New Jersey-2012-A1176-Introduced

An Act concerning the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs, amending and supplementing P.L.2004, c.59 and P.L.2005, c.359.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 5 of P.L.2004, c.59 (C.18A:71B-85) is amended to read as follows:

5. a. A scholarship under the NJ STARS Program shall cover the full cost of tuition [and fees], subject to the prior application of other grants and scholarships against those costs as provided under paragraph (2) of subsection c. of this section, for up to 18 credit hours in any semester, for an eligible student enrolled in a full-time course of study at the New Jersey county college serving the student's county of residence. An otherwise eligible student who demonstrates to the authority, in accordance with such criteria and by means of such documentation as the authority shall establish by regulation, that the county college serving the student's county of residence does not offer the curriculum that the student chooses to study shall be eligible for such scholarship at another New Jersey county college offering that curriculum. The amount of any scholarship allowed hereunder to a student at a county college serving a county other than the student's county of residence shall be computed as though the student were a resident of the county served by that college, and the college shall likewise compute the amount of any additional payment, required with respect to the enrollment of that student for credit hours of study during a semester in which the scholarship is awarded that are not covered by that scholarship, as though the student were a resident of the county.

b. A student shall be eligible for a scholarship under the NJ STARS Program for up to five semesters, including summer sessions. The scholarship shall be payable for the first year of enrollment in a county college to a student who:

(1) graduated in the top 15.0% of the student's high school graduating class, provided that in the case of students graduating from high schools that do not calculate the class rank of their students, the student's ranking shall be determined by the high school in consultation with the authority; and

(2) completed a rigorous high school course of study in accordance with standards established by the Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the Commissioner of Education.

During a student's enrollment in a county college after the first year of enrollment, the scholarship shall be payable to that student if the student attains a grade point average of at least 3.0 by the start of the student's second year of county college enrollment. A student who attains a grade point average of less than 3.0 at the start of the second semester of the student's first year of county college enrollment shall participate in an enrichment program designed by the county college during the second semester of the student's first year of enrollment.

c. To be eligible to receive a scholarship under the NJ STARS Program a student shall:

(1) be a State resident pursuant to guidelines established by the authority. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1979, c.361 (C.18A:62-4) or any other section of law to the contrary, a dependent child of a parent or guardian who has been transferred to a military installation located in this State shall be considered a resident of this State for the purposes of qualifying for an NJ STARS scholarship;

(2) have applied for all other available forms of State and federal need-based grants and merit scholarships, exclusive of loans, the full amount of which grants and scholarships shall be applied to tuition [and fee charges] to reduce the amount of any scholarship that the student shall receive under the provisions of this act;

(3) except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2008, c.124 (C.18A:71B-85.2), be enrolled in a full-time course of study at a New Jersey county college;

(4) have graduated from high school in 2004 or later, and not earlier than the calendar year two years prior to the first calendar year in which a scholarship payment is to be made; and

(5) except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2008, c.124 (C.18A:71B-85.2), maintain continuous enrollment in a full-time course of study, unless on medical leave due to the illness of the student or a member of the student's immediate family or emergency leave because of a family emergency, which medical or emergency leave shall have been approved by the county college, or unless 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.

d. A student who is dismissed for academic or disciplinary reasons from a county college shall no longer be eligible for a scholarship under this act. If a student participating in the program is dismissed for disciplinary reasons, the student shall repay in full all amounts received under the program. The county college shall be responsible for collecting the repayment, or the amount of any overpayment or other improper payment, of any State awards under the program, in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.18A:71B-10.

e. A student scholarship under the NJ STARS Program may be renewed upon the student's filing of a renewal financial aid application and providing evidence that the student has satisfied the requirements pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

(cf: P.L.2008, c.124, s.1)

2. Section 2 of P.L.2005, c.359 (C.18A:71B-86.2) is amended to read as follows:

2. As used in this act:

"Authority" means the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71A-3.

"Full-time course of study" in any semester means a course of study that includes at least 12 credit hours, not including any credit hours in a remedial or developmental curriculum, and leads to a degree from a New Jersey four-year public or independent institution of higher education.

"Program" means the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship II (NJ STARS II) Program.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.359, s.2)

3. Section 4 of P.L.2005, c.359 (C.18A:71B-86.4) is amended to read as follows:

4. a. A scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program shall be applied toward the cost of tuition or in the case of a student who receives a Tuition Aid Grant toward the cost of tuition and fees, subject to the prior application of other grants and scholarships against such costs as provided under paragraph (2) of subsection e. of this section, for an eligible student enrolled in a full-time course of study at a New Jersey four-year public or independent institution of higher education. [In the case of a student with a grade point average equal to or greater than 3.25 and less than 3.50, the scholarship shall equal up to $3,000 per semester, and in the case of a student with a grade point average equal to or greater than 3.50, the scholarship shall equal up to $3,500 per semester.] A scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program shall be paid to the institution in the amount of $1,250 per semester. The cost of a scholarship shall be paid [50%] 100% by the State [and 50% by the public institution of higher education]. Any cost of attendance that is not covered by the NJ STARS II scholarship or other available forms of grants and scholarships shall be paid by the student.

b. A student shall be eligible for a scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program for up to four semesters, excluding summer sessions, at a New Jersey four-year public or independent institution of higher education.

