Report of Regents Higher Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your Higher Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on June 7, 2021. All members of the Committee were present.

Action Items

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

Mister 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 June 7, 2021, copies of which have been distributed to each member of the Board of Regents.

Matters Requiring Board Action:

Proposed Amendment to Sections 52.21, 57-4.5 and 80-1.13 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Permitting the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Training to Be Provided Entirely Online Due to the COVID-19 Crisis - Your Committee heard Department staff present proposed regulatory amendments to permit approved DASA training providers to provide DASA training entirely online, and permit individuals to take such training entirely online, through December 31, 2021.

VOTED:  That sections 52.21, 57-4.5, and 80-1.13 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended, as submitted, effective June 8, 2021, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare/public health to permit DASA training to be provided entirely online through December 31, 2021, whether or not the State of emergency for the COVID-19 crisis is in effect.

Matters Not Requiring Board Action:

Overview of the Proposed Timeline and Activities for the Statewide Plan for Higher Education - Your Committee heard Department staff present a proposed timeline for developing the Statewide Plan for Higher Education, describe the activities in the proposal, and review a draft of the topics that the sectors would consider while writing their master plans.

Proposed Amendments of Sections 80-2.1 and 80-3.1 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Permanent School Counselor Certificate Requirements - Your Committee heard Department staff propose regulatory amendments to Sections 80-2.1 and 80-3.1 of the Commissioner’s regulations to allow candidates who apply for a Permanent School Counselor certificate, and were issued a Provisional School Counselor certificate, to receive the Permanent certificate if they meet all requirements for the Permanent certificate prior to February 2, 2023 or while under a valid Provisional School Counselor certificate that was in effect after that date.

Consent Agenda Items:

• The Board of Regents voted to amend Sections 52.21. 80-3.14, and 80-3.7 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and Section 30-1.2 of the Rules of the Board of Regents, as submitted as an emergency measure, effective June 8, 2021, upon a finding that such action is necessary for the preservation of public health and the general welfare in order to immediately provide flexibility for certain higher education regulatory requirements in response to the COVID-19 crisis and to ensure that the emergency action taken at the May meeting remains continuously in effect.

• Proposed Amendment of Section 80-1.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education– The Board of Regents voted that sections 80-1.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education relating to extending the edTPA Safety Net in Response to the COVID-19 crisis be amended, as submitted, as an emergency measure, effective July 12, 2021.

• Renewal of Permission to Operate in NYS: Carnegie Mellon University - The Board of Regents granted Carnegie Mellon University renewal of permission to offer the Master of Science in Computational Finance degree program in New York City. This permission will be effective June 15, 2021 and end on June 30, 2026.

• New Permission to Operate in NYS: Belmont College - the Board of Regents granedt Belmont University permission to offer a study away program in New York City, known as Belmont in New York, in which Belmont students may take courses applicable to their undergraduate degree programs. This permission will be effective June 7, 2021 and end on June 30, 2026.

• New Permission to Operate in NYS: Occidental College - The Board of Regents granted Occidental College permission to offer William and Elizabeth Kahane United Nations Program, in which Occidental College students spend a semester in New York City taking courses applicable to their undergraduate degree programs. This permission will be effective June 7, 2021 and end on June 30, 2026.

• Conferral of Degree for Glasgow Caledonian New York College and Dowling College - the Board of Regents conferred degrees upon individuals, as listed by their respective institutions, who completed the requirements for registered degree programs at Glasgow Caledonian New York College and Dowling College.

• Renewal of Permission to Operate - Olivet University - The Board of Regents granted permission to Olivet University (California) to continue to offer seven courses from its M.B.A. program and seven courses from its M.Div. program at Six Barclay Street in New York City. In addition, that the Board of Regents grant permission to Olivet University (California) to continue to offer seven courses from its M.Div. program at its location in Dover, NY. This approval will be effective from June 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.

• Reappointment and Appointment of Members to the Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching (PSPB) -   The Board of Regents appointed or reappointed the following individuals to the PSPB pursuant to section 3.14 of the Rules of the Board of Regents and the PSPB Bylaws: Brooke Burnett (teacher), Juanita Dyer (teacher), Amy Hysick (public), and Sheilah Paul (higher education), each for a four-year term commencing July 1, 2021 and expiring June 30, 2025; Amaya DiGiovanni (teacher education student) for a two-year term commencing July 1, 2021 and expiring June 30, 2023; and Cindy Walter (administrator) to complete the unexpired portion of a four-year term commencing July 1, 2021 and expiring December 31, 2024.

The Board of Regents reappointed David Cantaffa (higher education), Amanda Silvestri (teacher), and Keith Wiley (teacher), each for a four-year term commencing July 1, 2021 and expiring June 30, 2025.

The Board of Regents appointed Kathleen Ferguson (teacher) as the P-12 co-chair of the PSPB commencing July 1, 2021 and expiring March 31, 2023.