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The University of the State of New York (USNY; acronym usually pronounced "USE-nee") is the state of New York's governmental umbrella organization that is responsible for most institutions and much of the personnel that are in any way connected to formal educational functions (public and private) in New York State. USNY was established in 1784 to provide oversight to King's College (today known as Columbia University). A Board of Regents oversees USNY. The Board of Regents includes 16 members elected by the New York State Legislature for five-year terms. Twelve of the Regents represent the State's 12 judicial districts (one appointed from each district), and four are at-large. The Regents serve without salary.

Today, USNY's affiliation and oversight is very broad. USNY includes more than 7,000 public and private elementary and secondary schools; approximately 250 public and private colleges and universities; another approximately 250 proprietary (for-profit) schools; nearly 7,000 libraries; about 750 museums; and 25 public broadcasting facilities. Also included is the State Archives; a special school for the blind and another special school for the deaf; as well as vocational rehabilitation and special education services. Additionally, USNY has the affiliation of, and oversight for, more than half a million professionals practicing in 47 licensed professions such as accountancy, as well as 200,000 public certified school teachers, counselors, and administrators. Certain education-related institutions (such as most museums) could exist in New York State without being part of USNY; however, as an example, most museums in New York State choose to be part of USNY (i.e., be chartered by the Board of Regents) in order to obtain benefits such as tax-exempt, nonprofit status.

Closely allied with USNY is the New York State Education Department (NYSED), created at the behest of former New York Governor (and former US President) Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. The relationship between USNY and NYSED can be unclear to many, including many in New York State. However, the best way to explain it is that USNY has, as a subordinate unit, NYSED, including NYSED's various administrative personnel — furthermore, the various schools, colleges, libraries, museums, teachers, etc. of USNY form constituent units of USNY, whereas NYSED forms a constituent and subordinate component of USNY. USNY, through its Board of Regents, generally uses NYSED as a vehicle to carry out policy created by the Regents. In other words, USNY's Board of Regents generally creates policy, whereas NYSED generally administers policy. The Board of Regents elect a Commissioner of Education, who acts as the head of NYSED. Clarifying further, the Board of Regents are New York State's chief creators of education policy; the Commissioner of Education is New York State's chief education administrator. The New York State Legislature can also create some education policy; such statutory education policy would become official education policy that the Commissioner of Education would also be responsible for administering.

The New York State Constitution and state education law declare the Regents the "head" of the Education Department, but the Commissioner of Education (again, appointed by the Regents) is "president" of the University — that is, chief executive officer of the state's education system. The Board of Regents elects a chancellor, who presides over the Regents' meetings and appoints its committees.

USNY can also issue honorary degrees; the honorary degrees that can be issued come from an established list contained in Rules of the Board of Regents ("Regents Rules"). USNY also has the power to directly issue (as opposed to through some other institution) diplomas, certificates, and degrees. Today, for a variety of reasons, USNY directly issues diplomas to individuals meeting graduation requirements at several postsecondary institutions in New York State. Regents exams were established by the Regents and first administered in 1865. All high school students, the only exception being special need students, must now take and pass the Regents exams for graduation.

Not to be confused with USNY is the State University of New York (SUNY), which is one of New York State's systems of public higher education (the other such system being the City University of New York ). The various SUNY (and CUNY) units are all part of USNY. However, the power of SUNY and CUNY units to grant degrees and certificates exist by mandate of the State Legislature; a private college or university in New York State would be allowed to grant degrees and/or certificates by virtue of a charter granted by the USNY Board of Regents. Yet, any specific degree/certificate programs offered by any particular higher education institution in New York State must be registered (i.e., accredited), on behalf of the Regents, by NYSED before the particular institution may offer such program or programs. Ironically, some SUNY schools reject the USNY Board of Regents' authority to accredit institutions of higher education, and consider any educational credit or degrees that have been awarded by schools exclusively accredited by the Board of Regents to be invalid. In 2005, the provost of the SUNY system asked presidents of all SUNY schools to terminate this policy, on the grounds that the United States Department of Education confers upon the New York State Board of Regents special status to accredit colleges and universities within the region of New York State. However, the president of Stony Brook University made a controversial move to disregard the instructions.

A key former initiative of USNY, created to better bring higher education to New York State's nontraditional adult learners, was formerly called Regents College (made independent as Excelsior College in 2001). Excelsior College is now a constituent member of USNY in the same way that other colleges and universities in New York State are, but upon being made an independent institution, has been separated from the Board of Regents, and has been given its own charter and Board of Trustees.

External link

• University of the State of New York/New York State Education Department
• United States Department of Education Accreditation Database

• Special administrative structures
• Education in New York