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New Brunswick – Budget and Transfer Agreement issues were major topics of discussion at the NJPC Executive Board meeting on November 12, 2007, at Rutgers University.
Chair Edward Yaw reported to the presidents that he remains hopeful that a joint budget statement with the Commission on Higher Education can be completed by year end. Yaw said a meeting with the Commission is scheduled for November 27.
Yaw said there is a need to review and update NJPC bylaws and that suggested modifications, such as changing the status of the Articulation and Transfer Coordinating Committee from ad hoc to permanent, would be circulated to presidents in advance of the February 19, 2008, NJPC meeting.
Presidents approved a new academic program for Union County College (A.A.S. in Technical Studies).
President Peter Contini, reporting for the Articulation and Transfer Coordinating Committee, said that NJTransfer continues to experience growth in numbers of transcript transactions. Thus far, 83,174 transcripts have been sent and 97,906 have been received since the program’s inception in 2004. He also expressed continuing concern regarding the NJTransfer budget deficit.
Allison Samay, reporting for NJPC Treasurer Susan Cole, said that thus far 12 colleges and universities have said they would contribute their portion of the NJPC Communications escrow fund to NJTransfer. Seven institutions have asked that their funds be returned. All community colleges, and Rutgers, have already agreed to provide $10,000 each to NJTransfer.
President Steven Rose told the presidents that the NJPC web site continues to enjoy increased usage and asked members to visit the site and offer suggestions for improving it.
Sister Rosemary Jeffries , Chair of the Liaison Committee to NJEDge.Net, reported that the committee continues to work on revising bylaws for NJEDge.Net and indicated that the modified bylaws would soon be sent to presidents for their action. A two-thirds majority is needed for approval.
Henry Ross, reporting for the Homeland Security Planning Committee, said that the first of four pilot reviews to assess best practices had been completed successfully at Caldwell College. Reviews are being conducted at one institution in each of the four sectors and results will be communicated to presidents.
Marguerite Beardsley, representing the Commission on Higher Education, told the presidents that proposed modifications to language in the Licensure Regulations would be circulated to colleges and universities for review and comment. In response to a request, she said that the Commission would begin sending summaries of comments to presidents on a regular basis.
Discussing the Statewide Transfer Agreement under Old Business, President Yaw told members that they were still trying to reach consensus on some wording in the Agreement. Several presidents emphasized the importance of working collaboratively with the Commission on Higher Education on the document. Yaw assured presidents that the Agreement had been shared with Jane Oates and that she has provided some suggestions and additional insight.
Marianne Gaunt, University Librarian at Rutgers, spoke to the Executive Board about the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative, which provides access to eleven databases and 10,000 journals for all colleges and universities in the state. She said funding for the Initiative had been cut and encouraged presidents to contact legislators to help restore funds.
Next meeting of the Executive Board is December 3, 2007, at 9:30 AM at Rutgers University.