2-Years Free At NJ’s Public Colleges, Universities Possible

NEW JERSEY - Governor Phil Murphy today held a roundtable discussion with college students, elected officials, and university presidents to highlight the $50 million investment in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget proposal which would pay college tuition for the first two years at four-year state school.

“Since day one, we’ve taken meaningful steps toward addressing college affordability and attainability for students at all income levels,” Murphy said. “With the Garden State Guarantee initiative, we’re making another critical investment to ensure that every student has access to an affordable, high-quality postsecondary education, which in return will create a highly skilled workforce and a stronger, fairer, and more resilient economy.”

The program, the Garden State Guarantee initiative, would see students with an annual gross income of $65,000 or less will have the opportunity to receive tuition- and fee-free education for two years of study at one of New Jersey’s four-year public institutions.

“The Garden State Guarantee is our commitment to ensuring New Jerseyans are well-positioned for success, particularly students of color, low-income families, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds who have traditionally not been afforded equal access to higher education,” Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges said. “We owe it to our students to provide free college benefits that will improve their social mobility and our state’s overall financial health as we build long-term economic resiliency.”

Under the GSG initiative, The FY2022 budget proposal allocates $45 million for the GSG initiative, which will increase direct aid to all 13 state colleges and universities through the Outcomes-Based Allocation and another $5 million will be available if additional funding is necessary for program implementation.

Public institutions implementing GSG will also support eligible students by developing a sliding scale pricing structure for students above $65,000 annual gross income and create a guaranteed pricing structure for all students throughout their academic program. This initiative will be available for students starting in fall 2022.

Similar initiatives are offered at four of out of 13 public four-year institutions:

• Rutgers-Camden
• Rutgers-Newark
• William Paterson University
• New Jersey City University

Three other public institutions, Stockton University, Rowan University, and Kean University, recently announced similar programs that will begin in the fall of 2021.

“The Garden State Guarantee sharply reflects key recommendations made by the Governor’s working group on college affordability, which I had the honor of co-chairing with Rowan University President Ali Houshmand,” said Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of Rutgers – Newark. “Our group of higher education leaders from across the state felt strongly that to close the equity and opportunity gaps facing students from low-income households and from groups underrepresented in our colleges and universities, it is essential for New Jersey to establish affordable and predictable pricing guarantees, making the net cost of college more transparent for students and families. I can tell you first-hand that we have seen these strategies work at Rutgers-Newark with our RU-N to the TOP program, which has helped pave pathways to us from Newark schools and from the state’s county colleges. These are proven strategies for attracting and retaining New Jersey students in a post-COVID world.”

Before you go:

• Send a news tip or correction to: russ.crespolini@patch.com
• Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter.
• Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.