Requires post-secondary educational institutions to collect and report employment data for certain graduates.
Impact
The enactment of S1357 is expected to impact various aspects of educational law and regulation in New Jersey. It modifies the existing New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act by obligating independent institutions to report on employment data, alongside public institutions. By doing so, it seeks to standardize the information available to students, allowing for better comparisons across institutions, thus aiding them in their college selection process. This also emphasizes the importance of graduate success as a metric for institutions, potentially influencing future enrollment trends based on outcomes.
Summary
Senate Bill S1357 mandates that post-secondary educational institutions in New Jersey, including four-year public and independent institutions, must collect and report specific employment data for their recent graduates. This includes data about employment rates in relation to graduates' fields of study, as well as overall employment figures, average salaries, and the percentage of graduates enrolling in graduate programs within a year of graduation. The bill aims to enhance transparency about the post-graduation outcomes of students, empowering prospective students and their families with vital information to make informed decisions regarding their education.
Contention
While proponents of S1357 argue that increased transparency regarding employment outcomes will motivate schools to enhance their academic programs and career services, critics may raise concerns about the adequacy of the data collected and reported. There are apprehensions about how these statistics could be interpreted or misused to undermine institutions that may not have high placement rates in certain fields, regardless of the quality of education provided. Thus, the implementation of standardized reporting guidelines by the Secretary of Higher Education will be crucial to mitigate such risks and ensure fair representation of each institution's graduates.
Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to provide on website certain information on online degree students and graduate degree students.
Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to provide on website certain information on online degree students and graduate degree students.
Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to provide on website certain information on online degree students and graduate degree students.
Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to provide on website certain information on online degree students and graduate degree students.
Requires tuition bills of public institutions of higher education to include details on student fees and opt-out provision for student-managed entertainment fees, and requires certain institutions' websites to include student fee information.
Requires Secretary of Higher Education and DOLWD to establish performance quality standards for career-oriented programs of study offered by institutions of higher education, degree-granting proprietary institutions, and private career schools.
Applies provisions of "New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act" to proprietary schools and limits eligibility for State student assistance programs to students enrolled in certain proprietary schools.
Applies provisions of "New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act" to proprietary schools and limits eligibility for State student assistance programs to students enrolled in certain proprietary schools.
Requires institutions of higher education to distribute information on availability of allowance for dependent care expenses in determination of cost of attendance.
Requires institutions of higher education to distribute information on availability of allowance for dependent care expenses in determination of cost of attendance.
Requires institutions of higher education to distribute information on availability of allowance for dependent care expenses in determination of cost of attendance.
Requires financial aid shopping sheet prepared by institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions to include information on average starting salaries of students.