S 2219 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires campus diversity actions at public institutions of higher education and directs Secretary of Higher Education and Division on Civil Rights to develop guidance regarding diversity in faculty search and selection process.

This bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to create and update detailed diversity plans focused on recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, staff, and students. Each institution must establish specific goals aligned with local or state demographics, track progress through metrics, and report annually on student diversity outcomes - including enrollment, retention, and graduation rates broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender. The bill also mandates annual diversity training for faculty search committees to address unconscious bias and directs the Secretary of Higher Education to develop guidance on inclusive hiring practices. Public institutions must appoint diversity ambassadors to oversee implementation and submit reports to the Secretary, who will compile data for the Governor and Legislature.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Teresa Ruiz
Teresa Ruiz
DDemocratic
NJ
29