Report of Regents Cultural Education Committee to The Board of Regents
Your Committee on Cultural Education Committee had its scheduled meeting on October 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 Cottrell, Regent Chin, Regent Ouderkirk, Regent Johnson and Regent Mead. Regents, in addition to CE Committee Members, in attendance were: Chancellor Rosa, Regent Young, Regent Cashin, 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.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
Chair’s Remarks: Regent Tilles welcomed everyone and introduced Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming. Mark provided a brief report on Office of Cultural Education news and activities including: honoring Dr. Janny Venema, Assistant Director of the New Netherland Research Center at the New York State Library, on her recent appointment as a Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau by the Netherlands government; two new acquisitions at the State Library: a collection of documents and photographs donated by newspaper editor Harry Rosenfeld and a collection of 3,000 books from the Holland Society of New York Library that expands the State Library’s large local history and genealogy resources; and the State Museum’s Votes for Women exhibition opens on Saturday, November 4 and there will be a special preview event on Wednesday, November 1 at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate the opening of the exhibition.
New York State Summer School of the Arts [CE (D) 1]
Molly Hennighausen, Executive Director of the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA), presented on the 2017 season of NYSSSA and outreach plans for the future. The program provides talented high school students the opportunity to study with some of the world’s foremost artists in the visual and performing arts in seven schools, including ballet, dance, choral studies, orchestral studies, theatre, visual arts, and media arts. Nearly 900 students auditioned or submitted portfolios to participate in the seven NYSSSA schools in 2017. 347 students gained acceptance and enrolled in the program. Students are accepted into the schools through a competitive audition process conducted by the artistic staff. Tuition rates are maintained at a modest level and tuition assistance is available, enabling every student who qualifies the opportunity to participate in the program.
Appointment of New Members to the Museum Regents Advisory Council and to the Library Regents Advisory Council [CE (A) 1]
Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming introduced the recommended appointments to the Museum Regents Advisory Council and the Library Regents Advisory Council. Members of the Museum Regents Advisory Council offer advice and consultation on issues of policy and service pursuant to the Board’s statutory mandate to operate the State Museum and oversee museums across New York State. The recommended appointment to the Museum Regents Advisory Council is Gretchen Sorin, Director of the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies and Distinguished Professor. Members of the Library Regents Advisory Council advises the Board on issues concerning library policy, works with the officers of the State Education Department in developing a comprehensive statewide library and information policy, and makes recommendations to the Regents for implementing library programs and initiatives. The recommended appointments to the Library Regents Advisory Council are: Susan Kowalski, Librarian at Pine Grove Middle School at the East Syracuse Minoa Central School District; Mary-Alice Lynch, Trustee at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library; Susan Polos, School Library Media Specialist at Bedford Central School District; and Juan Rivera, Library Media Specialist at A. Philip Randolph Campus High School.