Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2010

Regents Higher Education Committee

Your Higher Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on April 20, 2010.  All members were present except Vice Chancellor Cofield.

ACTION ITEMS

Degree Granting Authority for Sotheby’s Institute of Art.  Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents authorize Institute of Art – New York, LLC, dba Sotheby’s Institute of Art – New York to confer the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree on students successfully completing registered programs for a period beginning immediately and ending on April 30, 2015, and approve a master plan amendment for Institute of Art – New York, LLC, dba Sotheby’s Institute of Art – New York to offer M.A. programs in Art Business, American Fine and Decorative Art, and Contemporary Art.  This amendment will be effective until April 30, 2011, unless the Department registers the programs prior to that date, in which case master plan amendment shall be without term. [HE (A) 1]

Extension of Regents Accreditation of Teacher Education (RATE) Programs at Boricua College, Mercy College, Roberts Wesleyan College, Skidmore College, St. Francis College, Touro College, and Yeshiva University.  Your Committee recommends that the period of accreditation for Boricua College, Mercy College, Roberts Wesleyan College, Skidmore College, St. Francis College, Touro College and Yeshiva University be extended through June 30, 2011 to allow for the necessary time to gain approval for the site visitor and site visit coordinator travel and to conduct the site visit before the accreditation extension expires in order to determine the colleges’ eligibility for continuing its current RATE accreditation as required by Regulation. [HE (A) 2]

Emergency Adoption of Sections 52.1, 52.21 and 80-5.13 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Establishment of a Graduate Level Clinically Rich Teacher Preparation Pilot Program.  At the November and December 2009 meetings, the Board of Regents approved the conceptual framework for graduate level clinically rich teacher preparation pilot programs.  At the February 2010 meeting, the Board of Regents endorsed the plan to implement this pilot program through a Request for Proposal (RFP).  Your Committee recommends that sections 52.1, 52.21 and 80-5.13 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, be amended as submitted, effective May 1, 2010, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare to timely implement the provisions of the proposed amendment so that the Department can begin the competitive bidding process so that institutions can begin offering these programs in a timely manner consistent with the State’s Race to the Top application. [HE (A) 4]

Emergency Adoption of Section 100.2 (o) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Annual Professional Performance Review for Teachers in the Classroom Teaching Service.  Your Committee recommends that subparagraph (o) of Section 100.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended, as submitted, effective May 1, 2010, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare to provide school districts and BOCES with sufficient time to implement the provisions of this subdivision prior to the 2011-2012 school year. [HE (A) 5]

Emergency Adoption of Section 80-4.13 of the Commissioner’s Regulations Relating to Teacher Certification Flexibility to Avoid or Mitigate Reductions in Force.  Your Committee recommends that new subdivisions (k), (l) and (m) of Section 80-4.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended, as submitted, effective April 27, 2010, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare to inform reduction in force decisions that must be made by school districts prior to school budget votes in May 2010. [HE (A) 3]

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

              Madam Chancellor and Colleagues:  Your Higher Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee’s deliberations at its meeting on April 20, 2010, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Teacher Standards Development.  The Committee discussed a preliminary draft of Teaching Standards and Elements.  The draft will be presented to the Board for review and discussion prior to convening educational stakeholders to assist in further development.  These standards will serve as a basis for the alignment of preparation programs, the assessment of candidates for certification, the performance evaluation of practicing teachers under the APPR, and the targeting of practice based professional development. [HE (D) 2]

Arts Education.  The Committee discussed a proposal to create one or more annotations in the area of arts education.  The purpose of the annotations would be to develop a statewide mechanism for early childhood teachers to strengthen their knowledge and skills in the areas of theater, dance, music and/or visual arts to improve the instructional program provided to students in these disciplines. [HE (D) 1]

This concludes our report.

                                                                                    ______________________________

                                                                                    Harry Phillips, Co-Chairperson