Sharply increasing enrollment figures at the State University of New York dramatically illustrate the pressing need for more full-time faculty, according to United University Professions President William E. Scheuerman.

"SUNY's enrollment growth means more full-time faculty are needed to be certain there are enough to serve this growing student population and maintain quality programs," Scheuerman said.

New figures show SUNY enrollment is up by about 10,000 students, including a 3 percent increase in freshmen.

Scheuerman said the Legislature "did the right thing" in overriding the governor's veto and adding 380 more full-time faculty positions in its current budget.

"While this is a big step in the right direction, SUNY needs to hire additional full-time faculty just to keep up," he said.

Over the last 10 years, Scheuerman noted, SUNY has gained 56,000 students overall while losing 1,000 full-time faculty in the state-operated campuses alone.

"The current state budget funding only begins to close that gap, but with rising enrollment that gap will only get wider," Scheuerman added. He warned that without more full-time SUNY faculty, more students would be forced to attend college outside New York.

According to SUNY, more than 80 percent of its graduates work in the state following graduation.

UUP is asking SUNY to address this growing need for more full-time faculty in its next budget request to the governor. The union is the NYSUT affiliate representing academic and professional faculty at SUNY.