S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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4890
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 8, 2021
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Introduced by M. of A. PICHARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the establishment of
the PRODi-G EOP to PhD loan forgiveness program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 21 to read as follows:
21. PRODI-G EOP TO PHD LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. A. PROGRAM. NOTWITH-
STANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY, THE
STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES ARE AUTHORIZED TO GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVE-
NESS AWARDS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION IN ORDER TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN
FACULTY MEMBERS FROM DIVERSE AND UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS AT THE
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
B. ELIGIBILITY. FIRST PRIORITY FOR AWARDS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION
SHALL GO TO APPLICANTS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY ENROLLED IN THE EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM AS DEFINED IN SECTION SIXTY-FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO
OF THIS CHAPTER. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVI-
SION, AN APPLICANT SHALL: (I) HAVE GRADUATED FROM A HIGH SCHOOL LOCATED
IN NEW YORK STATE OR ATTENDED AN APPROVED NEW YORK STATE PROGRAM FOR A
STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA AND RECEIVED SUCH HIGH SCHOOL
EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA; (II) HAVE GRADUATED AND OBTAINED A GRADUATE DEGREE
FROM A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY FROM THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK IN OR
AFTER THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO ACADEMIC
YEAR; (III) APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM WITHIN TWO YEARS OF OBTAINING SUCH
DEGREE; AND (IV) BE EMPLOYED AS AN ELIGIBLE FACULTY MEMBER, AT THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK. THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK MAY ESTABLISH
ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AS IT DEEMS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE.
C. SELECTION PROCESS. THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SHALL ESTABLISH
A PROCESS FOR SELECTING AWARD RECIPIENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
SETTING APPLICATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND A METHOD OF SELECTING
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08324-01-1
A. 4890 2
RECIPIENTS IF THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT FUNDS TO COVER THE NEEDS OF ALL
APPLICANTS.
D. AWARDS. LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS MAY BE GRANTED TO REIMBURSE AN
AWARD RECIPIENT'S STUDENT LOAN EXPENSES UP TO A MAXIMUM OF TEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS PER QUALIFYING YEAR OF ACADEMIC SERVICE, AS DEFINED BY THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE YEARS. AWARDS SHALL BE
GRANTED WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND BASED ON
THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
"STUDENT LOAN EXPENSE" SHALL MEAN THE TOTAL LOAN BALANCE REQUIRED TO BE
PAID BY THE AWARD RECIPIENT ON THE CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF THE AWARD RECIPI-
ENT'S OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOANS COVERING HIS OR HER COST OF ATTENDANCE
AT AN UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION AND/OR GRADUATE SCHOOL, AT THE TIME OF
THE AWARD RECIPIENT'S FIRST APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT. INTEREST
PAID OR DUE ON SUCH LOANS SHALL BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT
UNDER THIS PROGRAM. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS CALCULATION, THE AMOUNT OF THE
STUDENT LOAN EXPENSES SHALL BE REDUCED BY ANY GRANTS, LOAN FORGIVENESS,
OR SIMILAR REDUCTIONS TO THE FACULTY MEMBER'S INDEBTEDNESS THAT THE
FACULTY MEMBER HAS RECEIVED OR SHALL RECEIVE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, GRADUATE SCHOOL LOAN FORGIVENESS AND PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIPS.
THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK IS AUTHORIZED TO IMPOSE SERVICE
REQUIREMENTS OR OTHER SIMILAR CONDITIONS UPON ACCEPTANCE OF AN AWARD
PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
E. RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK IS AUTHOR-
IZED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND MAY PROMULGATE EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SUBDIVISION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.