Meeting of the Board of Regents | October 2007

Executive Summary

Issue for Discussion

              Review and evaluate accomplishments to date which include funding and operations of the State Archives, State Library and State Museum; alignment with the priorities set by the Regents and the P-16 Initiative. What are the challenges faced in coming years?

              Review and evaluate advocating efforts made and/or proposed for the three institutions.

Proposed Handling

              The Cultural Education Committee, in its trusteeship role, will focus on issues related to the new Cultural Education Trust Fund ($40 million made available in the 2006/2007 budget) by reviewing the operating budget, staffing capacity and educational programming for the institutions and the Committee’s role until the Board of Cultural Education Trust is in place.

Procedural History

              The Trusteeship Committee proposed to conduct three meetings annually. Each trusteeship meeting follows directly after the conclusion of the regular Regents meeting in the months of February, June and October of each year.

Background Information

Renew the exhibit program in the Museum and begin work on a new facility for research and collections.  In addition, the bill called for the establishment of a Cultural Education Trust with a Board of five persons. The Trust Board will approve and recommend the plans for both the renewal and the new facility to the Board of Regents for their approval.

Of the five members, the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly appoint one member each.  Four of five board members are in place: Regent Dawson (designated to serve as Chair by Chancellor Bennett); Regent Brooks Hopkins (appointed by the Commissioner of Education); John Egan (appointed by Governor Spitzer); Jeffrey Kraus (appointed by the Senate) and remaining is an appointment from the Assembly.

Recommendation

               The Regents should direct the staff in development of any additional information needed for recommendations for the new Research and Stewardship Facility and the Museum gallery renewal.

Timetable for Implementation

Cultural Education Trust:

              As soon as the Cultural Education Trust Board is in place, they will review and approve Museum and Stewardship facility plans.  The implementation of those plans will begin almost immediately after your approval.  Both will be multi-year plans with benchmarks to be determined within each plan.

2008/2009 Budget:

              Approval of the Regents budget recommendations for 2008/2009 related to the operations of the State Archives, State Library and State Museum will be a part of the overall SED budget request.