Bill Text: NY S09391 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes and directs the commissioner of education to establish rules and regulations for a college or university seeking to cease operations in an orderly process.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-14 - REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION [S09391 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S09391-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          9391

                    IN SENATE

                                      May 14, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  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  authorizing  and
          directing  the  commissioner  of  education  establish rules and regu-
          lations for a college or university seeking to cease operations

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
     2  subdivision 62 to read as follows:
     3    62.  The  commissioner  is authorized and directed to promulgate rules
     4  and regulations that shall establish an orderly process for the  closure
     5  of  a  college  or university. Such rules and regulations shall include,
     6  but not be limited to:
     7    (a) any decision to cease operations at a college or university  shall
     8  be  made  public  and  disclosed at least one year prior to the proposed
     9  closing date;
    10    (b) any college or university ceasing operations shall hold  at  least
    11  three public meetings to address concerns from students, faculty, staff,
    12  and the local community;
    13    (c)  any college or university ceasing operations shall provide notice
    14  to such college or university's accrediting agency at least nine  months
    15  prior to the proposed closing date;
    16    (d) any college or university ceasing operations shall provide details
    17  on  teach out plans or transfer agreements to enrolled students at least
    18  six months prior to the proposed closing date;
    19    (e) any college or university ceasing operations shall provide details
    20  on any plans to sell, transfer, or utilize campus  resources,  including
    21  but  not  limited to buildings, grounds, and facilities to local govern-
    22  ments at least six months prior to the proposed closing date; and
    23    (f) any college or university ceasing operations that shares responsi-
    24  bility for or provides shared services to local governments or  agencies
    25  for programs or physical operations shall develop a transition plan with
    26  the  relevant partner at least four months prior to the proposed closing
    27  date.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15526-01-4
        S. 9391                             2

     1    § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
     2  law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
     3  rule  or  regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
     4  effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
     5  effective date.