ASSEMBLY, No. 1890
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ELIZABETH MAHER MUOIO
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman ANGELICA M. JIMENEZ
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Assemblyman JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Barclay, Assemblywoman Murphy and Assemblyman Schaer
SYNOPSIS
Permits establishment by county and four-year institutions of higher education of three plus one degree programs for receipt of baccalaureate degree after spending three years at county college and one year at senior institution.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Higher Education Committee on June 18, 2018, with amendments.
An Act concerning the establishment of three plus one degree programs at institutions of higher education and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A four-year institution of higher education and a county college may partner to establish a three plus one degree program for a baccalaureate degree in such majors as the institutions of higher education may determine.
b. Under a three plus one degree program established pursuant to this section, a student admitted into the program shall:
(1) complete the first two academic years of the program at the county college, pay the tuition and fees of the county college, and receive an associate degree;
(2) complete the third academic year of the program at the county college and pay the tuition and fees of the county college. Academic credits for the third academic year shall be awarded by the county college. Instruction in the third academic year in any 300-level class shall be provided by either an advanced degree faculty member of the county college in collaboration with a faculty member of the four-year institution or by a faculty member of the four-year institution, in accordance with accreditation standards of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Instruction in the third academic year in any 300-level class shall be equivalent in rigor to instruction in 300-level classes taught at the four-year institution 1. To maintain academic quality control, in the third year, the course content of courses in the student’s major shall be determined by the four-year institution with input from the county college faculty1;
(3) be admitted to and attend the four-year institution for the fourth academic year of the program and pay the tuition and fees of that institution; and
(4) earn a baccalaureate degree from the four-year institution.
c. The Secretary of Higher Education shall report annually to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on 1[three plus one degree programs. The report shall include, for the prior academic year:]1 the number of three plus one degree programs implemented 1[; the number of students who participated in a three plus one degree program; the number of students who received an associate degree under a three plus one degree program; the number of students who received a baccalaureate degree under a three plus one degree program; information on the amount of savings realized by students who participated in a three plus one degree program; and recommendations for any changes to the programs. The secretary shall include in the annual reports information on any three plus one degree program established prior to the effective date of this act or approved by the governing boards of the institutions prior to the effective date of this act.
The secretary shall include in the third annual report following the effective date of this act, a recommendation on whether all institutions of higher education shall be required to offer three plus one degree programs] during the prior academic year1.
d. Any three plus one degree program for a baccalaureate degree in a particular major which was established prior to the effective date of this act or approved by the governing boards of the institutions prior to the effective date of this act shall be exempt from the provisions of 1[subsections a. and b. of]1 this section.
2. a. Notwithstanding any law or regulation to the contrary, a student who is otherwise eligible for a State tuition aid grant and who is participating in a three plus one degree program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be eligible for a State tuition aid grant while enrolled in a county college for the third academic year of the program.
b. Notwithstanding any law or regulation to the contrary, a student who is otherwise eligible for an Educational Opportunity Fund grant and who is participating in a three plus one degree program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be eligible for an Educational Opportunity Fund grant while enrolled in a county college for the third academic year of the program.
3. Notwithstanding any law or regulation to the contrary, a student participating in a three plus one degree program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
a. shall be eligible to receive an NJSTARS scholarship for the first 1[two] three1 academic years of the three plus one degree program, provided the student meets the requirements for receipt of the scholarship; and
b. shall be eligible to receive an NJSTARS II scholarship for the 1[third and]1 fourth academic 1[years] year1 of the three plus one degree program, provided the student meets the requirements for receipt of the scholarship. 1[For the third academic year the scholarship shall be in an amount that covers the full cost of tuition at the county college.]1
4. This act shall take effect in the first full academic year following the date of enactment.