Green Energy Intellectual Capital Investment Fund

Summary
The Green Energy Intellectual Capital Investment Fund would use private and state monies
to develop and expand clean technology and renewable energy programs at SUNY campuses.
This initiative includes plans to buy and upgrade equipment and hire new faculty and staff.
START-UP NY clean technology and renewable energy businesses that locate on or near
SUNY campuses would be required to pay a percentage of the cost to create and expand
campus renewable energy programs. That investment would be matched by the state.
In return, campuses would be required to create a set number of new renewable energy
courseswithout impacting current course offerings. Campuses would use the public/private
funds to buy new equipment, upgrade old infrastructure and hire needed faculty and
professional staff. Equipment and infrastructure upgrades would become property of the
campuses and designated for use by students and START-UP NY companies.
By working with START-UP NY companies, the program would provide students with
hands-on learning opportunities with a renewable energy company.
The initiative would also create a pipeline of SUNY students prepared to enter
renewable energy fields.
SUNY campuses with renewable energy programs
Several of SUNYs Tech Sector campuses offer programs related to renewable energy:
SUNY Alfred: Biological science
SUNY Canton: Alternative and renewable energy systems
SUNY Cobleskill: Environmental and energy technologies
SUNY Delhi: Integrated energy systems
SUNY Morrisville: Renewable energy technology
Campuses such as SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) and
SUNY Farmingdale, which have traditionally been considered tech sector, though
not categorized that way by the state, also have renewable energy-related initiatives:
ESF: SUNY Center for Sustainable and Renewable Energy
Farmingdale: Renewable Energy and Sustainability Center

UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS PRESIDENT FREDERICK E. KOWAL, PH.D.

518.640.6600 FAX: 518.640.6698 WWW.UUPINFO.ORG

Recruiting and Educating Teachers for All

Summary
Recruiting and Educating Teachers for All is a teacher opportunity program designed to recruit and
retain teachers in underresourced rural, urban and suburban districts. It would also increase the
participation rate of underrepresented and economically disadvantaged individuals in teaching careers.
The program is modeled after the states successful Educational Opportunity Program and is meant
to increase diversity in New Yorks teaching ranks. It would also create a pipeline of qualified, energetic
young teachers to districts facing teacher shortages.
Recruiting and Educating Teachers for All would provide:
Admission and completion opportunities/support for economically disadvantaged
prospective teachers;
Financial resources and direct faculty and advisor support to help students
prepare for and complete teacher certification requirements;
Support services designed to assist students with academic, career and
personal counseling, and tutoring and supplemental instruction; and
Financial assistance for non-tuition-related expenses (exams and other
fees, books and supplies, and transportation costs for required completion
of 100 hours of field work and distant student teaching placements).
Recruiting and Educating Teachers for All would serve full-time and part-time undergraduate and
graduate students completing requirements for Initial or Transitional Certification.
The program would be available at all 17 SUNY campuses that have teacher education programs.
Program eligibility
Eligible candidates must:
Be a high school or community college student seeking admission to a SUNY
teacher education program leading to initial certification; or
Be a sophomore, junior, or senior enrolled full-time or part-time in a registered
undergraduate SUNY teacher education program leading to initial certification; or
Be a paraprofessional, such as teacher aide or assistant, employed full-time
and matriculated part-time in a SUNY teacher education program; or
Be a graduate student enrolled full-time or part-time in a registered SUNY graduate teacher
education program which satisfies the academic requirements for professional certification;
Be a New York state resident for 12 months prior to enrollment;
Require special admissions consideration; and
Qualify as economically disadvantaged according to the guidelines (see below).
In selecting students for the program, priority is given to applicants from
historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Income Guidelines
To be eligible for the program, prospective students would have to meet stringent income requirements.
Those requirements range from a maximum of $21,775 annually for a one-person household to a
maximum of $67,951 for an eight-person family.

UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS PRESIDENT FREDERICK E. KOWAL, PH.D.

518.640.6600 FAX: 518.640.6698 WWW.UUPINFO.ORG

Stop Testing Companies from Profiting from Faulty Exams

Summary
UUP is proposing an amendment to state Procurement Law that would prohibit educational
testing companies or vendors from profiting from student exam fees associated with educational
products or services delivered by a testing company to the State Education Department (SED).
This legislation would bar vendors from profiting from fees charged to students for a product
(exams, etc.) developed for the state. Under this legislation, the state would pay vendors for
the products development; the products administration would rest solely with SED, which
would also collect any and all appropriate testing fees.
Background
Currently, testing companies such as Pearson Inc. can enter into contracts with the state
to develop testssuch as teacher certification examswithout charging the state money
for the service. The testing companies create and assess a product with no charge to the
state. The companies profit by administering the exams and charging fees to students
to take the examswhich almost always are mandatory for licensing or certification.
Teacher candidates can spend $1,000 or more in fees to take and retake the tests,
which are mandatory for certification. The testing company profits if students fail
and have to retake exams.
The company also benefits if the exams design is faulty and those errors cause students
to fail and retake tests. Since the company profits every time a student takes an exam,
there is little incentive for the company to fix the problems.
This has been the case with several SED tests required for teacher certification. In May,
the state Board of Regents created safety nets for four teacher certification exams after
determining that those tests are flawed and were poorly rolled out by SED. But students
must take and fail the new certification examsfrom which Pearson profitsbefore they
can use the alternatives.

UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS PRESIDENT FREDERICK E. KOWAL, PH.D.

518.640.6600 FAX: 518.640.6698 WWW.UUPINFO.ORG

Teaching Health Care Fellow

UUP is proposing to establish a Teaching Health Care Fellow program at the University
at Buffalo. It would require $15 million for the university to set up the program.
The Teaching Health Care Fellow will be a clinical and administrative leader, with an
M.D. or D.O. degree and five to 10 years or more in clinical practice experience.
Each Teaching Health Care Fellow will be responsible for mentoring and working with
approximately 10 resident physicians. As many as 75 Teaching Health Care Fellows would
be in the programs first year. This program is necessary because the University at Buffalo
does not have a state-run teaching hospital, unlike the other SUNY health sciences centers
in Brooklyn, Stony Brook and Syracuse.
The Teaching Health Care Fellows will supplementnot replaceattending physicians
already involved in residency education. The Teaching Health Care Fellows would supervise
residents in community settings and coordinate care between health care institutions and
community-based organizations.
This proposal aligns with the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program
in New York State and the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Each Teaching Health Care Fellow would be assigned to one of 11 Buffalo area health
care facilities:
Buffalo General Medical Center
DeGraff Memorial Hospital
Erie County Medical Center
Kenmore Mercy Hospital
Mercy Hospital of Buffalo
Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital
Olean General Hospital
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Sisters of Charity Hospital
Women & Childrens Hospital of Buffalo
VA Medical Center, VA Western New York Healthcare System
Each Fellow will rotate to a different facility annually.
Teaching Health Care Fellows would be limited to 20 percent of clinical practice time,
so they can devote the bulk of their time to working with residents.
The Teaching Health Care Fellow position is expected to be a permanent SUNY employee
position, with a clinical track to be developed for advancement and recognition.

UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS PRESIDENT FREDERICK E. KOWAL, PH.D.

518.640.6600 FAX: 518.640.6698 WWW.UUPINFO.ORG