Presidents’ Council Elects New Officers
Princeton -- The New Jersey Presidents’ Council met on June 2, 2008, at the Chauncey Conference Center, and elected new officers and approved several academic programs for member institutions.
Sister Rosemary Jeffries, president of Georgian Court University, is the new NJPC chair; Richard McCormick, president of Rutgers University, is vice chair; Susan Cole, president of Montclair State University, is secretary; and Steven Rose, president of Passaic County Community College, is treasurer. Terms begin July 1, and are for two years.
Presidents approved a resolution of appreciation for outgoing NJPC Chair Edward Yaw, president of the County College of Morris, and praised his leadership. Another resolution of appreciation was approved for departing President Rose Mary Healy, Berkeley College.
In other action, presidents approved the 2008-09 NJPC budget as presented by Dr. Cole, reaffirmed an earlier vote amending NJPC bylaws, and approved institutional dues for 2008-09. Reporting for the Budget and Governmental Relations Committee, Dr. Cole said that several meetings had been held with legislators regarding the budget and that she was hopeful that some of the higher education cuts might be restored in the final document.
Dr. Rose reported that the NJPC Annual Report was being printed and would be distributed to presidents, legislators and others this month.
Peter Contini, President of Salem Community College, and Arnold Speert, President of William Patterson University, co-chairs of the Articulation and Transfer Coordinating Committee, spoke to the importance of NJTransfer in relation to the new state-wide Transfer Agreement and the continuing uncertainty regarding state funding. Jane Oates, Executive Director of the Commission on Higher Education, told presidents that there was $72,000 in the state budget at present for NJTransfer. This would leave a funding deficit of about $325,000.
Oates also reported that a task force would be formed at the request of the Governor to address issues related to NJSTARS. Oates said the group would have a deadline of August 1, 2008, for its report. She said a second task force might be formed to examine issues dealing with the TAG program, but after the NJSTARS report is completed.
Dr. Yaw reported that issues with the Attorney General’s Office involving the appeal process in the new state-wide Transfer Agreement remain unresolved. The AG earlier determined that the NJPC could not be the final step in resolving transfer disputes. Alternatives have been proposed and are under consideration.
NJEDge.Net representatives Carol Kondrach, chair of the Network Advisory Board, and George Laskaris, Executive Director, summarized NJEDge.Net achievements over the past year. Kondrach called it a “banner year” and Laskaris reported highlights, including grants, new projects, and efforts to reduce costs. He said that a potential savings of $750,000 had been identified.
Acting on a motion by President Jeffries, the presidents approved the formation of a task force to examine various options regarding service learning and offer guidance on whether the NJPC should support, or sponsor such initiatives.
Presidents took action on a host of academic issues. New programs were approved for Berkeley College (B.S. in Health Services Management), Burlington County College (A.A.S. in Agricultural Business Technology), Cumberland County College (A.S. in Biomedical Science), Felician College (B.S. in Management, B.S. in Marketing), Gloucester County Community College (A.S. in Marine Science), and Kean University (M.A. in Criminal Justice).
Other programs were approved for Raritan Valley Community College (A.S. in Digital Media/Film Studies, A.F.A. in Music), Rider University (B.A. in Arts Administration), Salem Community College (A.F.A. in Digital Media, A.A.S. in Food Processing Technology), and William Paterson University (B.A. in Communication Disorders).
Seven academic programs were approved for New Jersey Institute of Technology (B.A. in Digital Design, B.S. in International Business, M.S. in Bioelectronics, M.S. in Business and Information Systems, M.S. in Emergency Management and Business Continuity, M.S. in International Business, M.S. in Healthcare Systems Management).
Felician College and William Paterson University were granted waivers from the full new program review process. Felician will expand a concentration in Accounting to a B.S. in Accounting, and William Paterson will expand a concentration in Applied Mathematics to a B.S. in mathematics.
In addition, the NJPC recommended to the Commmisson on Higher Education that licensure be given to HoHoKus School of Business and Medical Sciences to offer four A.A.S. degrees as Eastwick College in Ramsey, NJ; to Nova Southeastern University to offer a doctor of Education in New Jersey; that LaSalle University be relicensed to offer graduate courses in New Jersey, and Syracuse University be licensed to offer new credit-bearing undergraduate courses at Rumson-Fair Haven high school and be licensed to offer previously licensed courses at Bergenfield, Kinnelon, and Plainfield high schools.
The next meeting of the NJPC Executive Board will be held September 22, 2008, at Rutgers University.