S2966

An Act concerning the reporting requirements of public institutions of higher education, amending P.L.1994, c.48, 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. Section 305 of P.L.1994, c.48 (C.18A:3B-35) is amended to read as follows:

305. Each public institution of higher education shall prepare and make available to the public an annual report on the condition of the institution which shall include, but [need] not be limited to a profile of the student body including graduation rates, retention rates, the number of applicants to the institution, acceptance rates, SAT or other test scores, the percentage of New Jersey residents in the student body, the number of scholarship students and the number of Educational Opportunity Fund students in attendance, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, family income, and first-generation status as available; a profile of the faculty including the ratio of full to part-time faculty members, and major research and public service activities; a profile of the trustees or governors as applicable; and, a profile of the institution, including degree and certificate programs, status of accreditation, major capital projects, any new collaborative undertakings or partnerships, any new programs or initiatives designed to respond to specific State needs, an accounting of demonstrable efficiency and quality improvements, and any other information which the commission and the institution deem appropriate. The form and general content of the report shall be established by the Commission on Higher Education.

(cf: P.L.2009, s.308, c.26)

2. (New section) Each public institution of higher education shall utilize the data collected on the profile of the student body for the annual report on the condition of the institution prepared pursuant to section 305 of P.L.1994, c.48 (C.18A:3B-35) to evaluate the diversity of the institution and inform admissions policies. The institution shall use this data to improve equity initiatives and determine resource allocation that promotes diversity and inclusion.

3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full academic year next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill revises the annual reporting requirements of public institutions of higher education.

Under current law, a public institution of higher education is required to prepare and make available to the public an annual report on the condition of the institution. Under current law, the report is to include a profile of the student body including graduation rates, SAT or other test scores, the percentage of New Jersey residents in the student body, the number of scholarship students, and the number of Educational Opportunity Fund students in attendance. This bill revises the law to require the report also include information on retention rates, the number of applicants to the institution, and acceptance rates as part of the report on the profile of the student body. Additionally, the bill requires all information included as part of the profile of the student body be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, family income, and first-generation status as available.

This bill also requires a public institution of higher education to utilize the data collected on the profile of the student body for the annual report to evaluate the diversity of the institution and inform admissions policies. Finally, the bill requires each institution to use this data to improve equity initiatives and determine resource allocation that promotes diversity and inclusion.