One-Minute Summary January 23, 2009 Commission Meeting

The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education convened at the Mary G. Roebling Building in Trenton on January 23, 2009. Chairman Laurence Downes presided. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Chairman’s Report: Mr. Downes commented on the Executive Committee meeting and our meeting’s agenda items.

• Executive Director’s Report: Executive Director Oates commented on the Lesniak bill hearing and its moving through the Assembly, the completion of the Transfer Report, the establishment of a task force on underage drinking, the formation of the NJ Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, how the financial crisis is hitting the colleges and how the Commission and HESAA need to work with the colleges.

• Presidents’ Council Report: Sister Jeffries reported on the forwarding of their Budget Policy Statement to the Governor, their Committee on Transfer looking at NJ Transfer, the Campus Security Task Force and the peer review process, and the student affairs offices agreeing to meet on a semester basis.

• Transfer Report: Commission staff presented an overview of the data in the Transfer Report.

• Update on NJ Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission: One of the Commission’s college interns presented a brief history of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, interesting facts about Lincoln and New Jersey, and current events developing nationwide to honor President Lincoln.

• Continuation of Open Public Discussion on Graduation Rates: In a continuation of the discussion from the November meeting, Commissioners included other factors that could influence the success data for the colleges. The Commission has maintained the cohort approach used in IPEDS but has also counted the members of that cohort who graduated within the time frame from other New Jersey colleges.

• Montclair State University Petition to Exceed Programmatic Mission to Offer the Ph.D. in Environmental Management: The Commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing Montclair State University to exceed its programmatic mission and offer the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Environmental Management.

• Approval of Renovation of the Child Care Center at New Jersey City University to be Funded Through the Jobs, Education, and Competitiveness Bond Fund: The Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution approving New Jersey City University’s child care project for funding through the Jobs, Education and Competitiveness Bond Fund.

• EOF and HESAA Updates: EOF Executive Director Glenn Lang commented on EOF’s small increase in the budget, nine special projects (eight to improve math and science and one to improve EOF students’ access to the reorganized Rutgers School of Business), and the Board’s use of the increase to give incentive awards to EOF programs with successful graduation outcomes based on an EOF equity index.

  Ms. Maria Torres, Chair, HESAA, commented on the Board’s approval of the amendments to NJ STARS I and II, and the fourth annual College Goal Sunday event planned for February 8th.

• Comments from the Public: Ms. Olutobi Ajala, Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Student, College of St. Elizabeth, commented on her positive experience as an EOF student; Ms. Bukky Orija, Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Student, College of St. Elizabeth, commented on her positive experience as an EOF student.

Next Meeting: Friday, February 27, 2009, at 10:00 a.m., at the Mary G. Roebling Building in Trenton, New Jersey.