Permits four-year institution of higher education to award associate degrees.

This bill (A3889) allows New Jersey's four-year colleges to award associate degrees to students who complete 60 or more academic credits at that institution, including transfer students who earned at least 30 credits there. It requires institutions to align offered degrees with their mission, meet Middle States accreditation standards, provide targeted academic advising, and notify students about associate degree eligibility upon reaching 60 credits or if withdrawing before a bachelor's degree. The Secretary of Higher Education must annually report the number of associate degrees conferred by four-year schools to the Governor and Legislature. The policy directly affects students seeking credentials at four-year institutions and the institutions themselves, which must establish specific programs and reporting mechanisms.