NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira, center, talks with Alison Doughtie, left, president of the Mohawk Valley Community College Professional Association, and Roberta Elins, president of the United College Employees at FIT, during a recent meeting of NYSUT's Higher Education Council. The council, which advises the union on higher education policy, discussed the forthcoming changes to teacher preparation programs and the ramifications of the so-called fiscal cliff that could cost New York state 4,000 higher education jobs and could affect 400,000 college students through cuts in financial aid. (See related story.) Photo by El-Wise Noisette.