Requires the state university of New York and the city university of New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice; requires students to complete at least one three-credit course on ethnic studies, women's studies, or social justice to graduate with a baccalaureate degree.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
663
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 6, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- 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 requiring regulations
directing the state university of New York and the city university of
New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's
studies, and social justice
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 208-b
2 to read as follows:
3 § 208-b. Courses on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social
4 justice. 1. The commissioner and the board of regents are authorized
5 and directed to establish rules and/or regulations requiring each insti-
6 tution of higher learning in New York state to provide for courses in
7 ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice in each of its
8 campuses and requiring, as an undergraduate graduation requirement,
9 completion of, at a minimum, one three-credit course in ethnic studies,
10 women's studies, or social justice. Such requirement shall not increase
11 the number of units required to graduate from the institution with a
12 baccalaureate degree. Such graduation requirement shall not apply to a
13 postbaccalaureate student who is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree
14 program at an institution of higher learning if the student has satis-
15 fied either of the following:
16 (a) The student has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution
17 accredited by a regional accrediting agency.
18 (b) The student has completed an ethnic studies, women's studies, or
19 social justice course at a postsecondary educational institution accred-
20 ited by a regional accrediting agency.
21 2. The commissioner and the board of regents are authorized and
22 directed to develop core competencies to be achieved by students who
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03761-01-1
S. 663 2
1 complete an ethnic studies, women's studies, or social justice course
2 pursuant to subdivision one of this section. Such core competencies
3 shall be intended to ensure that students of institutions of higher
4 learning in New York acquire the knowledge and skills that will help
5 them comprehend the diversity and social justice history of the United
6 States and of the society in which they live to enable such students to
7 contribute to society as responsible and constructive citizens.
8 3. For the purposes of this section, "ethnic studies" shall mean an
9 interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with
10 special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups:
11 Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and
12 Latino Americans.
13 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6204-b to
14 read as follows:
15 § 6204-b. Courses on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social
16 justice. 1. The city university is authorized and directed to establish
17 rules and/or regulations requiring each institution of the city univer-
18 sity to provide for courses in ethnic studies, women's studies, and
19 social justice in each of its campuses and requiring, as an undergradu-
20 ate graduation requirement, completion of, at a minimum, one three-cre-
21 dit course in ethnic studies, women's studies, or social justice. Such
22 requirement shall not increase the number of units required to graduate
23 from the city university with a baccalaureate degree. Such graduation
24 requirement shall not apply to a postbaccalaureate student who is
25 enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at the city university if the
26 student has satisfied either of the following:
27 (a) The student has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution
28 accredited by a regional accrediting agency.
29 (b) The student has completed an ethnic studies, women's studies, or
30 social justice course at a postsecondary educational institution accred-
31 ited by a regional accrediting agency.
32 2. The city university is authorized and directed to develop core
33 competencies to be achieved by students who complete an ethnic studies,
34 women's studies, or social justice course pursuant to subdivision one of
35 this section. Such core competencies shall be intended to ensure that
36 students of the city university acquire the knowledge and skills that
37 will help them comprehend the diversity and social justice history of
38 the United States and of the society in which they live to enable such
39 students to contribute to society as responsible and constructive citi-
40 zens.
41 3. For the purposes of this section, "ethnic studies" shall mean an
42 interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with
43 special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups:
44 Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and
45 Latino Americans.
46 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
