"The Assembly Higher Education Committee on Monday heard testimony from students and administrators on a proposal to curtail the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II programs at two- and four-year colleges," the Asbury Park Press reports. "In the past month, Gov. Corzine has suggested a family income cap of $100,000 for students involved in the merit-based scholarship program, which allots up to $4,000 a semester for students graduating in the top 20 percent of their high school class to pursue an associate's degree at an in-state community college. The proposed income cap has met with criticism from families and educators. Jane Oates, executive director for the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, explained why the state is considering an income cap for a merit-based program. 'The program has basically grown exponentially,' Oates said. 'If (it continues) to grow at the same rate, it could become one the state can no longer afford.'"