Report of Regents Cultural Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your Committee on Cultural Education Committee had its scheduled meeting on June 13, 2017. Regent Roger Tilles, Chair of the Cultural Education Committee, submitted the following written report. In attendance were committee members: Regent Tilles, Chair, Regent Cea, Regent Cottrell, Regent Chin, Regent Ouderkirk and Regent Johnson. 

Regents, in addition to CE Committee Members, in attendance were: Chancellor Rosa, Vice Chancellor Brown, Regent Cashin, Regent Collins, Regent Mead, Regent Reyes, Regent Hakanson, and Regent Mittler. Also in attendance were Commissioner Elia, Executive Deputy Commissioner Berlin, and Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs Alison Bianchi.

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

Chair’s Remarks: Regent Tilles welcomed everyone and introduced Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming. Mark provided an overview of the New York State Summer School of the Arts program, introduced the new Executive Director of the program, Molly Hennighausen, and encouraged the Regents to attend one of the several student final performances this summer. A schedule of the final student performances was distributed to all Regents. http://www.oce.nysed.gov/nysssa/

Pleistocene Epoch Research [CE (D) 2]

Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming introduced Dr. Robert Feranec, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, and Dr. Andrew Kozlowski, Curator of Quaternary Landscape Materials. Drs. Feranec and Kozlowski delivered a presentation on the new Ice Ages exhibition at the State Museum and the corresponding research they conducted in paleontology and geology that is changing our understanding of the landscape and animals of the Pleistocene epoch, or Ice Ages, in New York State. Drs. Feranec and Kozlowski also explained how they are bringing their research to a wide audience, including students, educators, and the scientific community.

2017 Statewide Summer Reading Program [CE (D) 1]

Sharon Phillips, Coordinator of the Summer Reading at New York Libraries, delivered a presentation on the State Library’s annual summer reading program. Every year the State Library works in partnership with public library systems and local public libraries across the state. Summer Reading at New York Libraries is one of the most popular and heavily used programs of the State Library. Last year, 2.1 million children and teens participated in summer reading programs at local public libraries in New York. The 2018 goal is to reach 2.5 million participants. Sharon also explained how the State Library works with schools to promote summer reading and the efforts underway to increase participation in the program and encourage collaboration between school districts and public libraries.