A246

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblywoman ELIANA PINTOR MARIN

District 29 (Essex)

Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN

District 19 (Middlesex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Chaparro and Reynolds-Jackson

SYNOPSIS

Authorizes county colleges to establish and operate student dormitories.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act concerning student housing at county colleges, amending N.J.S.18A:64A-12, and supplementing chapter 64A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. N.J.S.18A:64A-12 is amended to read as follows:

18A:64A-12. For the effectuation of the purposes of this chapter, the board of trustees of a county college in addition to such other powers expressly granted to it by law, is hereby granted the following powers:

a. To adopt or change the name of the county college;

b. To adopt and use a corporate seal;

c. To sue and be sued;

d. To determine the educational curriculum and program of the college consistent with the programmatic mission of the institution or approved by the Commission on Higher Education;

e. To appoint and fix the compensation and term of office of a president of the college who shall be the executive officer of the college and an ex officio member of the board of trustees;

f. To appoint, upon nomination of the president, members of the administrative and teaching staffs and fix their compensation and terms of employment subject to the provisions of N.J.S.18A:64A-13;

g. To appoint or employ, upon nomination of the president, such other officers, agents and employees as may be required to carry out the provisions of this chapter and to fix and determine their qualifications, duties, compensation, terms of office and all other conditions and terms of employment and retention;

h. To fix and determine tuition rates and other fees to be paid by students; and to establish fees for room and board sufficient for the operation, maintenance, and rental of student housing and food service facilities;

i. To grant diplomas, certificates or degrees;

j. To enter into contracts and agreements with the State or any of its political subdivisions or with the United States, or with any public body, department or other agency of the State or the United States or with any individual, firm or corporation which are deemed necessary or advisable by the board for carrying out the provisions of this chapter;

k. To accept from any government or governmental department, agency or other public or private body or from any other source grants or contributions of money or property which the board may use for or in aid of any of its purposes;

l. To acquire (by gift, purchase, condemnation or otherwise), own, lease, use and operate property, whether real, personal or mixed, or any interest therein, which is necessary or desirable for college purposes;

m. To determine that any property owned by the county college is no longer necessary for college purposes and to sell the same at such price and in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as shall be established by the board;

n. To exercise the right of eminent domain, pursuant to the provisions of Title 20, Eminent Domain, of the Revised Statutes, to acquire any property or interest therein;

o. To make and promulgate such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or with the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder that are necessary and proper for the administration and operation of a county college and to implement the provisions of this chapter;

p. To exercise all other powers, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or with the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder which may be reasonably necessary or incidental to the establishment, maintenance and operation of a county college; and

q. To establish and maintain a dedicated reserve fund for minor capital needs which in any given year shall not exceed 3% of the replacement value of the college's physical plant.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.46, s.41)

2. (New section) a. The board of trustees of a county college may construct, operate, and maintain dormitories, including dining and other incidental facilities, for use by students in attendance at the county college, and shall establish the fees to be charged to students for residing in the dormitories.

b. A county college may enter into a public-private partnership agreement as authorized pursuant to the provisions of section 43 of P.L.2009, c.90 (C.18A:64-85) for these purposes. A dormitory construction project under a public-private partnership agreement shall contain a project labor agreement pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (1) of subsection d. of section 43 of P.L.2009, c.90 (C.18A:64-85).

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

Current law neither prohibits nor expressly authorizes county colleges to establish on-campus student housing. This bill would permit a county college to construct, operate, and maintain dormitories, including dining and other incidental facilities, for use by students in attendance at the college. The bill also amends current law to provide that the powers granted to the board of trustees of a county college will include the power to establish fees for room and board sufficient for the operation, maintenance, and rental of student housing and food service facilities.