Report of Regents Cultural Education Committee to The Board of Regents
Your Committee on Cultural Education Committee had its scheduled meeting on July 17, 2017. Regent Roger Tilles, Chair of the Cultural Education Committee, submitted the following written report. In attendance were committee members: Regent Tilles, Chair, Regent Cea, Regent Chin, Regent Ouderkirk and Regent Johnson. Regents, in addition to CE Committee Members, in attendance were: Chancellor Rosa, Vice Chancellor Brown, Regent Young, Regent Cashin, Regent Finn, Regent Collins, Regent Mead, Regent Hakanson, Regent Reyes, and Regent Mittler. Also in attendance were Commissioner Elia, Executive Deputy Commissioner Berlin, and Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs Alison Bianchi. Absent: Regent Cottrell
ITEM FOR DISCUSSION
Chair’s Remarks: Regent Tilles welcomed everyone and introduced Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming.
Proposed Amendment to Section 3.12 of the Rules of the Board of Regents [CE (D) 1]
Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming presented the proposed amendment to Section 3.12 of the Rules of the Board of Regents. Currently, section 3.12 of the Rules of the Board of Regents states that the Museum Council shall be comprised of five members and the Library Council shall be comprised of nine members; which shall be appointed for a five-year term. By increasing the membership of both the Museum and Library Councils to 15 members each, all Office of Cultural Education Councils will have an equal number of members. A Notice of Proposed Rule Making will be published in the State Register on August 2, 2017. Following the 45-day public comment period, it is anticipated that the proposed amendment will come before the Board for permanent adoption at the October Regents meeting. If adopted at the October 2017 meeting, the proposed amendment will become effective on November 1, 2017.
ITEM FOR ACTION
Proposed Amendment of Sections 90.12 and 90.18 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to State Aid for Library Construction and Terminology Relating to the Functions of School Library Systems [CE (A) 1]
Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming presented the proposed amendment of Section 90.12 and 90.18 of the Commissioner of Education for permanent adoption. Proposed amendments of 90.12 State Aid for Library Construction are necessary to conform the Commissioner's Regulations to changes made to Education Law section 273-a by Chapter 498 of the Laws of 2011, Chapter 148 of the Laws of 2014, and Chapter 480 of the Laws of 2015. Amendments to the regulation will address provisions in the law that enable the use of State funds to purchase vacant land, that enable approved projects serving economically disadvantaged communities to be funded up to seventy-five percent of eligible project costs, and that make the installation and infrastructure of broadband services an approved project cost. In addition, amendments will clarify wording related to eligible and ineligible project costs. Proposed amendments of 90.18 School Library Systems are necessary to clarify certain terminology relating to school library systems in BOCES and the Big Five city school districts. The proposed amendment conforms certain terms relating to school library systems to other, corresponding provisions of the Commissioner’s Regulations.
Motion: Regent Tilles
Second: Regent Chin
Unanimous vote in favor of motion.