This bill revises the training requirements for members of the governing boards of public institutions of higher education in New Jersey. It mandates that newly appointed members complete a training program within six months of their appointment, as opposed to the previous one-year requirement. Additionally, existing members who were previously exempt from training must also complete it within six months of the bill's effective date and subsequently at the start of each new term. The Secretary of Higher Education will now determine the training content, which will include governance responsibilities, ethical standards, and financial management roles, among other topics. The bill also allows for the training to be offered online.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a notification system for members who fail to meet training requirements, granting them a 30-day grace period to comply, with the possibility of extensions. If members do not fulfill their training within this period, they may be deemed to have resigned from their positions, resulting in disqualification from reappointment for two years. The bill repeals a previous requirement for institutions to provide certain training and instead places the responsibility on the Secretary of Higher Education. To support these changes, an annual appropriation of $350,000 from the General Fund is allocated to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:3B-6.3, 18A:3B-62