Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RAJ MUKHERJI
District 33 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman SHAMA A. HAIDER
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Speight
SYNOPSIS
Allows students to use certain grant awards during summer session.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the use of certain student assistance grants and supplementing chapters 71 and 71B 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. A student may elect to use a portion of a tuition aid grant award to enroll in the summer session that follows the academic year for courses that will fulfill graduation requirements or that will award credits in the student’s academic major. Prior to the beginning of the academic year, a student shall notify the authority of the student’s intent to use a portion of the tuition aid grant award for the summer session, and the authority shall adjust the amount of the tuition aid grant award that will be disbursed during the academic year accordingly and notify the student that using a portion of the tuition aid grant award during the summer session will decrease the amount of the award that will be disbursed during the academic year by a specific dollar amount each semester.
b. For each institution that participates in the tuition aid grant program, the authority shall annually report:
(1) the number of students who did and did not use a portion of a tuition aid grant award to enroll in the summer session; and
(2) the number and percent of students who did and did not use a portion of a tuition aid grant award to enroll in the summer session who graduated within 100 percent and 150 percent of normal completion time.
c. The use of a tuition aid grant award for a summer session shall not count towards the number of academic years for which a student is eligible to receive a grant pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.18A:71B-20.
2. a. A student may elect to use a portion of an opportunity grant to enroll in the summer session that follows the academic year for courses that will fulfill graduation requirements or that will award credits in the student’s academic major. Prior to the beginning of the academic year, a student shall notify the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education of the student’s intent to use a portion of the opportunity grant for the summer session, and the secretary shall adjust the amount of the opportunity grant that will be disbursed during the academic year accordingly and notify the student that using a portion of the opportunity grant during the summer session will decrease the amount of the grant that will be disbursed during the academic year by a specific dollar amount each semester.
b. For each institution that participates in the educational opportunity assistance program, the secretary shall annually report:
(1) the number of students who did and did not use a portion of an opportunity grant to enroll in the summer session; and
(2) the number and percent of students who did and did not use a portion of an opportunity grant to enroll in the summer session who graduated within 100 percent and 150 percent of normal completion time.
c. The use of an opportunity grant for a summer session shall not count towards the number of years for which a student is eligible to receive a grant pursuant to the provisions of section 10 of P.L.1968, c.142 (C.18A:71-37).
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full academic year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a student may elect to use a portion of a tuition aid grant (TAG) award, or an opportunity grant funded through the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), during the summer session following the academic year for courses that fulfill graduation requirements or award credits in the student’s academic major. The student would be responsible for notifying the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), in the case of TAG, or the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, in the case of EOF, of the intent to use a portion of the award during the summer. HESAA or the secretary, as appropriate, would adjust the amount of the student’s award that will be disbursed during the academic year, and notify the student that using a portion of the grant during the summer session will reduce the amount of the award that will be disbursed during the academic year. HESAA or the secretary, as appropriate, would also be required to annually report the number of students who did and did not use a portion of a grant award to enroll in courses during the summer, and the number and percent of these students who graduated within 100 percent and 150 percent of normal completion time.
This bill implements a recommendation of the College Affordability Study Commission which released its final report in September 2016.