Bill > S128

Introduced Session

Current law provides a student at a New Jersey public institution of higher education who is unable to complete a course because the student is called to partial or full mobilization for State or federal active duty as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States with certain options regarding his grade for the course. This bill amends the law to ensure that it applies to students who could not complete the coursework due to monthly drills, annual training, and any active duty whether it be voluntary or involuntary. The bill directs each public and independent institution of higher education to adopt and implement policies and procedures that will assist a student enrolled in the institution, who is serving as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, to meet the student's military obligations without loss of academic status or opportunity. Under the bill, the policies and procedures must provide for: (1) the student to receive notification from the institution at which the student is enrolled each semester of his higher education rights and benefits as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States enrolled in the institution. The institution must display these rights and benefits on its website; and (2) accommodations to the student for each class missed by the student due to military obligation, including where appropriate the provision of lecture notes from the professor or instructor, access to a tutor, and at least five days per each missed class to enable the student to complete coursework. Under the bill, each public or independent institution of higher education must direct a student who is serving as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States to notify each professor or instructor of his military obligations upon enrollment in the course or as soon as reasonably possible once those obligations become known to the student. The professor or instructor must then initiate communications with the student about each party's academic obligations when the student's military obligations interrupt coursework. The professor or instructor and the student must also enter into a contract that details each party's academic obligations. The professor or instructor must, to the extent feasible, offer the student options to complete coursework remotely through a modified curriculum that utilizes the Internet and other means, in the event that the student's military obligations prevent attendance at class. In the event that the professor or instructor violates the contract, the professor or instructor will be subject to the regular disciplinary process established for the institution by its governing board. The penalty for noncompliance will only be applied in the event that a professor refuses to abide by the terms of the contract established under the bill's provisions. The bill directs public and independent institutions of higher education to accept and apply towards a degree program the credit recommendation of the American Council on Education for a student's military experience, up to a maximum of 30 credits for a student enrolled in the institution. The bill provides that an institute of higher education at its discretion, may accept a greater number of credits for the students military experience than the cap established under the bill. Finally, the bill provides that certain State laws pertaining to the higher education rights of students with military obligations will be enforced by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and complaints concerning violations can be made to that department.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Anthony Bucco (R)*,  Gerald Cardinale (R)*,  Christopher Bateman (R),  Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D),  Linda Greenstein (D), 

Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading (on 02/08/2016)