Bill > S162

This bill requires New Jersey public and independent institutions of higher education to provide greater assistance to students serving in the National Guard or Reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States, ensuring they can meet their military obligations without academic penalty. Specifically, it expands the existing law to cover all types of active duty, including monthly drills and annual training, and clarifies that students who have completed at least eight weeks of a course can choose to receive a letter grade, pass/fail, incomplete, or withdraw, with options for refunds for tuition, fees, room, and board. For students who have completed less than eight weeks, they can choose an incomplete grade or withdraw. The bill also mandates that institutions inform these students of their rights and benefits, prominently display them on their websites, and provide accommodations for missed classes, such as lecture notes, tutoring, and extra time to complete coursework. Furthermore, professors and instructors must work with students to create contracts detailing academic obligations when military duties interrupt studies, and to the extent feasible, offer remote options for completing coursework. The bill also requires institutions to accept credit recommendations from the American Council on Education for military experience, up to 30 credits, and designates the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs as the enforcement body for these provisions.