S 6605: 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 ________________________________________________________________________ 6605 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 18, 2025 ___________ 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 23 complete an ethnic studies, women's studies, or social justice course EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05953-01-5 
 S. 6605 2 1 pursuant to subdivision one of this section. Such core competencies 2 shall be intended to ensure that students of institutions of higher 3 learning in New York acquire the knowledge and skills that will help 4 them comprehend the diversity and social justice history of the United 5 States and of the society in which they live to enable such students to 6 contribute to society as responsible and constructive citizens. 7 3. For the purposes of this section, "ethnic studies" shall mean an 8 interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with 9 special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups: 10 Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and 11 Latino Americans. 12 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6204-b to 13 read as follows: 14 § 6204-b. Courses on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social 15 justice. 1. The city university is authorized and directed to establish 16 rules and/or regulations requiring each institution of the city univer- 17 sity to provide for courses in ethnic studies, women's studies, and 18 social justice in each of its campuses and requiring, as an undergradu- 19 ate graduation requirement, completion of, at a minimum, one three-cre- 20 dit course in ethnic studies, women's studies, or social justice. Such 21 requirement shall not increase the number of units required to graduate 22 from the city university with a baccalaureate degree. Such graduation 23 requirement shall not apply to a postbaccalaureate student who is 24 enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at the city university if the 25 student has satisfied either of the following: 26 (a) The student has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution 27 accredited by a regional accrediting agency. 28 (b) The student has completed an ethnic studies, women's studies, or 29 social justice course at a postsecondary educational institution accred- 30 ited by a regional accrediting agency. 31 2. The city university is authorized and directed to develop core 32 competencies to be achieved by students who complete an ethnic studies, 33 women's studies, or social justice course pursuant to subdivision one of 34 this section. Such core competencies shall be intended to ensure that 35 students of the city university acquire the knowledge and skills that 36 will help them comprehend the diversity and social justice history of 37 the United States and of the society in which they live to enable such 38 students to contribute to society as responsible and constructive citi- 39 zens. 40 3. For the purposes of this section, "ethnic studies" shall mean an 41 interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with 42 special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups: 43 Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and 44 Latino Americans. 45 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.