S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   1046
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. COONEY, BROUK, GOUNARDES, RIVERA -- 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 establishing the
   Charles L. Reason fellowship for the  purpose  of  increasing  faculty
   diversity in higher education in New York

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Article 130 of title 7 of the education law  is  renumbered
 article 129-C and a new section 6457 is added to read as follows:
   §  6457.  CHARLES  L. REASON FELLOWSHIP. 1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.  THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL AWARD GRANTS TO DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS  IN  NEW
 YORK  OR TO CONSORTIA OF SUCH INSTITUTIONS TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF
 INCREASING ACCESS BY MINORITY  OR  DISADVANTAGED  STUDENTS  TO  ACADEMIC
 PROGRAMS  THAT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND THAT PREPARE
 STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY GROUPS TO EARN TERMINAL ACADEMIC
 DEGREES AND  BECOME  HIGHER  EDUCATION  FACULTY  MEMBERS.  STUDENTS  WHO
 COMPLETE  THE  UNDERGRADUATE  FELLOWSHIP  AND  ENROLL  IN  A  PROGRAM AS
 DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION  SHALL  BE  ELIGIBLE  FOR
 LOAN  FORGIVENESS  PAYMENTS  TO  FURTHER ASSIST THEIR CAREERS AS FACULTY
 MEMBERS.
   2. CHARLES L. REASON  FELLOWSHIP.  (A)  (I)  UNDERGRADUATE  FELLOWSHIP
 MONEYS   MAY  BE  USED  FOR  TUTORING,  COUNSELING,  FACULTY  MENTORSHIP
 EXPENSES,  SUPPLEMENTAL  FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE,  PROGRAM  ADMINISTRATION
 INCLUDING  STAFF,  SUMMER RESEARCH OR SIMILAR ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR
 PARTICIPATING FELLOWS, STUDENT TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR ACADEMIC CONFERENCES,
 AND OTHER ACTIVITIES WHICH THE COMMISSIONER MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE. TO  BE
 ELIGIBLE  FOR  CHARLES  L.    REASON  UNDERGRADUATE  FELLOWSHIP  PROGRAM
 SUPPORT, A STUDENT MUST BE A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK, OR MEET THE  REQUIRE-
 MENTS OF SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, AND MUST BE FROM A MINORI-
 TY  GROUP HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN ACADEMIC FACULTY IN NEW YORK,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02679-01-3
              

 S. 1046                             2
 
 AND MUST DEMONSTRATE INTEREST IN AND A POTENTIAL TO ATTAIN  A  PH.D.  OR
 OTHER  TERMINAL  ACADEMIC  DEGREE  AND  TEACH AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL IF
 PROVIDED SPECIAL SERVICES. ELIGIBLE STUDENTS MUST BE  IN  GOOD  ACADEMIC
 STANDING, ENROLLED FULL TIME IN AN APPROVED, UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL PROGRAM
 OF STUDY, AS DEFINED BY THE REGENTS.
   (II)  AN  APPLICANT WHO IS NOT A LEGAL RESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE, BUT
 WHO IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, A PERMANENT LAWFUL RESIDENT, AN INDIVID-
 UAL WHO IS GRANTED U OR T NON-IMMIGRANT STATUS PURSUANT TO  THE  VICTIMS
 OF  TRAFFICKING  AND  VIOLENCE  PROTECTION ACT OF 2000, A PERSON GRANTED
 TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL  IMMIGRATION  ACT  OF
 1990,  AN  INDIVIDUAL  OF  A  CLASS  OF REFUGEES PAROLED BY THE ATTORNEY
 GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES UNDER HIS OR HER PAROLE AUTHORITY  PERTAIN-
 ING  TO  THE  ADMISSION  OF ALIENS TO THE UNITED STATES, OR AN APPLICANT
 WITHOUT LAWFUL IMMIGRATION STATUS, SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD AT THE
 UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL OF STUDY PROVIDED THAT THE STUDENT:
   (1) ATTENDED A REGISTERED NEW YORK STATE HIGH SCHOOL FOR TWO  OR  MORE
 YEARS,  GRADUATED  FROM  A  REGISTERED  NEW  YORK  STATE HIGH SCHOOL AND
 APPLIED FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER  EDUCATION  FOR  THE
 UNDERGRADUATE  STUDY  FOR  WHICH AN AWARD IS SOUGHT WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF
 RECEIVING A NEW YORK STATE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; OR
   (2) ATTENDED AN APPROVED NEW YORK  STATE  PROGRAM  FOR  A  STATE  HIGH
 SCHOOL  EQUIVALENCY  DIPLOMA,  RECEIVED  A STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY
 DIPLOMA AND APPLIED FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE INSTITUTION OF  HIGHER  EDUCA-
 TION  FOR  THE  UNDERGRADUATE  STUDY FOR WHICH AN AWARD IS SOUGHT WITHIN
 FIVE YEARS OF RECEIVING A STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA; OR
   (3) IS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PAYMENT OF TUITION  AND  FEES  AT  A
 RATE  NO  GREATER  THAN  THAT IMPOSED FOR RESIDENT STUDENTS OF THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF  NEW  YORK  OR  COMMUNITY
 COLLEGES  AS PRESCRIBED IN SUBPARAGRAPH EIGHT OF PARAGRAPH H OF SUBDIVI-
 SION TWO OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE OF THIS  CHAPTER  OR  PARA-
 GRAPH  (A) OF SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION SIXTY-TWO HUNDRED SIX OF THIS
 TITLE. PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT  A  STUDENT  WITHOUT  LAWFUL  IMMIGRATION
 STATUS SHALL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO FILE AN AFFIDAVIT WITH SUCH INSTITUTION
 OF HIGHER EDUCATION STATING THAT THE STUDENT HAS FILED AN APPLICATION TO
 LEGALIZE HIS OR HER IMMIGRATION STATUS, OR WILL FILE SUCH AN APPLICATION
 AS SOON AS HE OR SHE IS ELIGIBLE TO DO SO; AND
   (4)  HAS  COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AT A
 COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY CHARTERED BY THE REGENTS WITHIN THE STATE  OF  NEW
 YORK AND REMAINS IN GOOD STANDING WITH THAT INSTITUTION.
   (B)  APPLICATIONS  FOR  FUNDING  SHALL BE SUBMITTED BY ELIGIBLE INSTI-
 TUTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY
 THE COMMISSIONER. PRIORITY CONSIDERATION SHALL BE GIVEN TO  INSTITUTIONS
 WHICH  DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO ENTER POST-BACCA-
 LAUREATE PROGRAMS AT A HIGH LEVEL. GRANTS  SHALL  BE  AWARDED  BASED  ON
 CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   3.  LOAN  FORGIVENESS.  (A) MONEYS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE, SUBJECT TO
 APPROPRIATIONS, FOR PURPOSES OF STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS  IN  ACCORDANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION TO STUDENTS WHO:
   (I) SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE UNDERGRADUATE CHARLES L. REASON FELLOW-
 SHIP AS DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
   (II)  HAVE  GRADUATED  FROM  A  BACCALAUREATE  PROGRAM AT A COLLEGE OR
 UNIVERSITY CHARTERED BY THE REGENTS;
   (III) WITHIN FOUR  YEARS  OF  ACHIEVING  THEIR  BACCALAUREATE  DEGREE,
 ENROLLS  IN  A  PH.D. OR SIMILAR TERMINAL ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM REGIS-
 TERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT AT A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY  CHARTERED  BY  THE
 REGENTS  THAT  IS NOT A PROGRAM GRANTING THE CREDENTIAL OF JURIS DOCTOR,
 S. 1046                             3
 
