This bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to waive or refund application fees and transcript fees for veterans, active-duty military members, reservists, and New Jersey National Guard members who live in the state and are admitted. It directly affects these eligible military-affiliated individuals and public higher education institutions. The key provision mandates that institutions cover these specific costs instead of charging them during the application process. The policy takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill expands New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program to include part-time undergraduate students at public and private colleges in the state, who are currently excluded. It amends statutes to allow part-time students to receive grants reduced proportionally (e.g., half the full-time amount) and counts their enrollment toward eligibility limits as half a full-time year. Funding for part-time grants must be separately appropriated, requiring dedicated budget line items. The change directly affects part-time students seeking financial aid for degree programs, aligning their eligibility with full-time peers under the state's existing financial aid framework.
This bill requires all New Jersey public colleges and universities to create detailed diversity plans with specific goals for recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, staff, and students, tailored to their institution's location (county colleges must reflect local demographics, four-year schools must reflect state demographics). It mandates annual student diversity reports broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender, including enrollment, retention, and graduation rates for each academic program. Institutions must also provide annual bias training for faculty search committees, appoint diversity ambassadors, and increase consideration of underrepresented candidates in hiring. The Secretary of Higher Education and Civil Rights Division must develop guidance for faculty hiring practices based on existing recommendations.
This bill (A3889) allows New Jersey's four-year colleges to award associate degrees to students who complete 60 or more academic credits at that institution, including transfer students who earned at least 30 credits there. It requires institutions to align offered degrees with their mission, meet Middle States accreditation standards, provide targeted academic advising, and notify students about associate degree eligibility upon reaching 60 credits or if withdrawing before a bachelor's degree. The Secretary of Higher Education must annually report the number of associate degrees conferred by four-year schools to the Governor and Legislature. The policy directly affects students seeking credentials at four-year institutions and the institutions themselves, which must establish specific programs and reporting mechanisms.
This New Jersey bill allows high school juniors and seniors (grades 11-12) to miss up to three school days per year for college visits, tours of technical schools, or military recruitment activities without penalty. Absences for military enlistment prep - like testing, medical evaluations, or interviews - are specifically designated as excused. Schools cannot list these absences on student transcripts, job applications, or attendance records, and they won’t affect a student’s perfect attendance status. The policy aims to support college and career pathway exploration while ensuring no academic or administrative disadvantage for participating students.
This bill creates a grant program to connect New Jersey county college students with paid manufacturing internships through partnerships with local manufacturers. County colleges applying for grants must partner with approved manufacturers, prioritize internships in high-demand occupations, and use 85% of grant funds for student stipends while reserving 15% for program administration and career counseling. Students who complete these internships earn academic credit toward their associate's degree and may receive job offers from participating manufacturers. The program requires annual reporting on participation numbers, skills gained, job placements, and fund usage to track outcomes.
This bill creates a temporary five-year teaching certification program for veterans in New Jersey. It allows veterans who have completed at least four years of honorable military service, earned 60 college credits, and passed subject-matter exams to receive a temporary certificate while enrolled in an approved educator preparation program at a New Jersey university. School districts can hire these veterans full- or part-time, and their teaching experience counts toward their program's clinical practice requirement. The program applies to veterans honorably discharged from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve components.
This bill establishes the Garden State Guarantee Program, providing last-dollar financial aid grants to cover the net cost of tuition and fees for eligible students in their third and fourth years at New Jersey's four-year public colleges. It directly affects students with family or personal annual adjusted gross income between $0 and $100,000 (with possible annual adjustments), requiring them to apply for all other federal, state, and institutional aid first. The program covers up to 18 credits per semester after other grants are applied, ensuring students pay only what remains after other financial aid is deducted. It codifies an existing program while expanding income-based eligibility for the third and fourth years of study.
This bill would provide tuition-free credits (up to 16 per semester for eight semesters) at public or degree-granting colleges to:
1) Retired law enforcement officers/firefighters who retired due to service-related injuries/illnesses, and
2) Dependents or spouses of officers/firefighters who died in the line of duty.
To qualify, recipients must apply for all available federal and state student aid first, and maintain enrollment in good academic standing. The state would reimburse institutions for uncovered tuition costs after other aid is applied.
This bill (A 3795) provides tuition-free enrollment in New Jersey public colleges for dependent children of veterans who died, are missing in action, or are totally disabled due to service-related injuries (as certified by the VA). It covers up to 60 credits for associate degrees and 120 credits for bachelor's degrees at public institutions. To qualify, students must be New Jersey residents, meet academic progress standards, apply for all other available financial aid (including federal VA benefits), and have classroom space available. The state will reimburse public colleges for waived tuition costs.
