Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY R. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to have one veteran coordinator for every 200 veteran students; requires veteran coordinator to work with DMVA to ensure veterans have access to all available services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning veteran coordinators at certain public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, "veteran" means an individual who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, a Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard, and who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service.
b. A four-year public institution of higher education shall ensure that each campus has one veteran coordinator for every 200 veteran students who are enrolled in the institution on that campus.
c. The veteran coordinator shall serve as the designated point of contact for veteran students and shall assist those students with transition to the college environment. The veteran coordinator shall work in consultation with the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to provide veteran students with information on applicable programs and services based on the unique experience of the veteran students including, but not limited to:
(1) tuition assistance available under federal and State programs;
(2) veteran housing;
(3) the evaluation and receipt of credit for military training and experience;
(4) the coordination of course registration;
(5) course advising; and
(6) career counseling.
2. This act shall take effect on July 1 of the 2017-2018 academic year.
STATEMENT
This bill requires each campus of a four-year public institution of higher education to have one veteran coordinator for every 200 veteran students enrolled in the institution on that campus. The veteran coordinator will serve as the designated point of contact for veteran students to assist those students with their transition to the college environment. Under the bill, the veteran coordinator will work in consultation with the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to provide veteran students with information on programs and services including, but not limited to: tuition assistance available under federal and State programs; veteran housing; the evaluation and receipt of credit for military training and experience, the coordination of course registration; course advising; and career counseling.