§ 239. Albert Einstein chairs in science and Albert Schweitzer chairs in the humanities. 1. Legislative finding and declaration of policy. The public and private colleges in this state enjoy a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence and intellectual vitality. For them to preserve and further enhance their great stature they must compete with colleges in other states and countries to attract the world's most distinguished and renowned scholars. The presence of these giants of science and the humanities at institutions of learning in this state strengthens and stimulates the academic community of the entire state. Their presence in this state also serves to attract exceptional faculty members, research scholars and students to colleges and research facilities in this state and nurtures the development of graduate work in science and the humanities in colleges in this state which do not now have such programs. All of this helps to create an atmosphere of intellectual, scientific and cultural vigor conducive to the attraction of new atomic, space, technological and other industries to this state. The people of the entire state benefit from the resulting state-wide intellectual, cultural and economic growth. The great cost attendant upon attracting such world famous figures, compensating them and providing them with necessary staff and facilities is beyond the financial means of most colleges. The legislature finds that in order to meet this need a program of distinguished chairs should be established within the university of the state of New York, under the jurisdiction of the regents.

2. There are hereby established in the university of the state of New York, under the jurisdiction of the regents, two distinguished chairs, one of which shall be known as the Albert Einstein chair in science and one of which shall be known as the Albert Schweitzer chair in the humanities. One additional such Einstein chair and one additional such Schweitzer chair shall be established during each of the fiscal years commencing April first, nineteen hundred sixty-five, nineteen hundred sixty-six, nineteen hundred sixty-seven and nineteen hundred sixty-eight, until a total of ten such chairs has been established. The regents shall determine the fields of knowledge to be included within the terms science and humanities as used in this section.

3. The regents are hereby authorized, within appropriations made therefor, to contract with outstanding scholars to fill the Albert Einstein chairs in science and the Albert Schweitzer chairs in the humanities established by this section, on such terms and conditions and for such duration as may be agreed upon by the parties.

4. The regents are hereby authorized, within appropriations made therefor, to contract with any college in this state on such terms and conditions and for such duration as may be agreed upon by the parties, in relation to the provision of proper facilities, equipment, supplies, professional assistants, clerical and other personnel and such other services as may be necessary or appropriate to enable the holder of an Albert Einstein chair in science or an Albert Schweitzer chair in the humanities to carry out his work in connection therewith and to give effect to the purposes for which such chair was established as set forth in subdivision one of this section. Every college in this state is hereby authorized to enter into such a contract with the regents.