18A:72F-4 Minority Faculty Advancement Program.

4. a. There is established within the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education a Minority Faculty Advancement Program.

To increase the representation of doctorally trained minority faculty and administrators at New Jersey colleges and universities, the loan and loan redemption features of the Minority Faculty Advancement Loan and Loan Redemption Program, established pursuant to P.L.1984, c.189, shall be phased out and replaced by incentive hiring grants. Support, other than loans, for students participating in the program shall continue through campus assistance grants. The commission may enter into an agreement with another agency or entity to administer or provide services for this program.

b. To be eligible for a campus assistance grant, a New Jersey college or university shall enter into an agreement with the commission to provide support opportunities to eligible student participants. Support opportunities may include, but are not limited to: advising; mentoring; workshops and colloquia.

c. To be eligible for an incentive hiring grant, a New Jersey college or university shall enter into an agreement with the commission to provide loan redemption up to $40,000 per individual as a benefit to newly hired minority faculty or administrators with doctoral degrees, regardless of whether the doctorate was earned at an institution of higher education within or outside of the State. No more than $10,000 shall be redeemed for an individual for each year of service as a faculty member or administrator.

d. No student loans shall be originated or guaranteed under this program after the effective date of P.L.1999, c.46 (N.J.S.18A:71A-1 et al.), to any person not already the recipient of a student loan made or guaranteed under the Minority Faculty Advancement Loan and Loan Redemption Program, established pursuant to P.L.1984, c.189. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority shall administer the loan and loan redemption components for persons participating prior to the effective date of P.L.1999, c.46 (N.J.S.18A:71A-1 et al.) until they have exhausted eligibility for such assistance.

L.1984,c.189,s.4; amended 1994, c.48, s.273; 1999, c.46, s.55.