2016 -- S 2433

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LC004627

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $500,000 FOR THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF

OCEANOGRAPHY CENTER FOR OCEAN EXPLORATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF

RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Jabour, Goldin, Conley, and Walaska

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     WHEREAS, The Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island is

a well-respected international and national center of excellence; and

     WHEREAS, The Center for Ocean Exploration (COE) STEM (Science, Technology,

Engineering, Mathematics) Project is designed to help teachers develop their 21st century teaching

skills while learning to use STEM curricula with their students. Currently, the COE STEM

Project serves over 1,000 students and teachers across the state with its after-school initiative,

known as the Rhode Island Community STEM Program. This program has established a panoply

of educational goals and strategies to engage students in the areas of science and technology

literacy, as well as help teachers to motivate students, integrate technology into lesson plans, and

more effectively manage their classrooms; and

     WHEREAS, Working in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island, the Ocean

Exploration Trust, and other STEM related state entities like the Boys and Girls Clubs throughout

Rhode Island, the COE STEM Project seeks to implement an internationally recognized STEM

program in Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, In order to significantly expand the implementation of STEM, and to

establish the STEM focused Graduate Fellowship Program, the Graduate School of

Oceanography Center for Ocean Exploration is requesting five hundred thousand dollars

($500,000) for a public/private partnership. Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) will be

used for such things as:

     ( Certification of Lead Teachers, including stipends for involvement;

     ( Grants to educators and organizations for program implementation;

     ( Training for Educators and Youth Workers;

     ( Curriculum for schools and after-school programs;

     ( Involvement of students, teachers, and educators in the Ocean Exploration Center's

sea-going programs;

     ( "Live" interactive programming for schools and after-school programs in the State; and

     ( The remaining three hundred thousand ($300,000) will be used by the Graduate School

of Oceanography and Center for Ocean Exploration to support STEM Fellow graduate students

with the explicit mission of creating and distributing STEM related content focused on current

research projects in oceanography, ocean engineering and marine science to the COE STEM

Project's partners and participants; and

     WHEREAS, State investment will be matched by one million five hundred thousand

dollars ($1,500,000) in private support; and

     WHEREAS, The Center for Ocean Exploration's goal is to reach educators and students

in the program, for a net investment by the state of fifty dollars ($50.00) per child; and

     WHEREAS, The COE STEM Project will focus on low- and moderate-income level

students, as determined by Title 1 eligibility, and will specifically address the achievement gap

among low- and moderate-income students in Title 1 communities; and

     WHEREAS, The Graduate School of Oceanography COE STEM Project has already had

a significant impact on closing the achievement gap for many students. This investment and the

new STEM Fellows Program will make a real difference for participating youth statewide while

creating a cohort of early career scientists and engineers with STEM education experience; now,

therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not

otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2016-2017 and subsequent years, the sum of five

hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the Graduate School of Oceanography Center for Ocean

Exploration to implement activities outlined within this resolution; and the state controller is

hereby authorized and directed to draw their orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of

said sum, or so much thereof as may be from time to time required, upon receipt by them of

properly authenticated vouchers.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $500,000 FOR THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF

OCEANOGRAPHY CENTER FOR OCEAN EXPLORATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF

RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $500,000 for the

Graduate School of Oceanography Center for Ocean Exploration.

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LC004627

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