New Jersey Association of

State Colleges and Universities
committed to college opportunity for new jersey citizens

150 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08608                       609-989-1100     609-989-7017 fax                   njascu@njascu.org

Press Release
 October 1, 2007

 

As NJ Legislative Races Heat Up, Many Candidates Willingly Register Higher Education Views

Darryl G. Greer, Ph.D., Executive Director/CEO, ASCU
Paul R. Shelly, Director of Communications & Marketing, ASCU

 

New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, today, announced that it has published to its website the results of all New Jersey legislative candidates on three key higher education issues.  This is the first time the Association has conducted such a survey.

The survey asks candidates' positions on:

Making higher education a priority for state investment to reduce student share of the cost of a state college education to 30% (currently 50%);

Supporting an annual appropriation of $25 million for higher education capital needs (e.g., facilities renovation) and willingness to bring to the voters a $2 billion bond issue for new facilities and technology for senior public colleges and universities; and

Preserving college/university trustee board autonomy as the principal means of ensuring public accountability.

The response rate was nearly 50%; about 95 surveys were received.  Of these, 70 candidates responded to the specific questions it contained.  The list of candidates was taken from the official General Election ballot list for November 2007, as of August 9, 2007 .

The Association has now published all responses received by September 24 to its special advocacy website: www.njcollegepromise.com.  The survey of candidates in all 40 districts can be accessed through a button calling up the document in printable form. (survey)

No scorecard-type tally will be generated by the report, said one of its designer/editors, Paul Shelly of ASCU.  "The goal is to take the pulse of potential and current leaders on some key higher education decisions facing the state; identify areas of consensus; and prepare appropriate policy and educational materials to help current and incoming legislators in making future decisions affecting college opportunity in the Garden State ."

The survey is part of ASCU's New Jersey College Promise project, intended to advance the college opportunity and affordability agenda while strengthening accountability and the public trust.

 

 
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