Bill Advancing Transparency at New Jersey Colleges Clears General Assembly
New legislation would require New Jersey’s public colleges to publish degree completion data, financial audits, and student outcomes online.
TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers took a step toward expanding transparency at the state’s public colleges and universities as the General Assembly approved legislation on Monday, December 8, 2025, requiring institutions to publicly disclose key student and financial information.
Assemblywoman Linda Carter’s bill, A3581, would require four-year public universities to post the average time it takes students to complete each bachelor’s degree program. County colleges would be required to share similar student-outcome measures for associate degree programs, as determined by the Secretary of Higher Education in coordination with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges.
Carter said the goal is to give students and families clearer insight into what they can expect before committing to a major investment.
“Students and parents deserve transparent, essential information that helps them make the best decisions for their educational future,” said Carter (D-Somerset, Union). “By strengthening transparency across our public higher education institutions, we empower New Jersey families and support students as they evaluate their pathways to a degree.”
Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, a co-sponsor of the bill, emphasized the financial stakes for families navigating college choices.
“When higher education is one of the biggest investments a family will ever make, transparency is not optional,” said Quijano (D-Union). “This bill reinforces the public’s ability to evaluate the value of a degree and reaffirms our responsibility to maintain high standards of fiscal stewardship.”
The legislation also seeks to strengthen fiscal accountability. Public colleges would be required to post their annual fiscal monitoring reports and any state-mandated comprehensive audits on their websites. Institutions must also provide the Secretary of Higher Education with direct links to those documents each year and publish summaries written in clear, accessible language.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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