding cut by 45%, critical research is at risk of being stalled or eliminated entirely. I applaud the courage and resilience of those affected and want to take a moment to recognize my colleagues, Fred Walter and Brenda Anderson, who answered the call to participate in Advocacy Day—your wisdom and dedication are deeply valued.

Looking ahead, UUP has many committees and campus events. We will be hosting an Ice Cream Social on May 28th from 1:00–3:00 PM to celebrate the end of the semester. I encourage you to stay informed through our Happy Pay Day postings for updates on upcoming events. We have several exciting initiatives planned for the year, and I am confident that we are off to a strong start.

We are all eager to welcome our new university president, Andrea Goldsmith, who will officially join Stony Brook University this August. I personally look forward to our required officer meeting with her and the opportunity to collaborate on ways to support our faculty and staff.

As I close this note, I recognize that much of the work UUP does happens behind the scenes, and many challenges lie ahead—but standing together is how we push back on obstacles and create meaningful change.

I am excited for the next term and look forward to working alongside each of you.

In Solidarity,
Louise Melious

Campus Parking Cost Comparisons

UUP member volunteers compiled a comprehensive list of parking fees incurred at each SUNY campus, as well as the private colleges and universities on Long Island.

Based on these findings, nearly 85% of SUNY campuses charge less than $50 per year, with more than 50% of those schools providing free parking. Stony Brook management’s current parking proposal, which was initially presented in February, seeks to charge upwards of $600 per year to park on campus.

Click here to see what other SUNY campuses and Long Island schools charge for parking. Thank you to our volunteers!

Our Voice, Our Power

Welcome to UUP!

United University Professions (UUP) is the nation’s largest higher education union, with more than 42,000 academic and professional faculty and retirees. UUP members work at 29 State University of New York campuses, plus System Administration, Empire State College, and SUNY’s public teaching hospitals and health science centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse. UUP is affiliated with New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.

Representation

UUP represents SUNY faculty and other professionals at the bargaining table and works to protect their interests by:

Achieving improvements in salary, fringe benefits, working conditions and retirement programs.
Providing funding for professional growth and development through leaves, awards, conferences and other grant programs.
Obtaining state resources for the State University through effective legislative and political action.
Seeking to enhance and preserve the quality of the University.