Bill > A850

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Commission on the Administrative Costs of Public Institutions of Higher Education. The purpose of the commission will be to examine administrative costs at public institutions of higher education in the State and suggests ways in which those costs can be reduced or eliminated. The commission would be composed of nine members: the president of a public research university, the president of a State college or university established pursuant to chapter 64 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, the president of a county college, or their designees, three administrators exercising supervisory control over a public institution of higher education as a whole; and three current chairpersons of an academic department at a public institution of higher education. The commission would examine, for each public institution of higher education in the State, the following: (1) the number of administrators exercising supervisory control over the public institution of higher education as a whole, or of specific academic departments; (2) the annual salary and benefits paid to each administrator; (3) the roles and responsibilities of each administrator; (4) the extent to which certain administrators serve duplicative roles and responsibilities; (5) the number of academic departments; (6) the number of faculty and staff assigned to each department; (7) the annual salaries and benefits paid to faculty and staff in each department; (8) the roles and responsibilities of the faculty and staff assigned to each department; (9) the extent to which certain faculty and staff in each department serve duplicative roles and responsibilities; (10) the ratio of faculty assigned to the department to the number of students enrolled in the academic programs offered by each department; (11) any other information deemed relevant by the commission. The commission would be required to submit an annual report to the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Senate Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees, detailing the commission's findings for each public institution of higher education in the State and recommending ways in which certain administrative costs can be reduced or eliminated. Each year, the cost of attending a public institution of higher education continues to increase. Despite the financial strain this places on students, many of the State's public institutions are unwilling to find ways to reduce the price of tuition. By creating the Commission on the Administrative Costs of Public Institutions of Higher Education, the Legislature can find ways to ensure that a college education remains both affordable and accessible.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Gerry Scharfenberger (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document