Bill Text: NJ A4057 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish guaranteed transfer pathways.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [A4057 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A4057-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BETTYLOU DECROCE
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish guaranteed transfer pathways.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning guaranteed transfer pathways and supplementing chapter 62 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. The Secretary of Higher Education shall, in consultation with the Presidents' Council and the academic and career cluster faculty panels created pursuant to section 2 of this act, establish Statewide guaranteed transfer pathways from county colleges to four-year public institutions of higher education. Guaranteed transfer pathways shall provide students with clear guidance on meeting the academic requirements of the institution to which the student is transferring, and ensuring that any associate degree offered at a county college may be transferred and applied to a bachelor's degree program in an equivalent field at any four-year public institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers. Guaranteed transfer pathways shall be developed in academic and career clusters, which are clusters of associated specific majors.
b. The secretary shall establish policies and procedures for the implementation of an appeals process to resolve disputes regarding the transfer of academic credits using a guaranteed transfer pathway.
c. The secretary shall establish policies and procedures for the annual review and update of the guaranteed transfer pathways.
d. An independent institution of higher education may elect to enter into guaranteed transfer pathways with other institutions of higher education.
2. a. The secretary shall appoint and convene an academic and career cluster faculty panel representing all public institutions of higher education for each of the following eight academic and career clusters: arts, humanities, communication, history, and design; business; education; science, technology, engineering and mathematics; industry, manufacturing, and construction; public safety; health sciences; and social and behavioral sciences and human services.
b. Each academic and career cluster faculty panel shall examine the general education requirements, pre-major courses, major courses, electives, and any other requirements of the various majors within the academic and career cluster.
c. Each academic and career cluster faculty panel shall use its program-level expertise to develop guaranteed transfer pathways that ensure that a transfer student is able to apply credits earned towards a major at the county college in the same manner at a four-year public institution of higher education.
3. Nothing in this act shall be construed to require any institution of higher education to admit a student or to waive its admission standards or application procedures.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Presidents' Council and the academic and career cluster faculty panels created pursuant to the bill's provisions, to establish Statewide guaranteed transfer pathways from county colleges to four-year public institutions of higher education. Guaranteed transfer pathways will provide students with clear guidance on meeting the academic requirements of the institution to which the student is transferring, and ensure that any associate degree offered at a county college may be transferred and applied to a bachelor's degree program in an equivalent field at any four-year public institution of higher education without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers. Guaranteed transfer pathways are to be developed in academic and career clusters, which are clusters of associated specific majors.
The secretary is directed to establish policies and procedures for the implementation of an appeals process to resolve disputes regarding the transfer of academic credits using a guaranteed transfer pathway. The secretary is also directed to establish policies and procedures for the annual review and update of the guaranteed transfer pathways. Under the bill, an independent institution of higher education may elect to enter into guaranteed transfer pathways with other institutions of higher education.
The bill requires the secretary to appoint and convene an academic and career cluster faculty panel representing all public institutions of higher education for eight academic and career clusters. Each academic and career cluster faculty panel must examine the general education requirements, pre-major courses, major courses, electives, and any other requirements of the various majors within the academic and career cluster. Each faculty panel must develop guaranteed transfer pathways that ensure that a transfer student is able to apply credits earned towards a major at the county college in the same manner at a four-year public institution of higher education.
