New Brunswick -- The Executive Board of the New Jersey Presidents’ Council approved new academic programs for three institutions and discussed ways to work collaboratively and proactively to better communicate the value and importance of higher education at its November 17 meeting at Rutgers University.
NJPC Chair Sister Rosemary Jeffries, President of Georgian Court University, said the higher education community is challenged by an uncertain economy to work harder and cooperatively to fulfill the dreams of current and future college students in New Jersey.
President Jeffries and Steven Rose, President of Passaic County Community College, reported on a recent meeting of student affairs vice presidents from colleges and universities throughout the state. The 48 representatives heard presentations covering campus suicide and cyber harassment. Rose said that attendees anticipate meeting each semester to discuss critical campus issues.
Presidents approved new academic programs for Felician College (B.A. in Music); New Jersey Institute of Technology (M.S. in Critical Infrastructure Systems, M.S. in Pharmaceutical Systems Management); and Rider University (B.S. in Business Administration – Major in Global Supply Chain Management).
President Rose, Chair of the Budget and Government Relations Committee, said that he will circulate a draft of the NJPC 2010 Budget Policy Statement to presidents in December for review and comment. Rose also said that the Commission on Higher Education would prepare a separate Budget Policy Statement this year.
President Richard Levao, (Bloomfield College) Chair of the Advocacy and Accountability Committee, reported that efforts continue to develop a template for presenting the economic and cultural importance of higher education to the state. He said the committee suggested that the template follow an approach used earlier by the five colleges and universities in Mercer County. He said the committee is also examining the feasibility of an event to celebrate higher education.
The Transfer Committee is expected to meet on November 24. President Peter Contini (Salem Community College) told presidents that NJTransfer is still facing serious financing issues.
The Campus Safety and Security Committee has been newly restructured according to NJIT’s Henry Ross, who filled in for President Robert Altenkirch, Chair of the committee. Ross said the committee consists of 17 members including six presidents and 11 staff level members, representing each of the higher education sectors.
President Casey Crabill (Raritan Valley Community College) reported that the Service Learning task force is looking at the economics of service learning across the higher education community.
Marguerite Beardsley, reporting for the Commission on Higher Education, said the Commission would host an open public discussion on graduation rates in the near future. Allison Samay is coordinating an effort to gather information on graduation rates from NJPC institutions prior to the meeting.
Under New Business, President William Owen (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) led a discussion on the need to enhance the image and reputation of higher education, including coverage in the media.
The next meeting of the NJPC Executive Board is December 15, 2008, at 9:30 AM in Winants Hall, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.