Requires the SUNY and CUNY boards of trustees and boards of trustees of community colleges to establish a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees; requires such policy to waive any remaining credits for enrolled matriculated students who die and would otherwise have been eligible for graduation had they been able to complete their academic career.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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5355--A
Cal. No. 809
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 2, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sens. BRISPORT, SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
-- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second
report, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered to
the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third reading,
amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of
third reading
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing policies
for the awarding of posthumous degrees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Melquain
2 Jatelle Anderson's (Mel's) Law".
3 § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is amended by
4 adding a new paragraph f-2 to read as follows:
5 f-2. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the
6 state university of New York board of trustees shall establish a policy
7 authorizing state-operated institutions and community colleges within
8 the state university to grant posthumous degrees to enrolled matriculat-
9 ed students whose death occurs prior to graduation. Such policy shall
10 provide that, upon terms set in the policy, any remaining credit
11 requirements shall be waived for any student who dies and who otherwise
12 would have been eligible for graduation had they been able to complete
13 their academic career.
14 § 3. Section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new
15 subdivision 22 to read as follows:
16 22. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the
17 board of trustees shall establish a policy authorizing senior colleges
18 and community colleges within the city university of New York to grant
19 posthumous degrees to enrolled matriculated students whose death occurs
20 prior to graduation. Such policy shall provide that, upon terms set in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04553-07-3
S. 5355--A 2
1 the policy, any remaining credit requirements shall be waived for any
2 student who dies and who otherwise would have been eligible for gradu-
3 ation had they been able to complete their academic career.
4 § 4. Such posthumous degrees shall not be counted in the conferred
5 degrees during the accreditation process or negatively impact a school's
6 standing during the accreditation process.
7 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
