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 must include the governing board's role in financial management, and will arrange for the training to be provided, rather than the institutions themselves.

The bill also introduces a notification system for members who fail to meet training requirements, allowing for a 30-day grace period to comply, with the possibility of further extensions. If members do not fulfill their training within this period, they may be deemed to have resigned, resulting in a two-year disqualification from reappointment to any governing board. Furthermore, the bill allows for online training options and repeals a previous requirement for institutions to provide certain training information. To support these changes, an annual appropriation of $350,000 from the General Fund to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education is established.

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