S2793

An Act concerning diversity at public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of 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 public institution of higher education shall develop a faculty and student diversity plan. The diversity plan shall establish clear and specific goals for increasing the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and students for each academic program at the institution. The plan shall:

(1) establish diversity goals for increasing the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff who represent diverse backgrounds;

(2) identify steps to achieve the diversity goals established by the institution under the plan;

(3) identify metrics to be used by the institution when monitoring progress towards meeting the diversity goals;

(4) outline programming that will improve and enhance the campus climate for a diverse faculty and student body; and

(5) address student learning to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, experience, and cultural competencies necessary to succeed in the workforce.

b. The institution shall update the diversity strategic plan every three years, and as needed.

2. a. A public institution of higher education shall annually develop and submit to the Secretary of Higher Education a student diversity report. The student diversity report shall include, for each academic degree program at the institution:

(1) the new enrollment rates, the third semester retention rates; the graduation rates; and the professional certification rates of recent graduates, for each academic program of the institution. This information shall be further broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender; and

(2) a description of any targeted programs, services, or supports offered by the institution to support the successful education of students who represent diverse backgrounds.

b. The Secretary of Higher Education shall prepare an annual report containing a compilation of the data collected pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The secretary shall submit the report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), by November 15th of each year.

3. The governing board of a public institution of higher education shall assign a new or existing employee to serve as a faculty diversity ambassador for each school and college of the institution. The faculty diversity ambassador shall ensure the implementation of the diversity strategic plan established pursuant to section 1 of this act and shall report directly to the governing board of the institution.

4. a. A public institution of higher education shall provide annual diversity training to all faculty, staff, and students who may serve on a faculty search committee. The training shall set forth a list of specific interventions for addressing unconscious bias in the context of faculty recruitment. The interventions shall be grounded in research and shall include, but need not be limited to:

(1) strategies to recruit an excellent and diverse pool of applicants;

(2) discussion that raises awareness of unconscious assumptions and their influence on the evaluation of applicants; and

(3) strategies to ensure a fair and thorough review of applicants through the establishment of uniform academic criteria, evaluation templates, and interview questions to be used for evaluating candidates.

b. The institution shall require its faculty search committees to increase the number of candidates considered for faculty positions who are members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups by such measures as are established by that institution’s governing board. The institution 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 its efforts.

5. a. The Secretary of Higher Education shall develop guidance for public institutions of higher education concerning the faculty search and selection process. The purpose of the guidance shall be to assist institutions in identifying, recruiting, and retaining diverse faculty.

b. The guidance developed by the secretary shall include, but not be limited to, information on best practices at each stage of the recruiting and hiring process such as: having an approved recruitment search plan; writing broad, inclusive, and gender free position descriptions and job advertisements; engaging in continual networking at professional conferences, especially those where women and minorities are prominently represented; being vigilant for future talent; and providing dual career resources for a spouse or significant other. The guidance shall also address best practices for creating a vibrant, inclusive community on campus that ensures the continued growth and opportunities needed to retain a diverse faculty.

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires each public institution of higher education to develop a faculty and student diversity plan. The diversity plan shall establish clear and specific goals for increasing the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and students for each academic program at the institution. The institution is directed to update the diversity strategic plan every three years, and as needed.

The bill also requires a public institution of higher education to annually develop and submit to the Secretary of Higher Education a student diversity report. The student diversity report must include demographic analyses of students and recent graduates, for each academic degree program at the institution, as well as a description of any targeted programs, services, or supports offered by the institution to support the successful education of students who represent diverse backgrounds. The bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education to prepare, and submit to the Governor and the Legislature, an annual report containing a compilation of the collected data.

The bill also directs the governing board of a public institution of higher education to assign a new or existing employee to serve as a faculty diversity ambassador for each school of the institution. The faculty diversity ambassador is directed to ensure the implementation of the diversity strategic plan.

Under the bill, a public institution of higher education must provide annual diversity training to all faculty, staff, and students who may serve on a faculty search committee. The training must set forth a list of specific interventions for addressing unconscious bias in the context of faculty recruitment. Under the bill, institutions are required to increase the number of candidates considered for faculty positions who are members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups by such measures as are established by that institution’s governing board. The institution must report annually to the Governor and to the Legislature on its efforts.

The bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education to develop guidance for public institutions of higher education concerning the faculty search and selection process. The purpose of the guidance will be to assist institutions in identifying, recruiting, and retaining diverse faculty.