§ 237. Regents plan for higher education including approved plans of
state university and city university of New York and plans of
independent institutions of higher education. 1. Purposes of planning.
Master planning for higher education in New York State should:

a. Define and differentiate the missions and objectives of higher
education.

b. Identify the needs, problems, societal conditions and interests of
the citizens of the state of New York to which programs of higher
education may most appropriately be addressed.

c. Define and differentiate the missions and objectives of
institutions of higher education.

d. Develop programs to meet the needs, solve the problems, affect the
conditions and respond to the public's interests by:

(1) Setting goals.

(2) Describing the time required to meet those goals.

(3) Identifying the resources needed to achieve the goals.

(4) Establishing priorities.

e. Be in sufficient detail to enable all participants in the planning
process, representatives of the people and the citizens themselves to
evaluate the needs, objectives, program proposals, priorities, costs and
results of higher education.

f. Optimize the use of resources.

g. Evaluate program effectiveness.

2. The regents shall, on or before the twenty-fifth day of April
nineteen hundred seventy-one and each fourth year thereafter, request
the state university trustees, the board of higher education of the city
of New York, and all independent higher educational institutions to
submit long-range master plans for their development. Such request shall
specify the nature of the information, plans and recommendations to be
submitted, shall describe statewide needs, problems, societal conditions
and interests of the citizens and discuss their priorities, and provide
appropriate information which may be useful in the formulation of such
plans.

3. The regents shall, once every four years, review the proposed plan
and recommendations required to be submitted by the state university
trustees pursuant to section three hundred fifty-four of this chapter,
the proposed plan and recommendations of the board of higher education
in the city of New York required to be submitted pursuant to section
sixty-two hundred two of this chapter, and the plans of independent
institutions of higher education and, upon approval by the regents of
the plans submitted by the state university trustees and the board of
higher education, they shall be incorporated into a regents plan or
general revision thereof for the development of higher education in the
state. Such regents plan shall include the plan and recommendations
proposed by the state university trustees and the plan and
recommendations proposed by the board of higher education in the city of
New York and may include plans with respect to other matters not
comprehended within the plan of the state and city universities,
including but not limited to improving institutional management and
resources, instruction and guidance programs, financial assistance to
students and extension of educational opportunities. In determining the
need for additional educational facilities in a particular area, the
plans and facilities of existing public and independent institutions
shall be fully evaluated. Such statewide plan shall include for
information purposes a summary of all recommendations appearing in the
prior statewide plan and subsequent amendments thereof containing a
brief statement of action taken and progress toward achievement of each
such recommendation.

4. During the calendar year nineteen hundred sixty-four and each
fourth year thereafter the regents shall evaluate all available
information with respect to the plans and facilities of independent
institutions and shall review and act upon the proposed plan and
recommendations of the state university trustees and upon the proposed
plan and recommendations of the board of higher education in the city of
New York and incorporate such information, recommendations and each of
the component plans so acted upon into a tentative regents plan or
general revision thereof for the development of higher education in the
state. Copies of such tentative regents plan or general revision
thereof, as the case may be, shall be made available to the trustees of
the state university, the board of higher education in the city of New
York and the governing boards of all other institutions of higher
education admitted to the university of the state of New York.
Thereafter, after giving due notice, the regents shall conduct one or
more hearings on such tentative regents plan or general revision
thereof.

5. The regents shall transmit their plan or general revision thereof
for the development of higher education in the state to the governor and
the legislature on or before the first day of November, nineteen hundred
sixty-four and each fourth year thereafter. The governor may disapprove
or conditionally approve any part of the plan or general revision
thereof after notifying the regents of such disagreements at least sixty
days prior to such action during which time they may revise their
recommendations relating to such items and request the governor to adopt
such revised recommendations in lieu of such action. Such plan or
general revision thereof or so much thereof as shall be approved and
upon such terms and conditions as the governor may impose, shall become
effective upon such approval by the governor.

6. Any modification recommended by the state university trustees or by
the board of higher education in the city of New York to their
respective plans, theretofore formulated and approved pursuant to
section three hundred fifty-four or section sixty-two hundred two of
this chapter shall be reviewed by the regents who may hold one or more
hearings thereon after giving due notice thereof. As approved by the
regents, such modification shall be made a part of the respective plans
of the state university and of the city university and shall, together
with any modifications the regents may make to that portion of their
plan for the development of higher education in the state not
comprehended in the plans of the state and city universities, be
transmitted to the governor and the legislature, all of which shall then
become effective upon approval by the governor as modifications of the
regents plan. By the first day of November in nineteen hundred
seventy-four and each fourth year thereafter the regents shall summarize
and report to the governor and the legislature any modifications made
pursuant to this subdivision and shall include in such report a
statement on the progress made in implementing the regents plan and
their general recommendations with respect to higher education.

7. An advisory council on higher education consisting of the
chancellor of the state university of New York, the chancellor of the
city university of New York, and a representative of the commission on
independent colleges and universities shall be convened by the
commissioner of education and shall advise the regents and the
commissioner on all phases of planning.