S 4068: Authorizes and directs the commissioner of education to establish rules and regulations for a college or university seeking to cease operations in an orderly process.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4068 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 31, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. MAY -- 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 authorizing and directing the commissioner of education establish rules and regu- lations for a college or university seeking to cease operations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 63 to read as follows: 3 63. The commissioner is authorized and directed to promulgate rules 4 and regulations that shall establish an orderly process for the closure 5 of a college or university. Such rules and regulations shall include, 6 but not be limited to: 7 (a) any decision to cease operations at a college or university shall 8 be made public and disclosed at least one year prior to the proposed 9 closing date; 10 (b) any college or university ceasing operations shall hold at least 11 three public meetings to address concerns from students, faculty, staff, 12 and the local community; 13 (c) any college or university ceasing operations shall provide notice 14 to such college or university's accrediting agency at least nine months 15 prior to the proposed closing date; 16 (d) any college or university ceasing operations shall provide details 17 on teach out plans or transfer agreements to enrolled students at least 18 six months prior to the proposed closing date; 19 (e) any college or university ceasing operations shall provide details 20 on any plans to sell, transfer, or utilize campus resources, including 21 but not limited to buildings, grounds, and facilities to local govern- 22 ments at least six months prior to the proposed closing date; and 23 (f) any college or university ceasing operations that shares responsi- 24 bility for or provides shared services to local governments or agencies EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06832-01-5 
 S. 4068 2 1 for programs or physical operations shall develop a transition plan with 2 the relevant partner at least four months prior to the proposed closing 3 date. 4 § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a 5 law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any 6 rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its 7 effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such 8 effective date.