What's happening
This bill establishes the University at Buffalo Institute for African American Studies and appropriates $100,000 for its funding and operations.
Why it matters
Creates a formal academic institute dedicated to African American studies at a major public research university, enhancing the legitimacy and visibility of this field within higher education.
Mandates interdisciplinary research and community outreach, meaning the institute could influence not only scholarship but also public policy and local engagement on issues affecting African American and African-descended communities.
Requires annual reporting to state officials and legislative committees, increasing accountability and potentially shaping future funding and policy decisions based on the institute’s outcomes and impact.
Provides funding specifically earmarked for African American studies, which could help attract scholars, develop new programs, and sponsor events that may benefit both students and the broader community.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Buffalo Black Studies Center
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2130
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PEOPLES-STOKES, COOK, RIVERA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the university at Buffalo institute for African American studies; and making an appropriation therefor
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Article 5 of the education law is amended by adding a new part 1-B to read as follows:
PART 1-B
THE INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES Section 244-a. The university at Buffalo institute for African American
studies.
244-b. Purposes of the institute for African American studies.
244-c. Funding and reporting.
§ 244-a. The university at Buffalo institute for African American studies. The university at Buffalo institute for African American studies is hereby established under the jurisdiction of the state university of New York. The institute for African American studies shall be administered as a program of the state university in accordance with the policies of the trustees of the state university.
§ 244-b. Purposes of the institute for African American studies. The purposes of the institute for African American studies shall be to:
1. Provide an educational setting for students, scholars and practitioners to engage in interdisciplinary scholarship and intellectual collaborations focusing on peoples of American and African descent, and their relations to each other.
2. Address contemporary issues that confront peoples of American and African descent.
3. Conduct interdisciplinary and regional studies to address public policy, create models and provide outreach into the community.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03210-01-7
A. 2130 2
4. Sponsor lectures, conferences, workshops and publications related to African American issues.
§ 244-c. Funding and reporting. Funds shall be made available for the support of the institute for African American studies in the amounts appropriated for this purpose. The university at Buffalo institute for African American studies shall annually submit a complete and detailed report setting forth its operations and accomplishments to the chancellor of the state university, the president of the state university at Buffalo, the director of the budget, and the chairs of the senate higher education committee, the senate finance committee, the assembly higher education committee and the assembly ways and means committee.
§ 2. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the university at Buffalo institute for African American studies out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the president of the state university at Buffalo.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.