The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education convened at the Carneys Point campus of Salem Community College, in Carneys Point, N.J., on March 28, 2003. Commission Chairman Laurence Downes presided.
Highlights from the meeting included:
- Comments from Host, President Peter Contini: Dr. Contini commented on the college and his work as co-chair of the Presidents' Council's Transfer and Articulation Committee and the newly formed P-20 Collaboration Committee.
- Chairman's Overview: Chairman Downes commented on the proposed budget, the planning process, and the importance of improving collaboration between the Commission and Presidents' Council.
- Executive Director's Report: Dr. Sulton reported on the life sciences super cluster initiative, enrollment increases, prepaid tuition plans, and the proposed college affordability index. He also announced the resignation of Dr. Angela Suchanic, the Commission's director of academic affairs, and expressed the Commission's gratitude for her efforts on behalf of higher education.
- Proposal-Level Approval to Readopt without Change the Community College Chargeback Regulations (N.J.A.C. 9A:4): The Commission voted to publish a proposal to readopt without change the regulations for community college chargeback, initiating a consultative review process.
- Long-Range Plan Implementation: Commissioner Ceil Feldman, co-chair of the Quality Team, discussed key issues the team has been addressing, such as the full-time/part-time faculty composition, student outcomes, and increasing quality with shrinking resources. Commissioner Henry Johnson and Brookdale Community College President Peter Burnham, co-chairs of the Capacity Team, discussed key issues, such as the need for a conscious state decision to increase capacity, the diverse population, multiple approaches to increase capacity, and the need to increase collaboration and overcome parochialism. Two additional points were raised: the ability of the current governance structure to address these issues and the need to continually review how well higher education uses the state resources provided.
- Presidents' Council Report: President Steven Rose, Passaic County Community College, updated Commissioners on the Presidents' Council's standing committees and its annual report. Progress and ongoing problems regarding articulation and transfer were also discussed.
- Old Business: Commissioner Nexus Sea noted the upcoming statewide student forum, to be held Friday, April 4, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
Public Speakers:
- Dr. John Pace, vice president, Association of NJ County College Faculties, commented on the budget outlook and long-range planning.
- Ms. Mariana Vergara, president, NJ Student College Coalition, updated the Commission on legislation to make undocumented aliens eligible for resident tuition rates.
Executive Session: The Commission members met in executive session to discuss personnel matters.
Next Commission Meeting:
Friday, April 25, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. at the Mary G. Roebling Building, in Trenton.
- Special Needs awards
- Bond project approvals
- Long-range plan discussion
- Resources Team
- Restructuring Review, Planning and Implementation Steering Committee
- NJ Transfer Report
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New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
