BILL NUMBER: S1234
SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the membership of the
board of trustees of the state university of New York
 
PURPOSE:
To ensure greater independence for the SUNY Board of Trustees.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: amends subdivision 1 of section 353 of the education law to
reduce the number of trustees appointed by the governor from 15 to 10,
redistributing those two trustees to be appointed by legislative lead-
ers, one each respectively appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and
the Senate Majority Leader. One trustee will be selected by a vote of
staff members of the SUNY and CUNY systems and two will be elected by
alumni of the SUN? system. The two currently non-voting trustees,
representing the University Faculty Senate and the Faculty Council of
Community Colleges, are also designated as voting members of the board.
Section 2: provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
SUNY is the largest system of public colleges and universities in the
country and one of the crown jewels of the Empire State. Serving
hundreds of thousands of students every year, it is an economic driver
for the state and a key source of cultural and academic enrichment for
its students, faculty, staff, alumni, and neighbors. Ensuring shared
governance and a well-functioning system is critical to guarantee that
SUN? will continue to serve New Yorkers long into the future. The
governing body of SUN?, the Board of Trustees, is made up of 18 members,
15 of whom are currently appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the
State Senate. This bill proposes a modest reform to the appointment: of
trustees to ensure greater representation on the board by the communi-
ties that SUNY serves and that invest so much of themselves. Modelled
off other university boards of trustees, this bill would reduce the
number of gubernatorial appointees to 10 and ensure that representatives
of the legislative leaders, staff, and alumni are included on the board.
It also gives voting rights to the two faculty representatives. These
simple reforms will help ensure shared governance and increase the inde-
pendence of the trustees..
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024 - S.1255 (May)
2021-2022 - S.7636 (May)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately

Statutes affected:
S1234: 353 education law, 353(1) education law