New York Laws
Part 1 - Corporate Structure
652 - New York State Higher Education Services Corporation; Purposes; Board of Trustees.

§ 652. New York state higher education services corporation; purposes;
board of trustees. 1. There is hereby created in the State Education
Department and within the University of the State of New York as
established under the Board of Regents, an educational corporation to be
known as the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.

2. The purposes of such corporation shall be:

a. To improve the post-secondary educational opportunities of eligible
students through the centralized administration of New York state
financial aid and loan programs;

b. To coordinate the state's administrative effort in student
financial aid and loan programs with those of other levels of
government;

c. To support the administration by the federal government, other
states, and institutions of post-secondary education of the federal
student aid programs established under Title IV of the Higher Education
Act of nineteen hundred sixty-five, as amended, or any successor
statute.

3. The corporation shall be governed and all of its corporate powers
exercised by a board of trustees which shall consist of fifteen members,
nine of whom shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and
consent of the senate. The members not requiring the advice and consent
of the senate shall be the commissioner of education, the chancellor of
the state university, the chancellor of the city university of the city
of New York, and three students. One such student shall be the president
of the student assembly of the state university of New York, one such
student shall be the chair of the united student senate of city
university of New York, and one such student shall be a student
registered in a full time course of study at a state university
community college. In the event a student who shall be a member by
reason of his or her office in a student organization shall fail to
qualify, the student who holds the next highest office in the
organization shall be the member of the board.

4. All members shall be at least eighteen years of age, citizens of
the United States and residents of the state. The appointed members
shall consist of two representatives of banking institutions within the
state, two such members shall be the presidents of independent
institutions of higher education within the state, one such member shall
be a president or chief executive officer of a school licensed or
registered pursuant to section five thousand one of this chapter, one
such member shall be a financial aid officer at a higher education
institution in New York, one such member shall be a president or chief
executive officer of a degree granting proprietary college located
within the state, one such member shall be a student currently
registered and in full time attendance at a degree granting independent
institution of higher education in New York, and one shall be
representative of the public.

5. The appointed members shall serve for terms of six years each and
shall be eligible for reappointment to successive terms; provided,
however, that the student representative of the state university
community colleges shall serve for a term of one year.

6. The board of trustees shall elect, from among its appointed
members, a chairman and vice-chairman who shall serve in such offices
for terms of one year and who shall be eligible for reelection for
successive terms. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in
the same manner as original appointments. Trustees, including the
chairman and vice-chairman, shall receive no compensation for their
services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and

necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their duties under
this article.

7. a. The board of trustees shall provide for the holding of regular
meetings and such special meetings at the call of the chairman, as may
be necessary. A majority of the trustees shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of any business and the act of the majority of the
trustees present at any meeting shall be deemed the act of the board.

b. The agenda for any such meeting of the board of trustees shall be
available electronically on the higher education services corporation
website three days prior to the meetings and shall be considered a
public record. The attendance, minutes, voting record, and either
transcripts or video record, for any such meeting of the board of
trustees shall be electronically available on the higher education
services corporation website no later than seven days after the meeting
and shall be considered public records. Information posted on the higher
education services corporation website regarding board of trustee
meetings shall remain on the site as archived data for a minimum of ten
years.

c. Any such meeting of the board of trustees shall be conducted in
accordance with article seven of the public officers law.

8. The commissioner of education, the chancellor of the state
university and the chancellor of the city university each may, by
official authority filed in his or her respective department or
university, and with the secretary of the board, designate an officer of
his or her respective department or university to represent and exercise
all the powers of such commissioner or chancellor as the case may be at
all meetings of the board from which such commissioner or chancellor may
be absent.