S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  1734

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 14, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by Sens. PARKER, ESPAILLAT -- 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 the state university
  of New York educational opportunity centers

  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, and such additional univer-
sities, 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,  INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS
AS DEFINED IN THIS ARTICLE.
  S 2. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  355-d  to
read as follows:
  S  355-D.  EDUCATIONAL  OPPORTUNITY CENTERS. 1. THERE SHALL BE CREATED
WITHIN THE STATE UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK  A  COMPREHENSIVE  SYSTEM  OF
TUITION  FREE  HIGHER  EDUCATION  INSTITUTIONS  PROVIDING  PROGRAMS  AND
SERVICES THAT PROMOTE THE GROWTH AND STABILITY  OF  THE  STATE'S  EDUCA-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05763-01-5

              

S. 1734                             2

TIONALLY  AND ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES AS REFERRED TO IN THIS
SECTION AS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS.
  2.    SUCH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS SHALL BE MANAGED AND SUPER-
VISED BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY AND SHALL PROVIDE  PROGRAMS  AND  SERVICES
THAT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
  (A)  ACADEMIC PROGRAMS LEADING TO AND INCREASING PERSISTENCE IN HIGHER
EDUCATION;
  (B) VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS LEADING TO CAREER PATHWAYS, GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY;
  (C) COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE SERVICES TO ENHANCE STUDENT RETENTION;
  (D) TARGETED SERVICES FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO UPGRADE  THE  SKILL
LEVELS  OF  EMERGING  AND  INCUMBENT  WORKERS  SUCH  THAT  THEY  SUPPORT
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND THE CREATION AND RETENTION  OF  JOB  OPPORTU-
NITIES;
  (E)  COLLABORATION  WITH  SECONDARY  SCHOOLS TO ASSIST IN THE ACADEMIC
PREPARATION OF AT-RISK YOUTH;
  (F) COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO  INCREASE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CENTER GRADUATES FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND RECEIPT OF
ACADEMIC CREDITS FOR ACADEMIC WORK COMPLETED AT SUCH CENTER;
  (G)  COLLABORATION  WITH  OTHER  STATE  AND  LOCAL AGENCIES, WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT BOARDS AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO MEET EMERGING  STATE-
WIDE PRIORITIES FOR SERVING THE DISADVANTAGED; AND
  (H)  ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY LEAD TO COMMUNITY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
  3. THE STATE UNIVERSITY SHALL FORMULATE A PLAN AND GUIDELINES FOR  THE
ORGANIZATION,  DEVELOPMENT,  COORDINATION  AND  OPERATION OF EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY CENTERS AND MAY PROMULGATE SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS NECES-
SARY TO CARRY OUT THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION.  SUCH  PLAN  SHALL
INCLUDE:
  (A) DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC AND ECONOMIC ELIGIBILITY PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT STATE RESIDENCY BE A MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT;
  (B)  PROCEDURES  FOR THE SELECTION OF SUCH STUDENTS FOR ADMISSION TO A
CENTER;
  (C) PROGRAM OBJECTIVES INCLUDING COORDINATION  WITH  THE  UNIVERSITY'S
LONG RANGE MISSION AND GOALS; AND
  (D) PROGRAM EVALUATION AND REPORTING.
  4.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS SECTION, THE EMPLOYEES
OF THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS OPERATED IN COOPERATION WITH  THE
CITY  UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND/OR A COLLEGE WITHIN THE CITY UNIVERSITY
OF NEW YORK SHALL BE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF  NEW  YORK  AND
SHALL  RETAIN  THEIR RESPECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT REPRESENTATION.  NOTHING
IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO WAIVE OR IMPAIR ANY RIGHTS  OR  BENE-
FITS  OF  EMPLOYEES  OF  THE  CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK THAT OTHERWISE
WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF  AGREEMENTS  BETWEEN
THE  CERTIFIED REPRESENTATIVES OF SUCH EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY UNIVERSITY
OF NEW YORK PURSUANT TO ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal  of  any  rule  or  regulation
necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized and directed to be made  and  completed  on  or  before  such
effective date.