STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________

8867

IN SENATE

August 3, 2020 ___________

Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

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

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. 1. The commissioner and the board 4 of regents are authorized and directed to establish rules and/or regu- 5 lations requiring each institution of higher learning in New York state 6 to provide for courses in ethnic studies in each of its campuses and 7 requiring, as an undergraduate graduation requirement, completion of, at 8 a minimum, one three-credit course in ethnic studies. Such requirement 9 shall not increase the number of units required to graduate from the 10 institution with a baccalaureate degree. Such graduation requirement 11 shall not apply to a postbaccalaureate student who is enrolled in a 12 baccalaureate degree program at an institution of higher learning if the 13 student has satisfied either of the following: 14 (a) The student has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution 15 accredited by a regional accrediting agency. 16 (b) The student has completed an ethnic studies course at a postsecon- 17 dary educational institution accredited by a regional accrediting agen- 18 cy. 19 2. The commissioner and the board of regents are authorized and 20 directed to develop core competencies to be achieved by students who 21 complete an ethnic studies course pursuant to subdivision one of this 22 section. Such core competencies shall be intended to ensure that 23 students of institutions of higher learning in New York acquire the 24 knowledge and skills that will help them comprehend the diversity and 25 social justice history of the United States and of the society in which 26 they live to enable such students to contribute to society as responsi- 27 ble and constructive citizens.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD17053-01-0

S. 8867 2

1 3. For the purposes of this section, "ethnic studies" shall mean an 2 interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with 3 special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups: 4 Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and 5 Latino Americans. 6 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6204-b to 7 read as follows: 8 § 6204-b. Courses on ethnic studies. 1. The city university is author- 9 ized and directed to establish rules and/or regulations requiring each 10 institution of the city university to provide for courses in ethnic 11 studies in each of its campuses and requiring, as an undergraduate grad- 12 uation requirement, completion of, at a minimum, one three-credit course 13 in ethnic studies. Such requirement shall not increase the number of 14 units required to graduate from the city university with a baccalaureate 15 degree. Such graduation requirement shall not apply to a postbaccalau- 16 reate student who is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at the 17 city university if the student has satisfied either of the following: 18 (a) The student has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution 19 accredited by a regional accrediting agency. 20 (b) The student has completed an ethnic studies course at a postsecon- 21 dary educational institution accredited by a regional accrediting agen- 22 cy. 23 2. The city university is authorized and directed to develop core 24 competencies to be achieved by students who complete an ethnic studies 25 course pursuant to subdivision one of this section. Such core competen- 26 cies shall be intended to ensure that students of the city university 27 acquire the knowledge and skills that will help them comprehend the 28 diversity and social justice history of the United States and of the 29 society in which they live to enable such students to contribute to 30 society as responsible and constructive citizens. 31 3. For the purposes of this section, "ethnic studies" shall mean an 32 interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with 33 special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups: 34 Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and 35 Latino Americans. 36 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.