SED

Strengthen the state Education Department's ability to oversee the provision of quality research and

public broadcasting to the people of New York.

The Legislature should:

Reject the governor's proposal to transfer the State Library, State Archives and State Museum out of the state education department.

FACT: The State Library, State Archives, and State Museum serve an educational function in New York State. While we do not disagree that at least the State Museum can be used for cultural development and promotion we do not believe as the governor does that this is their sole purpose. These institutions' primary function should remain educational.

FACT: The governor claims that these important institutions have not received adequate funding from the Regents and that he needs to directly control them to correct this problem. In reality, it is the Division of Budget which the governor controls that has under-funded these vital institutions — not the Regents.

FACT: The State Library is the largest of its kind in the nation, providing reference information and other coordinated library services to state agencies, businesses and the public. It also charters all libraries in the state and distributes state and federal aid to local libraries.

FACT: The State Library serves as a "back-up" to all of the Libraries in the state and provides them with guidance on what books to carry. They are able to do this with complete knowledge of the requirements of school districts throughout the State.

FACT: The State Museum is the largest state-operated museum in the nation. The Museum is a major research center and home to the Geological Survey, Biological Survey, Anthropological Survey and the Historical Survey.

FACT: New York State's public broadcasters are chartered by the Regents, which guarantees their educational mission is not subordinated by other considerations such as entertainment or politics. The State Education Department's (SED) Office of Educational Television and Public Broadcasting is the administrative office that implements the Regents' guarantee. If not within the SED, an Office of Educational Television and Public Broadcasting would have to implement the goals of the agency they are located within, which may not be the educational mission of public broadcasting.

All three of these institutions are very successful, very important educational institutions. As such, they should remain in the

State Education Department. The Legislature wisely

rejected this proposal last year and should do so again.

Keep quality services at the State Education Department!