18A:72B-17. Definitions

3. As used in this act:

a. "Eligible institution" or "institution" means only those independent institutions of higher education incorporated and located in this State, which, by virtue of law or character or license, are nonprofit educational institutions empowered to grant academic degrees and which provide a level of education which is equivalent to the education provided by the State's public institutions of higher education as attested by the receipt of and continuation of regional accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and which are eligible to receive State aid under the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey. "Eligible institution" does not include any educational institution dedicated primarily to the preparation or training of ministers, priests, rabbis, or other professional persons in the field of religion.

b. "New Jersey student" means any resident of this State as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1979, c.361 (C.18A:62-4).

c. "Academic year" means the normal period of attendance, excluding summer session, for a full-time undergraduate student to make a year's progress toward a degree.

d. "Full-time equivalent student in an eligible institution" means a unit of 32 undergraduate student credit hours.

e. "Undergraduate student" means a student enrolled in a program leading to an associate or baccalaureate degree, or to a certificate, diploma or its equivalent, awarded by the institution.

f. "Direct per student support for the State college sector" means the average direct net State support per budgeted full-time equivalent student at the State colleges. This average shall be derived from the General Appropriation Act for the pre-budget year by taking the sum of the total appropriation amounts for all State colleges, except Thomas A. Edison College of New Jersey, subtracting from that sum debt service and capital costs and the sum of anticipated revenues at the State colleges, except Edison College, for tuitions, other student fees, School of Conservation, and miscellaneous; and dividing the remainder by the total number of budgeted full-time equivalent students at the State colleges, as stipulated in language in said Appropriation Act.

g. "Department" means the Department of the Treasury.

h. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1994, c.48).

i. "Pre-budget year" means the fiscal year preceding the year in which the budget is implemented.

L.1979,c.132,s.3; amended 1994,c.48,s.242.