The following members were present: Vincent Ferrara, Arthur Resso, Jim Devaney, Howard Goldsmith, Anthony Stanziani, Ken Shulman, Mike Hatten, Wayne Wagner, and Michael Signorelli. Mr. Wagner was recently recommended for appointment by Senator Bruno, and Mr. Signorelli, Consumer Outreach and Education/Consumer Protection Board, is sitting in for Sherry Oesterhout. Mel Weiner, who related that it is Mandl’s 77th year, welcomed the council to The Mandl School.

The minutes of the January 2001 meeting were approved.

Mr. Goldsmith reported on Bureau activity. The Bureau website is continually being changed. A few new items have been added—tutorials, disciplinary action, and consumer satisfaction survey. A possible chat room has been investigated; assistance is awaited from ITS. Concetta Gallo and Alicia Hyndman, our new field supervisors, were introduced. Jerome McAvoy has joined the staff as Senior Attorney. Toni Jefferson, keyboard specialist, has been added to the Albany staff. The position of EPA I for Albany will be filled in the next few months. At least one more investigator and a backfill for support staff will be added to New York staff over the next few months. Policy Guidelines have officially replaced IPMs as of March 26, 2001. No hard mailing was completed for them; notification was completed through e-mail and posting to Cutting Edge News on the BPSS website.

For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2001, the Bureau has maintained the required $1.5 million for the TRA at $1,530,000. The Bureau does not receive state support. If the TRA falls below $1.3 million, all schools will be billed. The Bureau budget has been balanced for the past two years; this enables the Bureau to add more staff to carry out its mission.

The Directors’ Course recently concluded. A conversant (automatic telephone system) has just been added to the Albany office. Deputy Commissioner Patton visited Chubb, Peter Kump’s, Apex, and Global with David Brieff and Jerry McAvoy on March 18. More schools will be visited in the future. The public information campaign was bolstered with 2 mailings. New York State principals (1700) received a letter urging them to work with our staff to make presentations to students about educational opportunities in proprietary schools. A letter was sent to 85 newspapers in the tri-state area urging them to run public information ads with reasons to attend licensed schools. This letter will be sent statewide. The Regents’ Legislative Conference held in September shows that proprietary schools are on its agenda. A coordinated strategy for funding higher education is to be developed.

The Legislative Task Force reported on issues before them, including TAP eligibility for more programs, director’s licensure, electronic attendance, and conversion of instruction from clock hours to credit hours. Vincent Ferrara moved that the council should pursue the changing of clock hours to credit hours pending SED approval. Regarding electronic attendance, Mr. Goldsmith stated that it would be considered, provided the method meets the intent of the regulation. Mr. Goldsmith mentioned that a state contract with an unlicensed school was voided due to an outstanding order to show cause pending against that school.

The Subcommittee on Benchmarking and Streamlining reported that colleges/universities will soon be required to concur on outcome benchmarks. This proposal is currently in the comment period. It was suggested that proprietary schools voluntarily agree on placement and success rates for these benchmarks.

The Peer Secretaries, with the exception of the trade group, each reported on their work and how the different clusters will be measured. The allied health group suggested graduate registries, certification successes, national placement rates, national registries and certification, and membership in trade associations. The business group suggested ratios (student/equipment, student/teacher, administrative support) and satisfaction surveys. Mitigating circumstances, such as a high number of ability-to-benefit students vs. high school graduates, should be included. The computer group suggested student/equipment ratio, average classroom capacity, length of program (1 day vs. 15 months), and percentage of students attending day/evening or full/part-time. Joe Monaco volunteered to chair the hospitality group as Ms. Oesterhout has left the council. This information will be self-monitored.

The comments from the audience were varied. Terry Zaleski related that 21 proprietary school representatives seeking additional TAP assistance visited 32 legislators. Both the Coalition and the Beauty Schools’ Association joined together for this effort. There is movement toward part-time TAP for students attending credit-bearing institutions. Many of the legislators believed that all students received the same aid. The next step is an estimate of what the cost would be. The message is clear that the legislature needs to hear from the schools regularly. Ms. Yates provided an update on distance education. Any one wishing to offer a program electronically should contact Ms. Yates in the Albany office. Regarding the scanning of records, it was suggested that schools start with graduate records and work backwards. There is a statewide Coalition convention to be held October 26-28, 2001 at the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa. Experts on various topics of interest will be discussed, with national experts being invited. One topic includes the legal issues of federal aid.

The next full Advisory Council meeting will be held at Ikon, Albany on July 12, 2001.

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Last updated December 04, 2006