Sandra brings extensive and varied experience in higher education and compliance to her clients. Having served in senior leadership roles as Deputy and acting General Counsel for the State University of New York (SUNY) system and College Counsel to Siena College, Sandra understands issues of critical importance to those working in higher education.
Sandra’s appreciation for the uniqueness of New York State higher education enables her to provide knowledgeable counsel on general legal issues, policy development, compliance issues, bond financing, capital projects, student conduct matters, faculty concerns, ethics and current legislation facing institutions of higher education, among others. She has drafted and reviewed board of trustees’ resolutions and policies, and advised trustees on governance issues; been involved with various types of litigation primarily relating to employment and student conduct; and provided legal support to the START-UP NY program, which created tax-free zones for start-up businesses on SUNY campuses.
An area of particular experience is Sandra’s understanding of financial aid programs. She was involved with several updates to the federal Higher Education Act regarding the handling of student aid programs and helped craft legislation as part of the 1998 reauthorization to prohibit the garnishment of student aid awards.
Throughout her career in higher education, Sandra has held a wide variety of positions in addition to her senior positions of counsel and general counsel —as an adjunct faculty member, assistant counsel, compliance officer and as a research specialist. Sandra was also law clerk to the Hon. Patrick J. Attridge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Transcript Withholding Compliance Webinar, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, May 26, 2022
New State Law Bars Colleges from Withholding Transcripts of Indebted Students, CNY Business Journal, May 16, 2022
Co-author (with Katherine C. Krebs and Sally Crimmins-Villela), The Senior International Officer and Legal Counsel, Collaboration for Internationisation Risk Management, Internationisation of Higher Education, Vol. No. 2, 2018
Co-author (with Ellen Badger), New Lessons to Learn: Major Student-Related Provisions of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, 16 Immigration Law Report, No. 15, August 1, 1997
Author, Dealing with Confusion: Admission of Undocumented Aliens into Public Postsecondary Institutions, 15 Immigration Law Report, No. 12, June 15, 1996
Contributor (William Kaplin and Barbara Lee), The Law of Higher Education (3rd Edition 1995), contributed to chapters on financial aid and student associations
"Legal Developments Affecting Higher Education and Issues Related to Employing a Remote Workforce and Hiring Higher-Compensated Employees," NYS Community College Business Officers’ Association, June 6, 2022
“New Law Prohibiting Transcript Withholding & Refresher on Bankruptcy Impact on Collection Activity”, for members of CICU, May 26, 2022
“Navigating the Legal Terrain of Mental Health Issues on Campus,” SUNY Office of General Counsel’s Conference, 2020
SUNY Office of General Counsel’s First Amendment Conference, 2018
Sandra brings extensive and varied experience in higher education and compliance to her clients. Having served in senior leadership roles as Deputy and acting General Counsel for the State University of New York (SUNY) system and College Counsel to Siena College, Sandra understands issues of critical importance to those working in higher education.
Sandra’s appreciation for the uniqueness of New York State higher education enables her to provide knowledgeable counsel on general legal issues, policy development, compliance issues, bond financing, capital projects, student conduct matters, faculty concerns, ethics and current legislation facing institutions of higher education, among others. She has drafted and reviewed board of trustees’ resolutions and policies, and advised trustees on governance issues; been involved with various types of litigation primarily relating to employment and student conduct; and provided legal support to the START-UP NY program, which created tax-free zones for start-up businesses on SUNY campuses.
Sandra brings extensive and varied experience in higher education and compliance to her clients. Having served in senior leadership roles as Deputy and acting General Counsel for the State University of New York (SUNY) system and College Counsel to Siena College, Sandra understands issues of critical importance to those working in higher education.
Sandra’s appreciation for the uniqueness of New York State higher education enables her to provide knowledgeable counsel on general legal issues, policy development, compliance issues, bond financing, capital projects, student conduct matters, faculty concerns, ethics and current legislation facing institutions of higher education, among others. She has drafted and reviewed board of trustees’ resolutions and policies, and advised trustees on governance issues; been involved with various types of litigation primarily relating to employment and student conduct; and provided legal support to the START-UP NY program, which created tax-free zones for start-up businesses on SUNY campuses.
An area of particular experience is Sandra’s understanding of financial aid programs. She was involved with several updates to the federal Higher Education Act regarding the handling of student aid programs and helped craft legislation as part of the 1998 reauthorization to prohibit the garnishment of student aid awards.
Throughout her career in higher education, Sandra has held a wide variety of positions in addition to her senior positions of counsel and general counsel —as an adjunct faculty member, assistant counsel, compliance officer and as a research specialist. Sandra was also law clerk to the Hon. Patrick J. Attridge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Transcript Withholding Compliance Webinar, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, May 26, 2022
New State Law Bars Colleges from Withholding Transcripts of Indebted Students, CNY Business Journal, May 16, 2022
Co-author (with Katherine C. Krebs and Sally Crimmins-Villela), The Senior International Officer and Legal Counsel, Collaboration for Internationisation Risk Management, Internationisation of Higher Education, Vol. No. 2, 2018
Co-author (with Ellen Badger), New Lessons to Learn: Major Student-Related Provisions of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, 16 Immigration Law Report, No. 15, August 1, 1997
Author, Dealing with Confusion: Admission of Undocumented Aliens into Public Postsecondary Institutions, 15 Immigration Law Report, No. 12, June 15, 1996
Contributor (William Kaplin and Barbara Lee), The Law of Higher Education (3rd Edition 1995), contributed to chapters on financial aid and student associations
"Legal Developments Affecting Higher Education and Issues Related to Employing a Remote Workforce and Hiring Higher-Compensated Employees," NYS Community College Business Officers’ Association, June 6, 2022
“New Law Prohibiting Transcript Withholding & Refresher on Bankruptcy Impact on Collection Activity”, for members of CICU, May 26, 2022
“Navigating the Legal Terrain of Mental Health Issues on Campus,” SUNY Office of General Counsel’s Conference, 2020
SUNY Office of General Counsel’s First Amendment Conference, 2018
