S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6729
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  in relation to establishing a task force to create a comprehen-
   sive plan for the future of the  Southampton  campus  of  Stony  Brook
   University
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that
 in 2006, the state of New York acquired and established a new campus  at
 Southampton  under  the auspices of Stony Brook University. The legisla-
 ture further finds that it has made a commitment to maintain and  expand
 opportunities for higher education at this campus.
   However,  Stony Brook University has failed to achieve the full poten-
 tial of the campus. Seventeen years after assuming  stewardship  of  the
 Southampton  campus,  Stony  Brook  University  has  failed to adopt and
 implement a long term plan for the campus. In fact, of the 41  buildings
 located  on the campus, 17 are considered to be unsafe for use and occu-
 pancy, including historic Southampton Hall. Further, Stony Brook Univer-
 sity has failed to even apply for state and federal funding  that  could
 have  been utilized to restore or replace these buildings for future use
 on the campus.
   Such neglect is unacceptable.
   A vision for the future of the campus must be created working with the
 local community. The first step to create that vision and  realize  that
 the  full  potential of the campus is the development of a comprehensive
 plan for the Southampton campus. Such a comprehensive plan will identify
 the capital investment and programmatic initiatives that  are  necessary
 to achieve the full potential of the campus.
   Therefore, the intent of this legislation is to establish a task force
 to create a comprehensive plan for the future of the Southampton campus.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10862-01-3
 A. 6729                             2
              

 
   §  2.  1. There is hereby created the Southampton campus comprehensive
 plan task force.
   2.  Such  task force shall consist of 7 voting members as follows: (a)
 the member of the senate representing the campus; (b) the member of  the
 assembly  representing  the  campus;  (c)  the Suffolk county legislator
 representing the campus; (d) the town supervisor of the town  of  South-
 ampton;  (e)  the  village  mayor of the village of Southampton; (f) the
 chairman of the tribal trustees of the Shinnecock Indian Nation; and (g)
 the president of Stony Brook University, or their  designees.  The  task
 force  shall  be  empowered to appoint a community advisory committee of
 not more than 15 members to include representatives of  business,  envi-
 ronmental, educational, civic, and community interests.
   3. The chair of the task force shall be elected by the task force from
 among  its  members.  Four  members of the task force shall constitute a
 quorum for the purposes of organizing the task force and conducting  the
 meetings  thereof.  Members of the task force shall serve without salary
 or other compensation. The task force shall meet not less  than  once  a
 month at the Southampton campus until a final report and recommendations
 are submitted in accordance with subdivision six of this section.
   4. Such task force shall develop recommendations for the future use of
 the  Southampton  campus,  including  but not limited to a comprehensive
 plan and a 5 year action plan. Such plan shall consider both the capital
 and program needs of the campus to maximize  its  full  educational  and
 community  potential.  The state university and all other state agencies
 shall provide their expertise and, where possible,  their  resources  to
 assist the task force in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities.
   5.  Within  2 months of the effective date of this act, the task force
 shall hold a public hearing. Additional hearings  may  be  held  at  the
 discretion  of  the  task  force. The task force shall adopt preliminary
 recommendations within 6 months of  the  effective  date  of  this  act.
 Following  the  adoption  of  such preliminary recommendations, the task
 force shall hold at least one additional public hearing.
   6. The task force shall develop and submit a final report of recommen-
 dations to the governor, the temporary president of the senate  and  the
 speaker  of  the  assembly within 9 months of the effective date of this
 act.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.