NJ Association of State Colleges & Universities' Position Statement on the Proposed FY 2011-2012 State Budget for Higher Education
Press Release
February 23, 2011
The higher education budget proposed by Governor Christie yesterday is a step in the right direction, according to the chief of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, which represents the nine state colleges and universities enrolling 105,000 students.
The budget proposes level funding for the state colleges. According to Association CEO, Dr. Darryl G. Greer, the proposal needs to be understood in the context of several years of budget cuts to the state's four-year public colleges and universities. "We see some signs that higher education is a rising priority, and we are very hopeful that this view will be mirrored in the legislative budget process. Going forward, I think more can be done to tie college opportunity to state prosperity."
The budget proposal is positive in addressing college affordability by increasing funding for New Jersey's key student aid program that reaches many low- and middle-income students: the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program. According to Greer, there are elements of the student aid budget proposal and some other budget matters that still need to be hammered out. He stated, "we look forward to working cooperatively with the governor and legislature toward a final budget that preserves, to the extent possible, college access, affordability, and quality."
Dr. Greer says that the proposed steady funding will help institutions plan their own budgets for the coming year. "The absence of a tuition cap indicates the governor's confidence in the institutions' trustees to control costs and keep tuition affordable."
Level funding for FY 2012 means the nine colleges and universities would receive approximately the same number of direct state dollars (not adjusted for inflation) that they received in FY 1997, while serving 28,000 more students than they did at that time.
Demand for public higher education in New Jersey is at an all-time high and the colleges today are serving 105,000 students.
Today, more than ever, higher education is universally viewed as a vital component to economic recovery. Nearly one-half of all New Jersey college graduates, annually, are from the nine state colleges and universities, with applications at an all time high. The institutions rank third nationally for similar colleges, among the 50 states, in degree productivity.
The Association's nine members are: The College of New Jersey, Kean University, Montclair State University, New Jersey City University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Rowan University, Thomas Edison State College, and William Paterson University.