Not by coincidence, in one year's time, a century and a half ago, three new institutions were created to advance the education of residents of New Jersey.

These newborn institutions of 1855 were called "normal schools," based on the French term "ecole normal" meaning an ideal or model school. These academies were intended as placed dedicated to helping would-be teachers learn how to best convey knowledge to pupils. Prior to that era of American history, the profession of teaching had ill-defined expectations and required few if any credentials.

The impetus to establish these institutions came from several coalitions of Garden State citizens and educators. No doubt these groups drew some energy from a national movement that started in 1839 in Massachusetts with the establishment of the first state-funded normal school in America. As a consequence of citizen activism, one New Jersey normal school was established by the state Legislature in Trenton and two others were established by the cities of Newark and Paterson.

Today, the three institutions still serve the state, although they are known by different names and offer more than pedagogical preparation. The three are: The College of New Jersey, Kean University and William Paterson University.

These three institutions, joined by Montclair State University, New Jersey City University, Ramapo College, Richard Stockton College, Rowan University, and Thomas Edison State College, make up the constellation known as New Jersey's state colleges and universities. This group is the state's leading source of baccalaureate education and a leader in graduate education with a combined total of about 90,000 students.

Today what these institutions offer is highly sought-after: a recent USA Today report shows that nationally 80 percent of students expect to seek a college degree.

Meanwhile, New Jersey businesses and professional employers, including the public schools, nonprofit organizations, and the health care industry, are avidly seeking our graduates. Facing growing demand from both the student side, with children of the baby boomers now entering college, and the employer side, these institutions are poised to do more.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of adequate state funding for additional facilities for enrollment growth, some institutions' plans to serve more students have to be scaled back. Nevertheless, more students than ever who are seeking full-time admission to state colleges and universities have to be turned away.

Future growth in enrollment capacity is uncertain and I worry every time that higher education gets dropped down on the state's priority list amidst assorted budget woes. With a looming $4 billion state deficit, this is bound to happen again and there will be no quick solutions.

New Jersey needs more voices for the public good and for the higher education aspirations of all citizens, including children who will soon be seeking to attend college in the state and their parents. Also, there needs to be a stronger, collective voice for those who want to see even more progress in educational opportunity for minorities, new immigrants and older students.