Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Cryan
SYNOPSIS
Requires Secretary of Higher Education and public institutions of higher education to develop programs for improving Hispanic and Latino representation in higher education leadership positions.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning diversity at public 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. The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, shall establish a targeted leadership development program to prepare Hispanic and Latino faculty for leadership positions at public institutions of higher education in the State. The program shall include opportunities for participants to engage in mentorship, networking, training, and specialized professional development opportunities in higher education leadership.
2. The Secretary of Higher Education shall establish a program to develop or expand pipelines that guide Hispanic or Latino undergraduate students into academic careers. The program shall assist public institutions of higher education in identifying opportunities that expose Hispanic and Latino undergraduates to graduate education through partnerships with academic programs, internships, and fellowships.
3. a. The Secretary of Higher Education shall establish a program to assist public institutions of higher education in the recruitment and retention of Hispanic and Latino faculty and staff into leadership positions at those institutions. The purpose of the program shall be to develop guidance and strategies for the institutions to:
(1) identify and mitigate cultural and institutional barriers experienced by Hispanic and Latino faculty and administrators which may negatively impact the recruitment and retention of those individuals into leadership positions at the institutions of higher education;
(2) provide institutional support and professional development opportunities specifically designed for Hispanic and Latino faculty and administrators;
(3) promote opportunities for academic alliances and collaborative partnerships to share best practices, resources, and support for increasing Hispanic and Latino representation in institution leadership; and
(4) conduct an ongoing review of the effectiveness of the institutions diversity programs and initiatives.
b. In the development of the guidance and strategies, the secretary may examine any programs implemented in other states designed to increase the recruitment and retention of Hispanic and Latino individuals into leadership positions at institutions of higher education.
c. The secretary shall disseminate the guidance and strategies to the presidents of all public institutions of higher education in the State within 90 days of the enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. Within 180 days of the issuance of the guidance required pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), each public institution of higher education shall implement a program to increase the recruitment and retention of Hispanic and Latino individuals into leadership positions at the institution.
5. Each public institution of higher education shall adopt policies and procedures to promote diverse representation reflective of the student body and the State on any search committee convened for a senior administration or leadership position at the institution.
6. a. Each public institution of higher education shall submit an annual diversity report to the Secretary of Higher Education. The report shall include, at a minimum:
(1) the racial and gender composition of all leadership positions at the institution, including separate breakdowns for board positions, senior administration positions, and department chair positions; and
(2) a review of the program implemented pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
b. The Secretary of Higher Education shall compile the information submitted to the secretary pursuant to subsection a. of this section and submit a summative report annually to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).
7. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education and public institutions of higher education to develop programs for improving Hispanic and Latino representation in higher education leadership positions.
Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, is directed to establish a targeted leadership development program that prepares Hispanic and Latino faculty for leadership positions at public institutions of higher education in the State. Additionally, the bill requires the secretary to establish a program that develops or expands pipelines that guide Hispanic or Latino undergraduate students into academic careers.
The bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt policies and procedures to promote diverse representation reflective of the student body and the State on any search committee convened for a senior administration or leadership position at the institution.
Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education is required to establish a program to assist public institutions of higher education in the recruitment and retention of Hispanic and Latino faculty and staff into leadership positions at those institutions. The purpose of the program is to develop guidance and strategies for the institutions to:
identify and mitigate cultural and institutional barriers experienced by Hispanic and Latino faculty and adm