a. Statewide planning for higher education including research on higher education issues and the development of a comprehensive master plan, including, but not limited to, the establishment of new institutions, closure of existing institutions, and consolidation of institutions, which plan shall be long-range in nature. Within 180 days of the effective date of P.L.2015, c.91 and, at a minimum, every seven years thereafter, the secretary shall adopt a new comprehensive master plan. The council may request the secretary to conduct a study of a particular issue. The secretary may require from institutions of higher education such reports or other information as may be necessary to enable the secretary to perform his duties;

b. advocacy on behalf of higher education including informing the public of the needs and accomplishments of higher education in New Jersey;

c. making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on higher education initiatives and incentive programs of Statewide significance;

d. final administrative decisions over institutional licensure and university status giving due consideration to the accreditation status of the institution. The secretary shall furnish the Presidents’ Council with any pertinent information compiled on behalf of the subject institution and the council shall then make recommendations to the secretary concerning the licensure of the institution or university status within sixty days of receipt of the information;

e. adopting a code of ethics applicable to institutions of higher education;

f. final administrative decisions over new academic programs that go beyond the programmatic mission of the institution and final administrative decisions over a change in the programmatic mission of an institution. In addition, within 60 days of referral of a proposed new program by the council, the secretary may deny approval of programs proposed by institutions of higher education which do not exceed the programmatic mission of the institution, but which may be of insufficient academic quality, may lack sufficient evidence of labor market demand, may be duplicative of comparable programs of study, or may be unduly expensive to the State as determined by the New Jersey Presidents’ Council according to the review standards set by the secretary ;

g. reviewing requests for State support from the institutions in relation to the mission of the institution and Statewide goals and proposing a coordinated budget policy statement to the Governor and Legislature;

h. communicating with the State Board of Education and Commissioner of Education to advance public education at all levels including articulation between the public schools and higher education community;

i. applying for and accepting grants from the federal government, or any agency thereof, or grants, gifts or other contributions from any foundation, corporation, association or individual, and complying with the terms, conditions and limitations thereof, for the purpose of advancing higher education. Any money so received may be expended by the secretary upon warrant of the director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Department of the Treasury on vouchers certified by the secretary;

j. acting as the lead agent of communication with the federal government concerning higher education issues, except that the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority shall act, in cooperation with the secretary, as the lead agency on issues of student assistance;

k. exercising all of the powers and duties previously exercised by the Board of Higher Education, the Department of Higher Education, and the Chancellor of Higher Education, under the “New Jersey Higher Education Building Construction Bond Act of 1971,” P.L.1971, c.164, the “New Jersey Medical Education Facilities Bond Act of 1977,” P.L.1977, c.235, the “Jobs, Science and Technology Bond Act of 1984,” P.L.1984, c.99, the “Jobs, Education and Competitiveness Bond Act of 1988,” P.L.1988, c.78, the “Higher Education Equipment Leasing Fund Act,” P.L.1993, c.136, and the “Higher Education Facilities Trust Fund Act,” P.L.1993, c.375;

l. exercising any other power or responsibility necessary in order to carry out the provisions of this act;

m. consulting with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority on student assistance matters;

n. advising and making recommendations for consideration to the Governor and the governing board of a public research university or a State college for members of that governing board appointed by the Governor; and

o. examining and recommending to institutions of higher education opportunities for joint purchasing and other joint arrangements that would be advantageous to the institutions.

L.1994, c.48, s.14; amended 1999, c.46, s.32; 2009, c.308, s.24; 2015, c.91, s.1; 2021, c.27, s.2.