One-Minute Summary February 27, 2009 Commission Meeting

The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education convened at the Mary G. Roebling Building in Trenton on February 27, 2009. Chairman Laurence Downes presided. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Chairman’s Report: Mr. Downes commented on the discussion at the Executive Committee meeting of the proposed budget, Senator Lesniak’s bill, and future priorities of the Commission.

• Executive Director’s Report: Executive Director Oates commented on the Lesniak bill now with the Budget Committee, the proposed budget, the Federal Stimulus package, and the College Access Challenge Grant’s dual enrollment, working with college ready adults, and FAFSA RFPs. She also commented on the meeting with the colleges on the disengaged student, Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt’s meeting on green education, and her meeting with the legislative staff on graduation rates.

• Presidents’ Council Report: Sister Jeffries reported on Assemblywoman Lampitt’s green meeting and initiatives on college campuses and how NJ HEPS will be assisting them, the continuation of the development of a Peer Review Process for Campus Safety and Security, the Transfer Committee’s presentation of models for oversight and funding the NJ Transfer operation in future years, proposal for a common data gathering project, and being proactive in the proposed state budget conversations.

• Final Approval to Readopt Without Change the Commission’s Regulations for Community College Chargeback: The Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution recommending readoption of the current regulations without change as proposed. Staff recommends that the Council of County Colleges and the Department of the Treasury work in a timely manner to resolve the issues of the definition of “resident FTE” and to conclude whether or not non-credit enrollments should be considered in the chargeback calculation.

• EFA, EOF, and HESAA Updates: Commissioner Landgraf reminded the public and Commissioners that the purpose of the EFA is to help public and private colleges and universities in NJ finance the construction, improvement, acquisition, and refinancing of various capital projects, not to review the projects with respect to either the institution's or the state's master plans. EOF Executive Director Glenn Lang commented on the resignation of his Board’s chair and the hosting of the Tri-State Conference in New Jersey. Ms. Maria Torres, Chair, HESAA, commented on the Board’s endorsing HESAA’s payment of the .5% origination fee charged on Federal Stafford loans for the neediest students, the success of College Goal Sunday, and the significant growth of their programs.

• Comments from the Public: Ms. Yasmin Chatt, Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Student, Rutgers University – Newark, thanked EOF for her positive experience; Mr. David Stout, Vice President, Association of NJ County College Faculty, commented on his disappointment concerning cuts to the NJ STARS program and the benefits of the program.

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