ACTION ITEMS
SUMMARY OF THE APRIL MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Held in Broome County, New York
April 14 and 15, 2005
David Johnson, Secretary
Board of Regents
THE BOARD OF REGENTS
The Board of Regents of The University of the State of New York held a public session on Friday, April 15 at 12:30 p.m. pursuant to a call duly sent to each Regent.
MEETING OF THE FULL BOARD, Friday, April 15, 12:30 p.m.
Board Members in Attendance:
Robert M. Bennett, Chancellor
Adelaide L. Sanford, Vice Chancellor
Saul B. Cohen
Merryl H. Tisch
Harry Phillips, 3rd
Joseph E. Bowman, Jr.
Lorraine Cort�s-V�zquez
James R. Tallon, Jr.
Milton L. Cofield
Roger B. Tilles
Also present were the President of The University and Commissioner of Education, Richard P. Mills, Chief of Staff and Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs, Kathy A. Ahearn, and the Secretary, Board of Regents, David Johnson. Regents James C. Dawson, Anthony S. Bottar, Geraldine D. Chapey, John Brademas, and Carol Bellamy were absent and excused.
Chancellor Bennett called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m.
Summary of the March 2005 Meeting
BR (A) 1
MOVED,
that the Summary of the March 2005 Meeting of the Board of Regents of The University of the State of New York be approved.
Motion by:
Regent Joseph E. Bowman, Jr.
Seconded by:
Regent James R. Tallon, Jr.
Action:
Motion carried unanimously
State Education Department March 2005 Fiscal Report
BR (A) 2
The Board received the March 2005 Fiscal Report for review and acceptance.
General fund accounts are in structural balance with the exception of the tenured teacher program. The unmet 2004-05 tenured teacher hearing costs have been moved to the 2005-06 State fiscal year and will be paid with 2005-06 funds. A 2004-05 deficiency budget appropriation was provided for the GED program enabling this program to end the year in structural balance.
Federal accounts are in structural balance. All revenue accounts are in balance, allowing for normal reimbursement delays and the planned use of prior year balances.
MOVED,
that the Board of Regents accept the March 2005 State Education Department Fiscal Report as presented.
Motion by:
Regent Milton L. Cofield
Seconded by:
Regent Joseph E. Bowman, Jr.
Action:
Motion carried unanimously
Commissioner�s Report to the Board
The Commissioner�s written monthly report focused on three subject areas: Workforce Development; Seizing the New York Advantage-USNY; and, Proficient Performance - The Case for Urgency.
2006-2007 Budget Development Process
BR (D) 1
The Board reviewed the new budget development timeline for 2006-07 which will begin with discussion of the conceptual direction of the Regents State Aid proposal in May.
During discussion there was a request that approval of the State Aid proposal, currently scheduled in the timeline for action in September, be moved to October.
Resolution in Recognition of Regent Diane O�Neill McGivern
Chancellor Robert M. Bennett presented a Resolution recognizing Diane O�Neill McGivern for fourteen years of outstanding service as a member of the Board of Regents.
The Resolution is attached as Appendix I.
Designation of Diane O�Neill McGivern as Regent Emerita
MOVED
, that the Secretary of the Board of Regents cast a ballot for the purpose of designating Diane O�Neill McGivern as Regent Emerita, effective immediately.
Motion by:
Regent Saul B. Cohen
Seconded by:
Regent Harry Phillips, 3rd
Action:
Motion carried unanimously
Board Activities and Visitation
The Board convened its monthly meeting at the Broome-Delaware-Tioga BOCES with a meeting of the Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education � Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities Committee. Concurrently, Board members not on the Committee visited the BOCES career and technical program and the Broome Community College Allied Health Center. In the late afternoon the Board met with 34 area USNY representatives at Binghamton University for a discussion focusing on closing the gaps in student achievement. In the evening the Board hosted 22 area business leaders for dinner and a conversation on business expectations for education.
On the morning of April 15, Board members visited four sets of schools in Broome County: Binghamton High School and Kenyon Elementary School; Vestal High School and Charles F. Johnson Elementary School; East Middle School and Johnson City Elementary School; and, Maine-Endwell Middle School and Columbus Learning Center.
The meeting concluded with a luncheon and a meeting of the Full Board at the Endicott Visitor Center.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT
MOVED,
that the reports from the Regents Standing Committee be approved as submitted.
Motion by:
Regent Joseph E. Bowman, Jr.
Seconded by:
Regent Milton L. Cofield
Action:
Motion carried (Regent Arnold B. Gardner abstained on the vote for the New York Center for Autism Charter School)
REGENTS COMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, SECONDARY AND CONTINUING EDUCATION-VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Your EMSC-VESID Committee held its scheduled meeting on April 14, 2005. Regent Dawson was absent and excused.
ACTION ITEMS
� Your Committee recommends that the charter for the City Collegiate Charter School be approved. [EMSC-VESID (A) 1]
� Your Committee recommends that the charter for the New Heights Academy Charter School be approved. [EMSC-VESID (A) 1]
� Your Committee recommends that the charter for the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter School be approved. [EMSC-VESID (A) 1]
� Your Committee recommends that the proposed charter for the New York Center for Autism Charter School be approved. [EMSC-VESID (A) 2]
� Your Committee recommends that the revisions to the charter of the Achievement First Bushwick Charter School be approved. [EMSC-VESID (A) 1]
MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD
Mr. Chancellor and Members of the Board: Your EMSC-VESID Committee recommends, and I move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each of the recommendations set forth in the written report of the deliberations of the Committee at its meeting on April 14, 2005, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.
MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION
Proposal on graduation standard [EMSC-VESID (D) 1]
The Department will provide the Committee with more detailed data on high school completion, e.g., by school, and a statement on how it is focusing on the needs of students in the lowest achieving high schools in the State. In addition, the Department will examine how to include students in the appeals process who have not achieved 65 on a Regents examination as a result of poor instruction and/or inadequate resources. It was the sense of the Committee that general-education students entering grade 9 in 2005 be required to have at least two or three scores at 65 or above on the five required Regents examinations and all scores above 55 for graduation.