Monday, April 27, 2026
UUP Oneonta, a labor union that Dennis long served, is deeply saddened by his passing. Dennis was UUP Oneonta's longest serving Labor Relations Specialist and a former Chapter Vice President for Professionals. There are people still working at SUNY Oneonta who are owe their position to Dennis. The family of UUP does not forget its own.
For over a generation, Dennis Selzner, his 6'2", 200-pound frame fueled by coffee and cigarettes, served as the hard-travelling LRS for our region, embracing the UUP chapters at Cortland, Binghamton, Delhi, and Oneonta, and he did this with distinction.
As LRS, Dennis gave primacy to the four UUP chapters in his domain, but his relationship with Oneonta was special. In 1967, he left Long Island to attend SUNY Oneonta, majoring in psychology. After graduation in 1971, he remained at the College, first as a Residence Hall Director and later as Assistant Director of Housing.
Passionate about politics and social justice, Dennis became a leader of UUP Oneonta, elected to the position of Vice President for Professionals. It was Dennis Selzner who co-founded and co-named our Chapter newsletter, The Sentinel. With the premature demise of his predecessor, Dennis stepped forward and applied for the LRS position. His long and distinguished service as LRS elicits much appreciation.
I first came to know Dennis decades ago when we served on the College Senate Steering Committee. Early on, I recognized his defining characteristics—piercing intelligence, intensity, idealism, eloquence, and moral courage. Our many years together in UUP forged a strong friendship. During my time as Chapter president, we spent long hours together trying to do our damnedest. We won some and lost some but never lost the faith.
Our thoughts are with Dennis' dear wife, Maureen Seidel, herself a former LRS, his daughters Rebecca and Ryan, and his grandchildren.
Bill Simons, past President &Secretary, UUP Oneonta
