(TRENTON) – None of New Jersey’s 18 community colleges offer residential housing to students, despite the convenience and flexibility on-campus housing can bring to students. Current state law neither prohibits nor permits county colleges to establish student housing.
The Assembly Higher Education Committee on Wednesday advanced legislation (A-246) to expressly allow community colleges to construct, operate and maintain dormitories for students. The goal of the bill is to encourage community colleges to provide housing options for students, many of whom may benefit from the convenience of on-campus living.
The measure’s sponsors, Assembly Democrats Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer, Middlesex), Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Essex) and Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex) released the following joint statement:
“Students at four-year colleges and universities often have the choice to live on campus or commute to school. Students at community colleges should be able to consider the same options. This is particularly important as we work to make higher education more convenient, accessible, and affordable. Residential housing options would open doors for students to consider schools outside of their own immediate county or region. It would also help to address the critical issue of rising student homelessness. This measure offers a common sense solution to benefit students and institutions alike.”