Skip to main content

Meeting of the Board of Regents | January 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010 - 11:45pm

Cultural Education Committee Minutes

January 12, 2010

Time: 9:25 a.m. – 10.25 a.m.      Location:  Seminar Room, 5th Floor, EB

REGENTS COMMITTEE ON CULTURAL EDUCATION

Regent James C. Dawson, Chair of the Cultural Education Committee, submitted the following written report.

Your Committee on Cultural Education (CE) had its scheduled meeting on January 12, 2010.

In attendance were: Regents Dawson, Bowman, Brooks-Hopkins, Phillips and Tilles.

In addition to CE Committee Members: Chancellor Tisch, Regents Cea, Norwood, and Bendit; Commissioner Steiner and Sr. Deputy Commissioner King

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

Chairs’ Remarks: Regent Dawson welcomed everyone and opened the meeting. 

Deputy’s Report: Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Cannell greeted everyone and spoke briefly about several items within the Deputy’s OCE Monthly Report that was distributed to the Board of Regents prior to the meeting.

CE (D) 2 - Update on Broadband Initiatives   

Bernard A. Margolis, State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries presented the update on broadband initiatives to the Committee noting the New York State Library (NYSL) is managing a wide-range of broadband initiatives and stressing the importance of broadband as a critical technology for delivering lifelong learning and a myriad range of other services through the state’s libraries.  NYSL and other State Education Department (SED) partners are working together to secure and spend federal, state and foundation funds to increase broadband capacity in the state’s 755 public libraries.  Mr. Margolis spoke of several grant opportunities, current grants, projects, and expected outcomes.

Mr. Margolis and David Walsh, CIO of the State Education Department have been appointed as co-chairs along with Michael Borges, Executive Director of the New York Library Association to lead a Digital Literacy and Adoption committee of the Governor's NYS Broadband Development and Deployment Council.  The committee will address affordability, computer ownership and adoption, digital literacy and training and consumer education.

An opportunity for questions and discussion was provided.

CE (D) 1 - RAC's Recommendation on Digital/Information Literacy Standards         

Mr. Margolis introduced presenter, Sara Kelly Johns, Regents Advisory Council (RAC) Member, past-president of the American Association of School Librarians and 2010 candidate for president of the American Library Association. Ms. Johns, a school library media specialist at the Lake Placid Middle/Senior High School, is an active member of the New York Library Association and was a member of the Regents Commission on Library Services.

As stated, twenty states now have separate state education learning standards for “information literacy.”  In 2000, the NYS Board of Regents adopted a policy to provide strong school library media programs including professional staff, adequate resources and technology.  RAC recognizes the critical importance of this policy that would ensure that all our students receive comprehensive instruction in information literacy at every grade level.

A report on the recent State Education Department and New York Library Association Summit on School Libraries concluded with twelve recommendations on the future of school libraries, including support for separate information literacy standards. (A copy of the NYSED/School Library Services Summit Actions Steps was provided to the Board of Regents prior to the meeting.)  RAC endorses the development and implementation of Information Literacy Standards as a separate component of New York State learning standards and urges the Board of Regents to support such an initiative.

The above Item was presented to the Committee for consideration and discussion.

CE (D) 3 - Early Childhood Care and Educational Resources from Cultural Institutions

Jeffrey Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education reported how cultural institutions provide not only fundamental but vital educational resources, programs and services to New York State’s citizens, various organizations and institutions as well as early childhood care to approximately one million pre-school (birth through five-years of age) children statewide.  Several examples of New York State museums, libraries, archives and education television/public broadcasting programs that support early childhood care and education were provided and elaborated upon.

Liz Hood, Director of Educational Television and Public Broadcasting provided background and additional information on this Item and introduced Rhonda Haynes, assistant director of the childcare program of the North Albany YMCA who talked about how the daycare center uses web-based resources from public television with the children.

Given the value of cultural institutions and significant contributors as content providers, program hosts and community spaces, Office of Cultural Education recommend the Board of Regents endorse the centrality of cultural institutions to any early childhood initiative.

An opportunity for questions and discussion was provided.

Meeting adjourned.