Bill Text: NJ A4341 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Commission on Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and business partnerships.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-11-28 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Budget Committee [A4341 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A4341-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Directs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Commission on Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and business partnerships.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning higher education and business partnerships and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes and P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commission on Higher Education or its successor, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, shall create and maintain a database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State. The purpose of the database shall be to provide business entities with ready access to information on the resources and expertise available at institutions of higher education. The database shall catalog the assets of each participating institution of higher education including, but not limited to, its: research and development activities; scientific capabilities; physical facilities and equipment; intellectual assets; technological infrastructure and capabilities; and the expertise and specialized qualifications of its faculty and staff. The database shall not include any assets that are determined by the institution to be confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected. The database shall be made available on the website of the commission or its successor.
b. Each public institution of higher education shall submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the commission or its successor for inclusion in the database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section and shall annually provide updated information to the commission or its successor.
c. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the commission or its successor for inclusion in the database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
2. Each institution of higher education shall assess the abilities of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and shall develop staff training in this area, in order to improve the institution's potential for the award of federal funding.
3. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities concerning issues and topics involving and relating to each community's assets, efforts, needs, and challenges. In this capacity, the authority shall facilitate the exchange of information and exploration of collaborations among higher education and business entities that will spur innovation in the State.
b. The authority shall post on its website a link to the database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State established by the Commission on Higher Education or its successor pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. The authority shall undertake activities that will maximize the amount of federal funding awarded to institutions of higher education including, but not limited to:
a. an annual review of the availability of and application process for federal funding for institutions of higher education;
b. evaluation of the procedures utilized by institutions of higher education to qualify for the available federal funding and the development of recommendations on how the institutions can improve their potential for the award of federal funding; and
c. the ongoing identification and promotion of collaborations among institutions of higher education, and among institutions of higher education and business entities, that would improve the potential for the award and receipt of federal funding.
5. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill implements certain recommendations of the 2010 report "Building Bridges Between Academic Institutions, Business and Government to Bring Innovation to the Marketplace" published by the New Jersey Policy Research Organization, an independent affiliate of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, which are intended to spur economic revitalization by capitalizing on new partnerships among New Jersey businesses, research universities, and State government.
Specifically, the bill directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities concerning issues and topics involving and relating to each community's assets, efforts, needs, and challenges. In this capacity, the EDA will facilitate the exchange of information and exploration of collaborations among higher education and business entities that will spur innovation. The bill directs the EDA to undertake certain activities that will maximize federal funding awarded to institutions of higher education.
Under the bill, the Commission on Higher Education or its successor, in consultation with the EDA and the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, must create and maintain a database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State. The purpose of the database is to provide business entities with ready access to information on the resources and expertise available at institutions of higher education. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the commission, or the commission's successor, for inclusion in the database and to annually provide updated information to the commission or its successor. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the commission, or its successor, for inclusion in the database.
The bill requires each institution of higher education to assess the abilities of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and to develop staff training in this area, to improve the institution's potential for the award of federal funding.
