WHEREAS, on September 11, 2001, terrorists killed and injured thousands of persons in an unprovoked attack against the United States; and

WHEREAS, many of these victims were New Jersey residents including several hundred who were parents of dependent children or who had spouses or other persons who relied on them for financial assistance or contributions to meet their daily needs; and

WHEREAS, children and others who were dependent on the victims, who are college students, may be experiencing difficulties meeting their tuition expenses because of the sudden loss of their loved ones;

WHEREAS, in recognition of the need and desirability of providing scholarship funds to children and spouses of the victims, the World Trade Center Scholarship Act (PL 2001 c.442)(hereinafter, Scholarship Act) was approved on January 11, 2002 to provide scholarships to children and spouses of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, through the administration of a newly created Board in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA);

WHEREAS, the implementation of the Scholarship Act requires the establishment of a Board, whose membership is to be chosen by the Governor and the Legislature, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and the establishment of guidelines for the program, is likely to take several months, despite best efforts;

WHEREAS, although the Scholarship Act appropriated $250,000 for implementation of the Scholarship program, current college students have not yet been able to receive tuition assistance through the scholarship program, because it has not yet been fully implemented;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. McGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the

Constitution and the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. That all State Colleges and Universities subject to N.J.S.A. 18A:64-1 et seq. and the New Jersey Institute of Technology shall hereby forego and desist collecting tuition and fees charged for the Fall 2001 semester and subsequent semesters, from students who are New Jersey residents, who demonstrate that their parent, spouse or another person on whom they relied for significant financial assistance or contribution to meet their daily needs (hereinafter, dependent student), was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks;

2. That any junior or county college or independent four-year college or university that voluntarily foregoes or delays collection of tuition and fees for the Fall 2001 semester and subsequent semesters may submit to HESAA an application for reimbursement up to the amount currently charged for tuition and fees by any State college or university for a full-time student who is a New Jersey resident, or for actual tuition and fees charged, whichever is the lesser amount;

3. That all State Colleges and Universities subject to N.J.S.A. 18A:64-1 et seq., and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, may submit to the HESAA an application for reimbursement for tuition and fees incurred by any dependent student for the Fall 2001 semester and subsequent semesters;

4. That HESAA shall review such applications, and forward them to the Board of Trustees of the Scholarship Fund created pursuant to P.L. 2001 c. 442, which shall consider such applications for reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of that law and this Order; and

5. This Order shall take effect immediately, and shall remain in effect, unless rescinded, until such time as the scholarship program created pursuant to P.L.2001, c.442, is fully operational.

Attest:

/s/ Paul A. Levinsohn
Chief Counsel to the Governor