Bill Text: NY A07027 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes the regents to create a task force to review the issue of textbook cost and ways to enhance the academic role and delivery of course materials through greater collaboration between faculty, publishers, college bookstores and libraries.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-7)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-06-05 - held for consideration in higher education [A07027 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A07027-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         7027
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                    April 11, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. KELLNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
         tee on Education
       AN ACT to amend the  education  law,  in  relation  to  authorizing  the
         regents  of  the  university of the state of New York to create a task
         force to review of the issues of textbooks' cost and ways  to  enhance
         the  academic  role and delivery of course materials, ensuring student
         affordability through such approaches as used books, textbook rentals,
         custom materials, the use of open access textbooks, digital textbooks,
         print  on  demand  technologies,  and  through  greater  collaboration
         between faculty, publishers, college bookstores and libraries
         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 725 to
    2  read as follows:
    3    S 725. FORMATION OF TASK FORCE. 1.  THE REGENTS OF THE  UNIVERSITY  OF
    4  THE  STATE OF NEW YORK ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO IMMEDIATELY
    5  TAKE ALL ACTIONS TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE  ISSUES  OF  TEXT-
    6  BOOKS'  COST  AND DELIVERY METHODS. THE TASK FORCE WILL CONSIST OF THIR-
    7  TEEN REPRESENTATIVES WHO SHALL BE SELECTED AMONG FACULTY  AND  REPRESEN-
    8  TATIVES  FROM  THE  STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW
    9  YORK, PRIVATE COLLEGES WITHIN NEW YORK  STATE,  AND  CAMPUS  BOOKSTORES.
   10  APPOINTMENTS  TO THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
   11  NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AFTER CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  STATE
   12  UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, PRIVATE COLLEGES
   13  AND CAMPUS BOOKSTORES WITHIN NEW YORK STATE. REPRESENTATIVES SERVING  ON
   14  THE TASK FORCE FROM THE COLLEGES SHALL INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL STAFF PERSON
   15  KNOWLEDGEABLE  ABOUT TEXTBOOK INITIATIVES CURRENTLY BEING PURSUED BY THE
   16  UNIVERSITY AND FACULTY MEMBERS. THE GOALS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE
   17  TO ADVISE ON AND EXPLORE ISSUES OF COURSE  MATERIAL  COSTS  AND  WAY  TO
   18  ENHANCE  THE  ACADEMIC  ROLE  AND SERVICES OF COLLEGE BOOKSTORES TO HELP
   19  MAKE COURSE MATERIALS MORE AFFORDABLE THROUGH SUCH  APPROACHES  AS  USED
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD10566-02-1
       A. 7027                             2
    1  BOOKS,  TEXTBOOK RENTALS, CUSTOM MATERIALS, THE USE OF OPEN ACCESS TEXT-
    2  BOOKS, DIGITAL TEXTBOOKS, PRINT  ON  DEMAND  TECHNOLOGIES,  AND  THROUGH
    3  GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN COLLEGE BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.
    4    2.  THE  TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT NOT LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 2012 TO THE
    5  BOARD OF REGENTS, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, ON THEIR RECOMMENDA-
    6  TIONS ON ENHANCING ACCESS TO TEXTBOOKS AND THEIR  COSTS  AND  METHOD  OF
    7  DELIVERY, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    8    A.  SUPPORTING  EFFICIENT  USED BOOK, BUYBACK AND STUDENT PEER TO PEER
    9  SALES;
   10    B. WAYS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE TEXTBOOK RENTAL PROGRAMS;
   11    C. WAYS TO PROMOTE THE GREATER DEVELOPMENT, ADOPTION, DEPLOYMENT,  AND
   12  USE  OF  OPEN  ACCESS  TEXTBOOKS  IN  BOTH DIGITAL AND PRINT FORMATS FOR
   13  STUDENTS AND FACULTY IN FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE WAYS;
   14    D. HOW TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY AND USE OF DIGITAL  TEXTBOOKS  AND
   15  LEARNING OBJECTS FOR FACULTY AND STUDENTS;
   16    E.  HOW  THE  USE  OF ADVANCE PRINT ON DEMAND TECHNOLOGIES CAN PROVIDE
   17  STUDENTS MORE CHOICES AND LOWER THE COST OF COURSE MATERIALS;
   18    F. WAYS IN WHICH THE COST OF COMMERCIAL DIGITAL CONTENT COULD BE  MADE
   19  MORE AFFORDABLE;
   20    G.  HOW  COLLABORATION BETWEEN TEXTBOOK PUBLISHERS, COLLEGE BOOKSTORES
   21  AND LIBRARIES CAN INCREASE CONTENT CHOICES FOR FACULTY AND ENHANCE  COST
   22  SAVINGS  FOR  STUDENTS, WHILE IMPROVING EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCING DUPLI-
   23  CATION AT LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES THROUGH THE REVIEW OF PRIMARY  SOURCE
   24  CONTENT  COLLECTIONS,  SUBSCRIPTIONS,  COURSE  PACKAGES, E-RESERVES, AND
   25  COPYRIGHT;
   26    H. WHAT GUIDELINES SHOULD EXIST, IF ANY, FOR FACULTY WHO MAY  WISH  TO
   27  EXPLORE  ALTERNATIVES  TO  TRADITIONAL TEXTBOOKS THROUGH THE USE OF OPEN
   28  ACCESS, PRINT ON DEMAND, DIGITAL, AND OTHER CONTENT AND FORMATS;
   29    I. OTHER APPROACHES TO  MAKE  COURSE  MATERIALS  MORE  AFFORDABLE  FOR
   30  STUDENTS; AND
   31    J.  AN  EVALUATION  OF  EACH RECOMMENDATION AS IT RELATES TO THE LEGAL
   32  MANDATE OF PROVIDING FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS TO  STUDENTS  WITH  DISABILI-
   33  TIES.
   34    3.  THE  TRUSTEES  SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUCH
   35  INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO  ENABLE  THE  ADVISORY
   36  COMMITTEE TO CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS.
   37    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.