c. A student shall be eligible to receive a scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program for the student's third academic year of study if the student: has an annual family income, both taxable and non-taxable, as derived from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the academic year, of less than $250,000; attained an associate's degree from a New Jersey county college; except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection c. of section 2 and subsection b. of section 3 of P.L.2008, c.124 (C.18A:71B-85.2), received a scholarship under the "New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) Program Act," P.L.2004, c.59 (C.18A:71B-81 et seq.), for each semester of study in the county college, or was eligible for but did not receive a scholarship under NJ STARS because the student's tuition [and fees were] was fully covered by other State or federal need-based grants or merit scholarships, or was eligible for but did not receive a scholarship under NJ STARS because the student was enrolled while a high school student in county college courses and received an associate's degree in accordance with a joint program offered by the student's school district and a county college; attains a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 upon graduation from county college; enrolls in a baccalaureate degree program at a New Jersey four-year public or independent institution of higher education for the third academic year of study in the academic year immediately following the student's attainment of an associate's degree; and meets the criteria set forth in subsection e. of this section. A grade for credits earned during a summer semester shall for the purposes of this subsection be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. [The amount of the scholarship awarded for the third academic year of study shall be based on the student's cumulative grade point average upon graduation from the county college in accordance with the provisions of subsection a. of this section.]

d. A student shall be eligible to receive a scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program for the student's fourth academic year of study if the student: received a scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program for the student's third academic year of study pursuant to subsection c. of this section; based on the student's performance during the third academic year of study, attained a grade point average of at least 3.25; and meets the criteria set forth in subsection e. of this section. A grade for credits earned during a summer semester shall for the purposes of this subsection be included in the calculation of the grade point average for the preceding academic year. [The amount of the scholarship awarded for the fourth academic year of study shall be based on the student's grade point average during the third academic year of study in accordance with the provisions of subsection a. of this section.]

e. To be eligible to receive a scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program, a student shall:

(2) have applied for all other available forms of State and federal need-based grants and merit scholarships, exclusive of loans, the full amount of which grants and scholarships shall be applied to tuition, and fee charges if applicable, to reduce the amount of any scholarship that the student shall receive under the provisions of P.L.2005, c.359 (C.18A:71B-86.1 et seq.);

(3) be enrolled in a full-time course of study at a four-year public or independent institution of higher education; and

(4) maintain continuous enrollment in a full-time course of study, unless on medical leave due to the illness of the student or a member of the student's immediate family or emergency leave because of a family emergency, which medical or emergency leave shall have been approved by the four-year public or independent institution of higher education, or unless 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.

f. A student who is dismissed for academic or disciplinary reasons from a four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall no longer be eligible for a scholarship under this act. If a student participating in the program is dismissed for disciplinary reasons, the student shall repay in full all amounts received under the program. The four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall be responsible for collecting the repayment, or the amount of any overpayment or other improper payment, of any State awards under the program, in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.18A:71B-10.

g. A student scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program may be renewed upon the student's filing of a renewal financial aid application and providing evidence that the student has satisfied the requirements pursuant to this section.

(cf: P.L.2008, c.124, s.6)

4. Section 7 of P.L.2005, c.359 (C18A:71B-86.7) is amended to read as follows:

7. Nothing in this act shall be construed to require a four-year public or independent institution of higher education to admit a student eligible for a scholarship under this act or to waive its admission standards and application procedures; except that the institution shall apply the same admission standards and application procedures that it applies to all other transfer students.

(cf: P.L.2008, c.124, s.8)

5. (New section) Each county college is encouraged to host an annual recruitment day and invite a representative from each four-year public and independent institution of higher education in the State for the purpose of recruiting students for the NJ STARS II Program.

6. (New section) In the case of a student who is receiving a scholarship under the NJ STARS Program on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and who graduated from high school prior to 2010, the student shall receive an NJ STARS scholarship in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2004, c.59 (C.18A:71B-81 et seq.) as the same read before the effective date of P.L. , c. (C ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

7. (New section) In the case of a student who is receiving a scholarship under the NJ STARS II Program in the 2011-2012 academic year and is in the third academic year of study or was eligible to receive an NJ STARS II scholarship in the 2011-2012 academic year for the third academic year of study but did not receive the scholarship because the student's tuition or tuition and fees, as applicable, was fully covered by other available forms of State and federal need-based grants and merit scholarships, the student shall receive an NJ STARS II scholarship for the student's fourth academic year of study in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2005, c.359 (C.18A:71B-86.1 et seq.) as the same read before the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the 2012-2013 academic year.

STATEMENT

This bill makes a number of revisions to the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs.

In the case of the NJ STARS Program, the bill limits the costs covered by the scholarship to tuition, as opposed to tuition and fees.

There are however NJ STARS students who graduated prior to 2010 who are currently receiving scholarships that cover both tuition and fees, and this bill provides that the NJ STARS scholarship awarded to those students will continue to cover tuition and fees.

In the case of the NJ STARS II Program, the bill makes the following changes:

1) The bill allows Student recipients to use the NJ STARS II scholarship to attend a New Jersey independent four-year institution of higher education. Under current statute the scholarships can only be used to attend four-year public institutions;

2) The bill eliminates the provision in NJ STARS II that calculates the amount of the scholarship based on the student's grade point average (GPA). Currently under statute, a student with a GPA equal to or greater than 3.25 and less than 3.50 may receive a scholarship in an amount up to $3,000 per semester and a student with a GPA equal to or greater than 3.50 may receive a scholarship in an amount up to $3,500 per semester. The bill maintains the minimum GPA threshold at 3.25 and limits scholarships for all NJ STARS II students to $1,250 per semester, students who are receiving an NJ STARS II scholarship and are in their third academic year of study will receive an NJ STARS II scholarship for the fourth year of academic study in accordance with the provisions of the NJ STARS II law as it read prior to the bill's effective date.

3) The bill provides that the cost of an NJ STARS II scholarship will be paid 100% by the State. Under current statute, the cost is divided between the State and the institution of higher education; and

4) The bill encourages county colleges to host an annual recruitment day and invite a representative from each State four-year public and independent institution of higher education in order to offer the institutions an opportunity to recruit students for the NJ STARS II Program.