THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 14, 2010
Proposed state aid cuts to higher education would result
in tuition increases, bigger classes and fewer
scholarships, according to nine public college
presidents who decried the cuts at a legislative hearing
on Wednesday.
Gov. Chris Christie's proposed budget proposes cutting
$173 million in aid for the fiscal year
beginning July 1, on top of a midyear cut this year.
The governor has proposed sweeping cuts in school and
municipal aid, as well as higher education, to close a
multibillion dollar budget gap.
Even without the latest cuts, the
appropriations, according to the Association of State
Colleges and Universities.
"This is a sorry story for a wealthy state like New
Jersey to let its colleges and universities fall into
decrepitude, with consequences for the next generation
of students as well as our economy,''
said Rutgers University President Richard McCormick, one
of the nine who testified before the
Assembly Budget Committee.
McCormick said all college presidents would try to keep
their campuses intact no matter the budget.
But, he said, practical implications of the budget cuts
include less faculty research and delays in
graduation because students will have longer waits to
get all the courses they need.
"As we approach the next cut, I don't believe we can
leave the academic side untouched,'' said R. Barbara
Gitenstein, president of The College of New Jersey in
Ewing.
Assemblyman Joe Malone, a Burlington County Republican,
said a long-term solution is needed. He said the state
has consistently shorted colleges and universities even
in years when a more robust economy assured there was
ample money.
"We have done a horrific job supporting the higher ed
community,'' said Malone. "You should not have to beg
every year for your existence.''
McCormick said New Jersey was the only state
"disinvesting'' in its colleges and universities before
the recession hit. He said 42 states were investing in
public colleges and universities at double-digit levels
when the economy was strong, and seven were pumping in
funding at single-digit levels.
The Assembly panel earlier reviewed
the Community Affairs Department budget, which would cut
$450 million in aid to municipalities.
Acting DCA Commissioner Lori Grifa said towns can keep within tight new spending caps without significantly raising property taxes or cutting services, but the head of the Assembly budget panel said he didn't see how.
Grifa said towns are being encouraged to share services
and said collective bargaining and civil service reforms
are in the works.
Christie has proposed a 2.5 percent annual spending cap
for towns and cities. They currently operate under a 4
percent cap, but exemptions are easier to get than they
would be under Christie's plan.
Budget panel Chairman Lou Greenwald said Christie's
formula is flawed. He said a similar cap in
he said
Source:
http://www.app.com/article/20100414/NEWS06/100414106/NJ-college-presidents-criticize-higher-ed-cuts.html