Report of Regents Cultural Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your Committee on Cultural Education had its scheduled meeting on November 15, 2021. Regent Roger Tilles and Regent Frances Wills, Co-Chairs of the Cultural Education Committee, submitted the following written report. All members were present. Chancellor Young, Regent Norwood, Regent Cashin, Regent Ouderkirk, Regent Mittler, and Regent Ferrer were also in attendance.

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

Co-Chairs Regent Tilles and Regent Wills welcomed everyone.

Deputy Commissioner’s Report (Discussion)

Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming provided an update on the Office of Cultural Education’s programs and services including:

• “Courage: The Black New York Struggle for Quality Education” from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is now open at the New York State Museum. This exhibition was donated by the Adelaide L. Sanford Institute in honor of Vice-Chancellor Emerita of the NY State Board of Regents Dr. Adelaide L. Sanford;
• An update on the State Museum’s gallery renewal project;
• State Library has opened the online portal for applications for $5 million in ARPA funding;
• The Talking Book and Braille Library is promoting programs to allow school professionals to be able to certify students with visual disabilities to be participants in the program; and
• The New York State Archives Magazine Speaker Series virtual programs are held regularly with recording available on the Archives’ YouTube channel.

Non-State Aid Budget and Legislative Initiatives (Discussion) 

Phyllis Morris, Chief Financial Officer and Jennifer Trowbridge, Director of the Office of Governmental Relations discussed the Cultural Education non-state aid budget and legislative initiatives including requesting a $11 million increase to Library Construction Aid funding for a total of $45 million for 2022-2023 and requesting a $2 million appropriation for the New Yok State Summer School of the Arts so the program continues to be available for talented New York students.

Update from New York State Historian (Discussion) 

State Historian Devin Lander provided an update on the Office of State History’s work to provide coordination and leadership of New York’s history field including the Office of State History website, the New York History Journal, A New York Minute in History podcast, and the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution commemorations.

Proposed Amendment of Section 185.15 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Records Retention and Disposition Schedule LGS-1 (Discussion)

Tom Ruller, Assistant Commissioner of Archives, presented proposed amendments to the Commissioner’s regulations records retention and disposition schedule LGS-1 relating to state assessments, license plate readers, health screening, cooperative extension records, technical corrections, and restoration of items inadvertently omitted from previous schedules. It is anticipated that the proposed amendment will be presented for adoption at the March 2022 Regents meeting, after publication of the proposed amendment in the State Register and 60-day public comment period.

Appointments to the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries (Action)

Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming presented appointments to the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries for five-year terms:

• Greta Byrum, Program Director, Just Tech at Social Science Research Council
• Sandra Michele Echols, School Media Specialist, Science Skills Center High School for Science, Technology, and the Creative Arts
• Dr. Beth Patin, Assistant Professor, Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies

Motion: Regent Cottrell
Second: Regent Cea
Motion carries with unanimous approval.