 MEDICAL DOCTOR, OR OTHER DEGREE LEADING  TO  A  LICENSED  PROFESSION  AS
 DESCRIBED IN TITLE EIGHT OF THIS CHAPTER; AND
   (IV)  IS  A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK, OR MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBPARA-
 GRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   (B) FUNDING AWARDED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT EXCEED  THE
 TOTAL  QUALIFYING  OUTSTANDING  DEBT  OF  A CHARLES L. REASON FELLOWSHIP
 PARTICIPATING STUDENT FROM STUDENT LOANS  TO  COVER  TUITION  AND  OTHER
 EDUCATIONAL  EXPENSES,  MADE  BY  OR  GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL OR STATE
 GOVERNMENT, OR MADE BY A LENDING  OR  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION  APPROVED
 UNDER  TITLE  IV  OF  THE  FEDERAL  HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. LOAN REPAYMENT
 AWARDS SHALL BE USED SOLELY TO REPAY SUCH DEBT.
   (C) APPLICATIONS FOR  LOAN  FORGIVENESS  SHALL  BE  MADE  BY  ELIGIBLE
 STUDENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 AND  THE  PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION. GRANTS
 SHALL BE AWARDED BASED ON CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE  COMMISSIONER  AND
 THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE BASED ON THE
 AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
   (D) A STUDENT RECEIVING FUNDS PURSUANT TO THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE
 ELIGIBLE FOR A LOAN REPAYMENT AWARD TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 OVER  A  FOUR YEAR PERIOD PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT NO STUDENT SHALL RECEIVE
 MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LOAN FORGIVENESS PAYMENTS PER YEAR  OR
 MORE THAN FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LOAN FORGIVENESS PAYMENTS UNDER THIS
 SUBDIVISION IN THEIR LIFETIME.
   (E) IN THE EVENT THAT A STUDENT NO LONGER MEETS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR
 LOAN FORGIVENESS AS DEFINED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, ANY SCHEDULED OR FORTH-
 COMING  PAYMENTS TO THAT STUDENT WILL BE SUSPENDED UNTIL THEY CERTIFY TO
 THE DEPARTMENT, IN A METHOD DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THAT THEY MEET
 SUCH QUALIFICATIONS.
   4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. INSTITUTIONS PARTICIPATING IN  THE  CHARLES
 L.  REASON  FELLOWSHIP  SHALL SUBMIT TO THE COMMISSIONER SUCH REPORTS OR
 OTHER INFORMATION AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  REQUIRE.  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  PREPARE  FOR THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,
 THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE RESPECTIVE MINORITY LEADERS IN BOTH THE
 SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS AN ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE
 ACTIVITIES  OF  INSTITUTIONS  WHICH RECEIVE STATE FUNDS PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION CONCERNING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  THE  EFFECTIVENESS  OF  THE
 PROGRAMS, THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS SERVED, AND FUTURE PLANS.
   5.  RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND
 REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.