Report of Regents Higher Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your Higher Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on April 10, 2018. All members were present with the exception of Vice Chancellor Brown and Regent Tilles.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

Madam Chancellor and Colleagues:  Your Higher Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee’s deliberations at its meeting on April 10, 2018, copies of which have been distributed to each member of the Board of Regents.

Matters Not Requiring Board Action:

Update on TeachNY

Your Committee was provided with an update on the TeachNY initiative. TeachNY began with a grant by the Department to SUNY to convene a group of State and national experts to set a bold new course for educator preparation in New York. After the group of experts – the TeachNY Advisory Council – released its recommendations, Commissioner Elia was part of a statewide listening tour to solicit feedback from over 1,000 practitioners. A Statewide Roundtable was convened to consider policy options, and that group’s work is the model for a national Teacher Table initiative. New York will be the second state to launch a Teacher Table and we are currently working with stakeholders to select a diverse group of practitioners to serve on the Table, which will launch this month.

Proposed Amendment to Sections 80-3.3 and 80-3.7 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to Allow Individual Evaluation for Certain Certificate Titles in the Classroom Teaching Service

Your Committee discussed a proposed amendment to the Commissioner’s Regulations to allow individual evaluation for certain certificate titles in the classroom teaching service. Due to teacher shortages in New York State, the Department is proposing an amendment to reinstate individual evaluation for the following certificate titles: Early childhood education (birth-grade 2); Childhood education (grades 1-6); Generalist in middle childhood education (grades 5-9); English language arts (grades 5-9); English language arts (grades 7-12); Literacy (birth-grade 6);  and Literacy (grades 5-12). This amendment would create larger pools of qualified teachers for school district hiring. Following the 60-day public comment period, it is anticipated the proposed amendment would be presenting to the Board for adoption at its July 2018 meeting.  

Consent Agenda

The Board of Regents acted on the following consent agenda items at the April 2018 meeting.

The City University of New York, New York City College of Technology: Regents Authorization to Award the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Degree – The Board authorized The City University of New York, New York City College of Technology to award the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to students successfully completed the registered Communication Design program. 

Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary: Master Plan Amendment to Offer a Program Leading to a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) in Theology Degree – The Board approved a master plan amendment to authorize Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary to offer a program in Theology leading to the M.Div. degree.

State University of New York College of Technology at Delhi, Delhi Campus: Master Plan Amendment to Offer a Program Leading to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice Degree – The Board approved a master plan amendment to authorize the State University of New York College of Technology at Delhi to offer a program in Criminal Justice.

Proposed Amendment to Section 52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Graduate Admission Examination Requirements to Implement Chapter 454 of the Laws of 2017 – Due to the 60-day public comment period required under the State Administrative Procedure Act, emergency action by the Board of Regents is necessary to timely implement the changes to Education Law § 210-a and to ensure that the emergency rule adopted at the January Regents meeting remains continuously in effect until it can be adopted as a permanent rule by the Board of Regents at its May 2018 meeting.