Enacts the "Percy Ellis Sutton search for education, elevation and knowledge program protection and accountability act" establishing funding allocation and transparency requirements, audit requirements, and reporting requirements for the Percy Ellis Sutton search for education, elevation and knowledge program at the city university of New York.
This bill establishes a new New York State Pre-Paid Tuition Plan that allows individuals to make tax-free contributions to an account for the pre-payment of future college tuition. The plan is administered by the state comptroller and managed by a licensed financial organization, with funds guaranteed to cover tuition costs at participating two-year and four-year institutions. Account owners can contribute cash to the plan and designate a beneficiary, with withdrawals permitted only after four years for qualified tuition expenses. The bill defines eligible institutions, outlines the comptroller's administrative duties, and specifies rules for account opening, contributions, and withdrawals.
Authorizes the state university of New York trustees are hereby authorized and empowered, without any public bidding, to lease and otherwise contract to make available to the Abby Lane Housing Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation, a portion of the lands of the university for the purpose of building undergraduate and graduate student housing.
Adds members to the board of trustees of the state university of New York who represent the interests of community colleges as full voting members of the board of trustees; provides that the local legislative body or board of the county in which a community college is located may appoint a trustee in the event that the governor fails to appoint such trustee within 180 days of a vacancy on a board of trustees of a community college.
Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged to certain graduate students and adjunct staff, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.
Adds members to the board of trustees of the state university of New York who represent the interests of community colleges as full voting members of the board of trustees; provides that the local legislative body or board of the county in which a community college is located may appoint a trustee in the event that the governor fails to appoint such trustee within 180 days of a vacancy on a board of trustees of a community college.
Authorizes SUNY and CUNY to provide emergency aid grants to certain students; provides that the state shall reimburse half of all such grants provided; requires the higher education services corporation to provide an annual report on such programs.
This bill removes a requirement that students attend a New York high school for at least two years to qualify for certain state student loans. It directly affects New York high school graduates applying for undergraduate or graduate student loans under the state's higher education programs. The key change amends eligibility criteria in the Education Law, eliminating the two-year attendance rule while maintaining other requirements like graduation and timely application (within five years for undergrad, ten for grad). The policy change simplifies access to specific loans for students who may not have met the prior attendance threshold.
This bill creates a new instant lottery scratch-off game called the "veterans' benefit game," with all proceeds funding scholarships for veterans through New York's Veterans Tuition Awards Program. The lottery tickets must clearly state that profits support veterans, and the generated funds will be placed into a dedicated "Veterans' Education and Scholarship Fund" managed by the state education department and comptroller. The fund will provide scholarship money directly to the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation to administer the veteran tuition program. This establishes a permanent funding source for veteran education benefits through state lottery revenue.
Authorizes the state university of New York trustees are hereby authorized and empowered, without any public bidding, to lease and otherwise contract to make available to the Abby Lane Housing Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation, a portion of the lands of the university for the purpose of building undergraduate and graduate student housing.
