N.Y. Education Law § 352-a: Maritime college; admissions program

§ 352-a. Maritime college; admissions program. 1. There shall be

created an admissions program for the state university of New York

maritime college as established pursuant to section three hundred

fifty-two of this article in which certain elected officials shall

nominate students for placement in such college's regimental/cadet

degree system.

2. (a) Maritime college shall have a total of two hundred eighty-four

vacancy positions set aside for applicants who are nominated by the

governor, a state senator or a member of the assembly. Such vacancy

nominations shall increase or decrease based upon the number of senate

districts authorized pursuant to article three of the New York state

constitution. An applicant who receives such a nomination, is accepted

for admission into the college and participates in the regimental

program shall receive a scholarship equal to the amount of the state

tuition charge after the deduction of any available grant aid for the

four consecutive years following his or her admission into the program

provided, however, that the student remains in the regimental/cadet

degree program and remains at all times in good academic standing as

determined by the maritime college administration. In no event shall a

student lose his or her scholarship based upon legislative

reapportionment or changes in legislative composition or membership.

Nothing herein shall be construed to limit or reduce the number of

vacancies available to the general population.

(b) To be eligible to receive such nomination and scholarship, the

applicant must be a resident of the state. For purposes of this section,

a state resident shall be defined as a person who has resided in the

state of New York for a period of at least one year prior to the time of

nomination, is a graduate or within one year of graduation from an

approved high school or has attained a New York state high school

equivalency diploma or its equivalent as determined by the commissioner.

3. The vacancy nominations shall be distributed as follows: five for

the governor, five for the majority leader of the senate, five for the

speaker of the assembly, two for each state senator other than the

majority leader of the senate and one for each member of the assembly

other than the speaker of the assembly. The governor and each member of

the legislature shall provide one principal and three alternative

nominations for consideration for admission. Final admission decisions

shall remain with the college and within administrative procedures and

criteria.

4. The state university of New York shall provide annually by the

first day of July and upon request of the chairperson of the senate

higher education committee or the chairperson of the assembly higher

education committee a report detailing the total vacancies filled, the

total vacancies expected for the upcoming academic year, what vacancies

each elected official is expected to have pursuant to the provisions of

subdivision three of this section and a summary of the previous year's

total student enrollment and participation in the program.

5. The scholarships authorized by this section shall be made available

so long as funds are made available for such purposes.

6. Any individual receiving a scholarship pursuant to this section

shall apply for all other available state, federal, or other educational

grant aid at the time of enrollment. Any grant aid or financial

assistance received shall be utilized to offset the cost of tuition and

the "Summer Sea Term" to the maximum extent possible, except that

nothing shall require that aid or assistance received which may be used

towards costs other than that of tuition shall be applied toward the

cost of tuition.

7. The state university of New York is hereby authorized to promulgate

any rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the

provisions of this section.