Requires the state university of New York and the city university of New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice

2025 Regular Session Introduced by James Sanders

Requires SUNY and CUNY to establish courses in ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice, expanding DEI-focused options for students and faculty.

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Overview

Bill Number: S 6605

Title: Requires the state university of New York and the city university of New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice

Status: Referred to Higher Education

Introduced: March 18, 2025

Sponsor: James Sanders Jr. (primary)

Related Bills (prior-session): S 8867, S 663, S 1452

What the bill would do

The bill requires two public university systems in New York State, the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY), to establish courses of study in three areas:

Ethnic studies
Women’s studies
Social justice

The language indicates the creation or establishment of courses of study within SUNY and CUNY, though it does not specify whether these would take the form of certificates, minors, majors, or other curricular structures. The exact design (degree-granting vs. non-degree programs, credits, prerequisites, etc.) is not provided in the summary available.

Key provisions and potential impact

Curricular Expansion: SUNY and CUNY would need to implement formal offerings in ethnic studies, women’s studies, and social justice across their campuses.

Scope and Uniformity: It is not specified whether requirements would apply to all campuses within SUNY and CUNY or subset campuses, nor how programs would be standardized across the systems.

Intended Outcomes: The provisions imply expanded opportunities for students to study topics related to race, gender, and justice, potentially enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in higher education curricula.

Affected entities

Primary: SUNY and CUNY systems (university administration, curricula committees, faculty, and campus leadership)

Students: Current and prospective students at SUNY and CUNY seeking coursework or credentials in ethnic studies, women’s studies, or social justice

Faculty and Staff: Potential hires or program development roles to support new courses of study

Procedural and timeline aspects

Current status: Referred to the Higher Education committee; no further actions or dates provided in the summary.

Next steps in the process: If advanced, the bill would likely be considered by the Higher Education Committee, possibly amended, and would require floor votes in both legislative chambers before becoming law.

Effective date: Not specified in the available information.

Fiscal and implementation considerations

The available description does not include funding provisions or a specific implementation timeline. Questions that typically arise include:

Will funding be appropriated to support new programs (faculty hires, curriculum development, resources)?
Are there mandated reporting requirements to the legislature or state education authorities?
How will progress be measured, and what are the milestones for program rollout across SUNY and CUNY?

Related policy context

The bill’s related-senate actions in prior sessions (S 8867, S 663, S 1452) suggest ongoing legislative interest in expanding study areas related to ethnicity, gender, and social justice within New York’s public universities.

If you’d like, I can draft a set of specific questions for committee analysis or compare this bill’s potential impact with the related prior-session bills.

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