S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2286
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. WEBB, BROUK, CLEARE, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON -- read
   twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
   Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a Black
   Leadership Institute within the State University of New York

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  intent.  The  State  University  of New York
 ("SUNY") has committed to becoming the most inclusive university  system
 in  the country, where all students, faculty, and staff feel welcome and
 supported. To meet this goal, SUNY must employ, in addition  to  faculty
 and  staff,  leaders  at the highest levels who share common experiences
 and culture with those who comprise the fastest-growing segment  of  its
 student  population:  diverse students who will become the nation's next
 generation of leaders.
   SUNY has seen a steady increase of Black  students  in  recent  years,
 reaching  nearly  11  percent, or over 42,000 students, in the 2019-2020
 academic year. While SUNY continues its efforts to  ensure  that  campus
 leadership and faculty reflect the students they serve by hiring faculty
 who  are  more  representative of the diverse student population at SUNY
 campuses, the  diversity  within  executive  leadership  teams  on  many
 campuses can be expanded further with support from the legislature.
   It  is,  therefore, the intention of the legislature to create a Black
 Leadership Institute ("the Institute") as an initiative for Black  lead-
 ers  in  higher  education with a mission to retain and grow from within
 SUNY a greater proportion of Black professionals at SUNY  campuses.  The
 Institute  shall  offer  support and foster professional development for
 candidates for senior leadership roles on SUNY campuses, which will,  in
 turn,  create a more diverse SUNY culture that represents New York state
 and the SUNY student population.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01859-01-5
 S. 2286                             2
              

 
   The legislature further intends that the Institute would  be  designed
 to  open doors to executive-level positions and strengthen the Universi-
 ty's pool of Black leaders. The Institute will  identify,  develop,  and
 recruit, and ultimately support, retain, and foster the success of Black
 leaders across the SUNY system.
   §  2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 362 to read
 as follows:
   § 362. BLACK LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. 1.  SUBJECT TO AN APPROPRIATION FOR
 THIS PURPOSE, THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK,  IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
 YORK, SHALL CREATE A BLACK LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE WITHIN THE STATE UNIVER-
 SITY OF NEW YORK TO FOSTER THE SUCCESS OF BLACK LEADERS AT THE UNIVERSI-
 TY PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT'S CABINET LEVEL. SUCH INSTITUTE SHALL DEVELOP
 CANDIDATE  IDENTIFICATION  AND  RECRUITMENT  EFFORTS,  SEARCH  COMMITTEE
 TRAINING,  PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT AND INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT MEASURES
 FOR  INSTITUTE  PARTICIPANTS,   PROFESSIONAL   ASSISTANCE   PROGRAMMING,
 SERVICES, RESEARCH AND RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION ACTIVITIES, AND ANY OTHER
 PROGRAMS DEEMED NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE INTENT OF THIS INSTITUTE.
   2.  THE  CHANCELLOR  SHALL  APPOINT AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND AN EIGHT
 MEMBER ADVISORY COUNCIL, TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND ADVICE TO  FURTHER  THE
 DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE INSTITUTE. THE DIRECTOR AND THE MEMBERS OF
 THE ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL SERVE FOR THREE-YEAR TERMS, WITH THE DIRECTOR
 AND  THREE  ADVISORY  COUNCIL MEMBERS APPOINTED IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE
 INSTITUTE'S EXISTENCE, THREE OTHER MEMBERS APPOINTED IN THE SECOND YEAR,
 AND TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED IN THE THIRD YEAR. THE DIRECTOR  AND  ADVISORY
 COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY BE REAPPOINTED AT THE END OF EACH TERM IN THE MANNER
 OF  THE  ORIGINAL  APPOINTMENT.  THE DIRECTOR AND ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL
 RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR WORK IN CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  INSTI-
 TUTE.
   3.  IN  CONSIDERING  MEASURES  AND  PROGRAMMING  FOR  EFFECTUATING THE
 PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE, THE INSTITUTE SHALL CONSIDER SUCH  FACTORS  AS
 PROGRAM  COST-EFFECTIVENESS;  THE  ABILITY  OF  SUCH  PROGRAMS  TO OFFER
 PROGRAMMATICALLY APPROPRIATE, LONG-TERM, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT SERVICES;
 THE ABILITY OF SUCH PROGRAMS TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
 INSTITUTE TO RECEIVE REWARDING TRAINING,  SERVICES,  AND  SUPPORTS;  AND
 CURRENT  AND  PROJECTED  EMPLOYMENT  DATA  AT  CAMPUSES WITHIN THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.
   4. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL PREPARE AND PRESENT TO  THE  GOVERNOR,
 THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AT
 THE BEGINNING OF EACH REGULAR SESSION  OF  THE  LEGISLATURE  A  SEPARATE
 REPORT  COVERING,  IN  SUMMARY, AND IN DETAIL, ALL PHASES OF ACTIVITY OF
 THE INSTITUTE FOR THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.