Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires undergraduate students to file degree plan and requires institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions to develop pathway systems to graduation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning college degree completion and supplementing chapter 3B 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. As used in this act:
Degree plan means a statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student enrolled in an institution of higher education or a proprietary institution must complete to graduate from the institution.
Proprietary institution means a proprietary licensed to offer academic degrees.
b. Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, an undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 60 credit hours of course work.
c. A four-year institution of higher education shall develop a process for undergraduate students who transfer to the institution with at least 45 credit hours of course work to develop and file a degree plan with the institution during the students second semester at the institution.
d. A degree-seeking undergraduate student enrolled in a county college or proprietary institution shall file a degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 30 credit hours of course work.
e. An institution of higher education or proprietary institution shall provide notice to a student who selects a new academic major or minor, or who experiences such other change in circumstance as defined by the institution, that the student shall file a revised degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable.
f. A degree plan filed pursuant to this section shall:
(1) be developed in consultation with an appropriate academic official in the students degree program, or if an appropriate academic official is not available in the students degree program, an appropriate academic official at the institution; and
(2) follow a pathway to a degree as required pursuant to section 2 of this act to the extent practicable.
2. a. An institution of higher education or a proprietary institution shall:
(1) develop a pathway system whereby the institution establishes graduation progress benchmarks for each academic major and for the general education program for students who have not declared a major;
(2) require the pathway for each first-time degree-seeking student to include credit-bearing mathematics and English courses that are applicable towards degree requirements in the first 24 credit hours of course work completed at the institution of higher education or proprietary institution; and
(3) require the pathway for each degree-seeking student enrolled in a remedial course in mathematics, reading, or English to include the credit-bearing course in mathematics, reading, or English concurrent with or in the semester immediately following completion of the remedial course.
b. (1) The graduation progress benchmarks established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section shall specify the credit and course criteria that indicate satisfactory progress toward a degree.
(2) The academic departments of an institution of higher education or a proprietary institution shall establish schedules for regular periodic reviews of student progress.
(3) A student who is in danger of falling behind the graduation progress benchmarks shall be required to consult with an appropriate academic official.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the first class of students entering an institution of higher education or proprietary institution following the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires undergraduate students enrolled in four-year institutions of higher education to file a degree plan with the institution. An undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year institution would be required to file a degree plan as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 60 credit hours of course work. An undergraduate student who transfers to a four-year institution with at least 45 credit hours of course work would be required to file a degree plan during the students second semester at the institution.
The bill requires degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in county colleges or proprietary institutions to file a degree plan as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 30 credit hours of course work.
The bill also requires an institution of higher education or proprietary institution to provide notice to a student who selects a new academic major or minor, or who experiences such other change in circumstance as defined by the institution, that the student shall file a revised degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable.
The bill defines degree plan as a statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student enrolled in an institution of higher education or a proprietary institution must complete in order to graduate from the institution. A students degree plan must be developed in consultation with an appropriate academic official in the students degree program, or if such official is not available, with an appropriate academic official at the institution. The degree plan must follow a pathway to a degree to the extent practicable.
The bill defines a proprietary institution as a proprietary institution licensed to offer academic degrees.
In addition, the bill requires institutions of higher education and proprietary institutions to develop pathway systems that establish graduation progress benchmarks for each academic major and for the general education program for students who have not declared a major. The pathway for each first-time degree-seeking student must include credit-bearing mathematics and English courses that are applicable towards degree requirements in the first 24 credit hours of course work completed at the institution of higher education or proprietary institution. The pathway for each degree-seeking student enrolled in a remedial course in mathematics, reading, or English must include the credit-bearing course in that subject concurrent with or in the semester immediately following completion of the remedial course.
Under the bill, the graduation progress benchmarks established by an institution of higher education or proprietary institution must specify the credit and course criteria that indicate satisfactory progress toward a degree. Academic departments at the institution must establish schedules for periodic reviews of student progress, and students who are in danger of falling behind the graduation progress benchmarks will be required to consult with an appropriate academic official.