(AMHERST) - Not everyone is enamored with the University at Buffalo's 20/20 Plan, which some on campus believe will create dire consequences brought about by the movement away from New York State oversight in the realms of on campus employment and the quality of education for all students, representatives of University at Buffalo/Students Against Sweatshops (UB/SAS) and the Graduate Student Employees Union/CWA (Communications Workers of America) Local 1104 tell WNYLaborToday.com.

"People have to be careful to distinguish between the 20/20 program and the legislation itself," said Chris Buckman, who serves as chief steward for Graduate Student Employees Union/CWA Local 1104.  "Our groups are not against development that will grow the university.  It's just that everything is being bundled up together."

What's worrying many, according to Joanna Boron of the University at Buffalo/Students Against Sweatshops - which conducts on-campus Labor Activism and Solidarity campaigns and uses its ties to the national Students Against Sweatshops organization, where students unite and push for institutional change - "is the privatization of the campus for profit, not education."

Back in November, the two groups held a student-organized, open discussion on the UB 20/20 plan and state legislation (also known as the UB Flexibility and Economic Growth Act).  Among the 30 participants were representatives from United University Professions (UUP), the Graduate Student Employees Union/CWA1104, and students from African and African American studies, as well as Global Gender Studies.

The event's goal was to look into and discuss the consequences of the movement away from state oversight - if given the green light - and what impact it would have on not only the Buffalo community, but on campus workers and on the quality of education for students.  In addition, those who participated in the discussion reportedly also voiced worries the UB Administration would be given the power to carry out tuition hikes without any approval from New York State.

Then on January 15^th, Governor David Paterson announced he will include in his 2010 Executive Budget significant reforms giving the State University of New York System - including UB - the "financial flexibility" to position the system and university to play a major role in the state's economic resurgence and support UB 20/20 as a basis for economic transformation.

"We understand President Simpson is framing his plan as a cure for the problems caused by the budget cuts, and that he calls his tuition increases 'rational' as opposed to the predatory State increases.  It looks to us, however, that the two programs are just two sides of the same coin: the movement away from accessible, publicly-funded education and towards private funding, corporate control and exclusion.  We view the funding threats and attack on the independence of UB's Global Gender Studies and African-American Studies programs as symptomatic of the current crisis and we don't think that increased reliance on private money is the answer," UB/SAS representatives said.  

According to a news story on the discussion that appeared in The Spectrum - UB's Independent Student Newspaper - "one of the primary concerns at the discussion was UB 20/20 would lead to people at UB losing their jobs due to contracting with private companies."

The newspaper story also quoted UUP Representative Edward Herman as saying: The UB 20/20 Program "will contract out jobs (and) nullify Labor Agreements with the various Labor Unions on campus.  The problem is not with UB, the problem is with SUNY.  It needs a lot of fixing."

Buckman of Graduate Student Employees Union wasn't happy with the way UB 2020 is being funded and expressed concerns about the distribution of money, according to The Spectrum story.  "All development is being focused in certain areas.  Other departments will wither," said Buckman, who also expressed concern over budget cuts to some of the smaller departments, including African Studies and Global Gender Studies, programs that some other universities do not offer.  Buckman also said he was wary of a part of the 20/20 legislation, which would allow UB to raise tuition rates while other SUNY schools would remain the same.

"This would allow (UB) President (John) Simpson to raise tuition.  This legislation is not the answer even though it's become the administrator's rhetoric of 'it's good for UB students.'  This would completely open up UB for any purpose," Buckman told WNYLaborToday.com.

UB/SAS Representative Boron told WNYLaborToday.com of her group's concerns over campus employees/workers, such as janitors who were involved in a three-year, Living Wage campaign.  The janitors, who are represented by CSEA (the Civil Service Employees Association) are running into problems with an outside entity that has been contracted to do the work.

"It's the same thing with Tim Horton's on campus.  Those workers aren't Unionized.  They could be, but it's preferred they not be," Boron said.  "We're concerned, that's why we're reaching out to other departments and students on campus and creating a game plan that encompasses all.  This is our university too, and we have the power to keep it that way."

