Enacts the "higher education community service opportunity act"

Summary of provisions

The bill enacts the Higher Education Community Service Opportunity Act. It does not diminish resources currently available for higher education, nor does it take funds away from existing programs. It recognizes that the State of New York as a matter of public policy makes taxpayer dollars available to support students as they seek to attain their personal goals, and at the same time, hopefully, equip themselves to help meet the demands facing our society. This legislation seeks to tie together the investment of tax dollars in human resources with an expectation that such investment will pay dividends through the student becoming involved in community service activities, working in a critical shortage occupation or putting his or her skills to work in an area of the state that is deemed to have a critical shortage of persons capable of filling critical societal needs. If a student, within a ten-year period, feels he or she cannot meet the state's expectations, the legislation provides that the student will be expected to contribute a portion of the state's support for his or her education to a trust fund. This contribution to the trust fund would enhance student financial aid for students in the future, and provide a means for others to avail themselves of the opportunity to pursue a postsecondary education. This bill establishes the Council on Higher Education Community Service Opportunity within the Higher Education Services Corporation to administer the program in which students would be given the opportunity to become involved in community service activities before, during and after their academic careers.

The council would be responsible for determining the relative dollar value of each component of community service and the period of time, not to exceed 10 years, needed to fulfill the obligation of not less than 40 hours of community service. The council would designate critical shortage areas of the state or critical shortage occupations in which a student might meet his or her service obligation. In the event a student elected not to become involved in a community service option or failed to satisfactorily fulfill his or her obligation, the council would be entitled to recover the remaining dollar value of the student's obligation. The council would establish a Higher Education Community Service Loan Program to provide low-interest loans for students who make a commitment to engage in community service. The bill also gives the council the responsibility to

develop a program to establish effective community service connections between institutions of higher education and their respective communities. The bill establishes the Higher Education Community Service Opportunity Trust Fund consisting of monies specifically appropriated by the Legislature; funds recovered from students who fail to fulfill their service obligation; funds derived from private gifts, bequests and donations; federal funds specified for community service activities, and other monies credited or transferred to the fund.

Justification

Despite the greatest efforts of government, as well as concerned groups and individuals, many pressing social needs and problems remain unmet. Based on a belief that all Americans truly want to help improve their communities, this legislation establishes a program which links public support for postsecondary education to the encouragement of community service activities. The bill seeks to instill a sense of community by providing opportunities to participate in community organizations and in service to citizens who demonstrate social need, such as the elderly, the infirm, the poor, the homeless and the disenfranchised. Without diminishing current levels of support through direct tax dollar support for public institutions of higher education, grants to independent institutions, and general awards of student financial aid, the bill seeks to establish a linkage between the benefit a student receives from such support and opportunities to repay a debt to society through community service.

Legislative history

2009-10, S.2525; 2007-2008, S.4337A; 2005-06, S.1389-A; 2003-04, S.7092; 1999-00, S.806; 1997-98, S.13; 1995-96, S.4484; 1993-94, S.5402

Fiscal implications

This bill would provide revenue to offset additional expenditures through recovery of a portion of public support for postsecondary education. The amount would depend on how many students fail to fulfill their community service obligation and repay their allocable share of public support for postsecondary education.

Effective date

This act shall take effect September 1, 2011 provided, however, that the sections establishing community service obligations for students and establishing reports by students and the council shall take effect September 1, 2012.