What's happening
This bill requires SUNY trustees to create a process to reduce or eliminate duplicate academic degree programs, considering access, fiscal impact, employee rights, and public input.
Why it matters
Potential impact on students’ academic choices. By considering access across the state university system, the bill could reshape which campuses offer certain programs, potentially affecting students’ options for where (and how easily) they can pursue specific degrees.
Implications for university finances. The requirement to weigh fiscal impacts means this process could be used to manage SUNY’s budget more efficiently, possibly leading to cost savings—but also potential cuts or reallocations that may affect services or resources.
Job security and labor rights for SUNY employees. Explicit attention to the rights of unionized employees ensures that any program eliminations or consolidations will need to address collective bargaining agreements, which could affect job security, transfers, or layoffs.
Increased transparency and public participation. Mandating public hearings before any program changes means students, faculty, and local communities would have a formal opportunity to provide input, potentially slowing or altering decisions and increasing accountability.
Albany, before your first meeting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cut Duplicate College Programs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Print number 4976a
- Amend and recommit to higher education
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Cut Duplicate Degree Programs
In Senate Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Kenneth P. LaValle
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4976--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. MONTESA- NO, PERRY, RIVERA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Higher Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to efforts to reduce duplication of academic degree programs within the state university
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 359 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. The trustees shall establish a process to eliminate or reduce duplication of academic degree programs. Such process shall include, but not be limited to, the promulgation of criteria to determine which programs shall be considered for elimination or consolidation, recognition of the effect of elimination or consolidation on access to such degree program throughout the state university system, consideration of the fiscal implications of any such elimination or consolidation, consideration of the rights under article fourteen of the civil service law of members of certified bargaining units employed by the state university, and a process by which public hearings are held before elimination or consolidation of any degree program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08100-03-8
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.