(a) The Legislature hereby recognizes the growing need for new faculty members in the nursing field at California’s colleges and universities. This need will be fueled largely by the large number of current faculty approaching retirement age who will need to be replaced and the expected growth in enrollment demand in California. Further, to increase the supply of nurses in California, there must be an expansion of nursing educator opportunities in public colleges and universities that will produce the necessary faculty to teach in nursing programs in the state.

(b) The Legislature finds that the rising costs of higher education, coupled with a shift in available financial aid from scholarships and grants to loans, make loan repayment options an important consideration in a student’s decision to pursue a graduate degree in nursing education or in a field related to nursing.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Nursing Assumption Program of Loans for Education (SNAPLE) be designed to encourage persons to complete their graduate educations and serve as nursing faculty in a registered nursing program at an accredited California college or university.

(d) As used in this article, “commission” means the Student Aid Commission.

(Added by renumbering Section 69616 by Stats. 2006, Ch. 837, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2007.)