S3294-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
• Feb 15, 2011: REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

S3294-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3294

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to providing for an
internet-based college within the state university of New York system;
and to authorize the trustees of the state university of New York to
establish a four-year SUNY internet-based college

PURPOSE:
Authorizes the establishment of a SUNY internet-based college.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Amend subdivision 3 of section 352 of the Education Law as amended by
chapter 552 of the Laws of 1985; The Board of Trustees of the State
University of New York is authorized and directed to take all actions
to create and establish within the State University System and
subject to the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees an
internet-based college available solely on line.

JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation is an important opportunity to work with SUNY and the
appropriate labor unions to develop New York's colleges of the
future. It is wise to take into account, what may well become one of
the ways higher education will be managed and dispensed in the future.

Improving, developing and offering virtual schools and classrooms, is
vital to low-income individuals and working parents. Although it has
been our intent to make public higher educational institutions
accessible and affordable; unfortunately, the cost of public higher
education in New York State is out of reach to too many individuals.

This proposal does not threaten any current SUNY school or its
personnel. This proposal merely directs SUNY to begin, without
hesitation, to develop our next generation of schools.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.6707/A.9397 (2010)

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S3294-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    3294

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              February 15, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens. DeFRANCISCO, LARKIN, RANZENHOFER -- read twice and
    ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
    Higher Education

  AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law, in relation to providing for an
    internet-based college within the state university of New York system;
    and to authorize the trustees of the state university of New  York  to
    establish a four-year SUNY internet-based college

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section  352  of  the  education  law,  as
  amended  by  chapter  552  of  the  laws  of 1985, is amended to read as
  follows:

    3. The state university shall consist of the four  university  centers
  at  Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook, the designated colleges
  of arts and sciences at Brockport, Buffalo, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo,
  New Paltz, Old  Westbury,  Oneonta,  Oswego,  Plattsburgh,  Potsdam  and
  Purchase,  empire state college, the agricultural and technical colleges
  at Alfred, Canton, Cobleskill, Delhi, Farmingdale and Morrisville, down-
  state medical center, upstate medical center, the college of  optometry,
  the college of environmental science and forestry, maritime college, the
  college  of technology at Utica/Rome, the statutory or contract colleges
  at Cornell university and Alfred university, THE INTERNET-BASED COLLEGE,
  and such  additional  universities,  colleges  and  other  institutions,
  facilities  and  research  centers  as  have  been  or  hereafter may be
  acquired, established, operated or contracted to  be  operated  for  the
  state by the state university trustees.
    S  2.  (a) The trustees of the state university of New York are hereby
  authorized and directed to immediately take all actions  to  create  and
  establish  within the state university system, and subject to the juris-
  diction of such board of trustees, an internet-based college as a  four-
  year state university of New York available solely online.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD09090-01-1

 S. 3294                             2

    (b)  The  board  of trustees of the state university of New York shall
  select the location of the administration for such  college  within  the
  state  of  New  York  and  provide for such college to be an accessible,
  affordable, competitive, four-year,  bachelor's  level,  degree-granting
  college of the state university.
    (c)  The  purpose  of  this  internet-based  college shall be to offer
  degree programs in an exclusively online format at an affordable price.
    (d) The board of trustees of the state university of  New  York  shall
  conduct  all  the  duties  required under article 8 of the education law
  upon the establishment of the state university  of  New  York  internet-
  based  college, establish a master plan, establish standards and promul-
  gate any necessary rules and regulations for the establishment  of  such
  college.
    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.