Bill > A3944

Introduced Session

This bill requires each public institution of higher education to develop a faculty and student diversity plan. The diversity plan will establish clear and specific goals for increasing the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, and students for each academic program at the institution. The plan is required to: (1) establish diversity goals for increasing the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff who represent diverse backgrounds; (2) identify steps to achieve the diversity goals established by the institution under the plan; (3) identify metrics to be used by the institution when monitoring progress towards meeting the diversity goals; (4) outline programming that will improve and enhance the campus climate for a diverse faculty and student body; and (5) address student learning to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, experience, and cultural competencies necessary to succeed in the workforce. The bill requires the institution to update the diversity strategic plan every three years, and as needed. Under the bill, a public institution of higher education is required to annually develop and submit to the Secretary of Higher Education a student diversity report. The student diversity report will include, for each academic degree program at the institution: (1) the new enrollment rates, the third semester retention rates; the graduation rates; and the professional certification rates of recent graduates, for each academic program of the institution and broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender; and (2) a description of any targeted programs, services, or supports offered by the institution to support the successful education of students who represent diverse backgrounds. The bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education to prepare an annual report containing a compilation of the data collected pursuant to the bill's provisions, and to submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature. The bill requires the governing board of a public institution of higher education to assign a new or existing employee to serve as a staff diversity ambassador for each school and college of the institution. Each staff diversity ambassador is directed to ensure the implementation of the diversity strategic plan and will report directly to the president of the institution. The president is required to deliver an annual written report on the implementation of the diversity strategic plan to the governing board of the institution. The bill further directs a public institution of higher education to: · provide annual diversity training to all faculty, staff, and students who may serve on a faculty search committee; and · require its faculty search committees to increase the number of candidates considered for faculty positions who are members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups by such measures as are established by that institution's governing board. Finally, the bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Director of the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety to develop guidance for public institutions of higher education concerning the faculty search and selection process, in alignment with recommendations put forth in the 2020 report of the New Jersey Interagency Task Force to Combat Youth Bias. The purpose of the guidance shall be to assist institutions in identifying, recruiting, and retaining diverse faculty.

Committee Categories

Annette Quijano (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee (on 05/12/2022)

Official Document