Both the Graduate Students Employees Union and UB SAS say there's been a multitude of misleading information circulated by UB on the 20/20 program and that university events held on the matter are scheduled at times that make attendance by representatives of the Union and UB/SAS next to impossible.  But, the two said their groups are out to change that process.

On another front, the University at Buffalo Students Against Sweatshops group is involving itself in a nationwide Designated Suppliers/Worker's Right Program, which would guarantee that university-licensed products would be guaranteed not to be made by sweatshops.  While a so-called 'Sweat Free Apparel Committee" that advises UB President Simpson had, according to Boron, received approval from Simpson - any movement on the issued has been "stonewalled."

"(Simpson) is ignoring us.  Every time we attempt to get in touch with him by phone or by e-mail, we're told he's not in the office," Boron said.

The movement comes on the heels of CWA Upstate Director David Palmer's unique approach to reach out the national Students Against Sweatshops group in terms of having them help his Union lobby universities to have their licensed-apparel made in the United States.  The CWA is presently working to keep the New Era Cap. Co.'s Derby (N.Y.) manufacturing plant, as well as the Buffalo-headquartered company's Alabama manufacturing plant open.  Should it be decided university licensed apparel be made in the U.S., New Era would greatly benefit by the move of manufacturing from China to U.S. Soil, which would keep both New Era plants open and create a number of new manufacturing jobs at both facilities.

Editor's Note: For more information on UB/SAS, visit ubsas.blogspot.com.

The following appears on the UB/SAS Blogspot Site:

University at Buffalo, Open for Business:

Also known as UB 20/20, the proposed New York State legislation

"The Flexibility and Economic Growth Act"

Part A: The University at Buffalo President can set tuition at different levels for different departments, within limitations.  If those limitations are exceeded, tuition increases can go ahead merely with the approval of the SUNY trustees.  The state legislature is taken out of the process.  New York State and the University system will not be allowed to reduce funding to UB as a reaction to the increased tuition revenue.  They are also not allowed to increase funding to other schools, relative to UB, as a form of compensation.  The other universities and colleges will not have similar rights to raise tuition.  At least 10% of the revenue generated by tuition increases at UB will be set aside to fund financial aid for low-income students.

Part B: The SUNY trustees can lease or sell property now belonging to the UB campuses. This on-campus property can be used for purposes including but not limited to "the development and operation of research, incubator, community, health care, retail, food service, telecommunication, student and faculty housing, energy, governmental, senior community, hotel, conference center and recreational facilities, and for the purpose of maximizing the use of natural resources" (Paragraph 10, Lines 1-6).  Under current law, campus grounds can be made available to the following entities: The State University Construction Fund; The Dormitory Authority or other public benefit corporation; The New York State Teachers' Retirement System; and The New York State Employees' Retirement System.  This list will be expanded to include at UB campuses: "Any other public or private for-profit or non-profit entity" (Paragraph 10, Lines 32-34).  UB can enter freely into "public-private partnerships" and designate UB administrators to be shareholders or board directors of corporations.

Part C: The Trustees can authorize purchases without approval from New York State.  They can enter into contracts for construction, printing, and the purchase and sale of property without oversight by the State Comptroller.

Part D: Creates an account for money raised by UB through tuition increases and all other activities the account will NOT be under the oversight of the state comptroller.

Part E: Under the current law, universities can lease land to alumni associations for the construction of dormitories with approval of the attorney general.  UB will be exempt from such oversight.

"Privatization means taking away any idea that UB may be an institute of higher learning and not simply money making venture.  Only departments that could make the University money would be kept.  Many workers on campus would become contracted out loosing the protections of being in a Union, and tuition would inevitably rise without corresponding raises in financial aid squeezing out Working Class Students.  Some of these are part of the proposals in the Assembly-Senate Bill 2020, but whether or not this bill passes the University will use the excuse of budget cuts to destroy the democracy and mission of the University.  (UB/SAS is) seeing this across the country as Universities willy-nilly cut worker's salaries and benefits, raise tuition, cut departments, but continue to pay exorbitant salaries to administrators, and break ground on new building projects.  Participants left the forum hoping to form a coalition to tackle the corporatization of our University (which in the direction it is heading will no longer even remotely be our University)."