This bill mandates the Secretary of Higher Education to establish standards for academic credit transfer and reverse credit transfer among public institutions of higher education in New Jersey. It replaces the existing requirement for each institution to enter into a collective Statewide transfer agreement with a framework of standards developed by the Secretary in consultation with the New Jersey Presidents' Council. The bill also introduces the New Jersey Transfer Ombudsman, whose role is to resolve disputes regarding compliance with these credit transfer standards, conduct periodic reviews of institutional policies, and prepare an annual report on credit transfer outcomes.

Additionally, the bill requires public institutions to provide transfer students with data on program outcomes, including completion rates, for students who have transferred from other institutions. It eliminates outdated references to the previous collective agreements and updates the legal language to reflect the new structure. The ombudsman will have the authority to make final administrative decisions on disputes and will ensure that the standards foster successful academic outcomes for transfer students. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:62-46, 18A:62-47, 18A:62-48, 18A:62-49, 18A:62-50, 18A:71B-86.5