Higher Education Task Force Calls for New Investment in Colleges to Keep New Jersey Strong
Paul R. Shelly, Director of Communications & Marketing, ASCU
January 10, 2011
At a news conference January 4 marking the release of the report of the Governor's Task Force on Higher Education, Governor Chris Christie announced a number of steps to implement some of the report's 70 recommendations calling for investment in higher education and expansion of college opportunity and affordability. The report reflects many suggestions made through the Association's New Jersey College Promise project, a project informed by business leaders and national experts and supported by state college presidents and trustees.
More investment to expand opportunity and affordability. Former Governor Thomas Kean, task force chair, stressed that investment in higher education is crucial to the future of the Garden State, tying college opportunity and affordability to the economy, jobs and long-term state prosperity.
Governor Christie issued an executive order to create a Governor's Higher Education Council to advise a yet to be named Secretary of Higher Education (#52), a role created in statute to better coordinate higher education to meet citizens' needs. At the same time, he signed an executive order forming an advisory committee to develop a more comprehensive, statewide approach to medical education (#51).
The governor acknowledged that the state needs to stop slashing funding for higher education and renewed his commitment to make higher education the first area for state investment, once the economy recovers. He also indicated that tuition caps mandated by Trenton are an inappropriate way to preserve college quality and affordability.
Cut Trenton Red Tape. The governor said that he sees further deregulation of the colleges as part of the answer to keeping colleges affordable and called for passage of the remaining higher education "tool kit" bills. These include bills which: exempt state colleges from civil service rules and allow schools to bargain directly with their own unions.
While he reserved comment about the higher education budget prospects for FY 2012, the governor said that he expects presidents and trustees, especially when given more flexibility and control over institutional costs, to continue to take efficiency steps to limit the need for larger tuition increases.
While the Task Force urged regular state investment in facilities maintenance and renewal as well as a long-term investment in new facilities, Christie stopped short of making any promises. He mentioned that he would not rule out, in the near term, the idea of a revolving fund for recurring facilities needs.
Higher education leaders, including Darryl G. Greer, CEO of ASCU and others, applauded the bold vision represented by the 70 sweeping recommendations and promised that they will be reviewing them with their respective boards and communities over the weeks ahead.