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Crucial Colleges Can't Endure Even a Smaller Aid Cut

Paul R. Shelly

Communications Director

Philadelphia Inquirer
June 22, 2006

Rowan and Rutgers Universities, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and other state four-year, public institutions that South Jersey high school students are clamoring to attend would not fare well next year under the proposed state budget.

The Corzine administration has proposed a gargantuan $300 million cut for higher education.

A restoration of up to $150 million, now being considered in the halls of Trenton, would help.  That would be deeply appreciated in light of the undeniably stringent demands on the state's resources this year.

However, the loss of even $150 million would set back efforts to increase college capacity in the state to accommodate the mounting number of New Jersey high school graduates seeking to attend college.

New Jersey has the nation's highest net loss of college-bound students as its high school graduates migrate to other states for college.

To make up for this brain drain, New Jersey's businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations have, for at least 50 years, relied on high salaries, excellent public schools, and other state assets to draw back many who graduate from out-of-state colleges.

But we have stubbornly avoided investing in higher education.

What's more, our severe state fiscal problems perpetuate additional rationalizations for not investing in college opportunity.

"Wait till next year when things are better," advocates for higher education are told.  But next year is often no better.

Our state economic bond also makes appealing the false assumption that colleges can weather any economic storm without consequence.

There is a reason for the belief.  Our colleges have managed well despite pretty hard times.

Budget cuts will not enable institutions such as Rowan and Stockton to provide education to more students.  Investment will.

The investment would include predictable state funding, payment of fringe benefits costs and state-negotiated salary increases, and help with academic facilities costs.

While there is proposed legislation to put a bond issue for higher education facilities on the November ballot, it is unclear how soon the legislation would be enacted.

Much is at stake: places for our state's students at four-year public colleges and universities, aid available to students, and ultimately our state's ability to prosper.