Meeting of the Board of Regents | January 2008

Summary

Issue for Decision

Should the Board of Regents grant Long Island Business Institute’s owners, who assumed ownership and control in March 2004, degree-granting authority and change the designation of the existing Flushing, New York branch campus to LIBI’s main campus and the existing Commack, New York campus to the branch campus?

Proposed Handling

              This question will come before the Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee at its January 2008 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken.  It then will come before the full Board at its January 2008 meeting for final action.

Procedural History

When LIBI Corporation assumed ownership and control of Long Island Business Institute in March 2004, the Regents required (under Section 3.46(b) of its Rules) that, following a change of ownership and control, a for-profit degree-granting institution enter a transition period until it demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, compliance with the laws, rules and regulations applicable to degree-granting institutions in New York. During this period, degree-granting authority reverted to the Board of Regents. This assurance process, which included peer review team visits in 2005 and 2007, proceeded as required following the change in ownership.  In addition to seeking degree-granting authority, the institution now seeks recognition of its Flushing campus as its main campus, with its former main campus in Commack recognized as a branch campus.

Background

              The change in ownership referenced in this proposal occurred in March 2004, well before the Regents review of policy that resulted in modifications to how changes in ownership of proprietary colleges are regulated (effective December 28, 2006).  As a result, and consistent with Regents Rules at the time, the Department's review of the new owner's capacity to operate the institution occurred during a transition period after the change in ownership. 

The Department's review activities during the transition period included two peer-review site visits.  On March 17-18, 2005, and March 12-13, 2007, State Education Department peer review teams visited the Commack and Flushing locations of Long Island Business Institute (LIBI) to assess the Institute’s compliance with standards for program registration in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. The teams reviewed self-studies; interviewed faculty members, administrators, and students; reviewed documents and other information available on campus; and reviewed facilities, equipment, and academic resources. This review was conducted to confirm LIBI’s compliance with the standards for program registration.

In 2002, LIBI sought and received approval from the Board of Regents to open a branch campus in Flushing, Queens. A master plan amendment was required for the establishment of the branch campus. Due to the growth of enrollment and relocation of the principal administration offices and instructional facilities to the Flushing location, LIBI now seeks approval to designate the Flushing Campus as the main campus and the Commack Campus as a branch campus.

Staff reviewed the findings of the site visit report and found that Long Island Business Institute meets the standards for registration of its curricula. The programs will be reregistered upon the Board of Regents authorization to the new owners to grant degrees.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Board of Regents authorize Long Island Business Institute effective January 15, 2008, to confer the Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degree upon students successfully completing registered programs at that institution and change the designation of the Flushing location to Long Island Business Institute’s main campus and the Commack location to the branch campus.

Timetable for Implementation

              The authorization of degree authority and change in main campus designation would take effect immediately.