One-Minute Summary March 28, 2008 Commission Meeting

The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education convened at the Mary G. Roebling Building in Trenton on March 28, 2008. Chairman Laurence Downes presided. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Chairman’s Report: Mr. Downes commented on his testimony before the Assembly Higher Education Committee on the SCI Report, the ad-hoc committee creating a survey for input from presidents on what is being done at colleges regarding the SCI recommendations, and asking Commissioner Landgraf to chair a task force to review Senator Lesniak’s legislation.

• Executive Director’s Report: Ms. Oates commented on an ethics review/audit that the Commission completed, an official data audit being performed next week by the State Auditor’s Office, the schedule of our budget hearings, four new Innovative Partnership Institutes, the April 4 statewide student volunteerism conference at Rutgers University Cook Campus, transfer of credit committee, and being asked to testify on any difficulties with the Civil Union law at the colleges.

• Presidents’ Council Report: Dr. Yaw stated that their Budget Committee met and reviewed the proposed fiscal 2009 budget, that they are working on a response to ask for as much restoration as feasible, and their concern for NJ Transfer’s future. He commented on one outstanding issue in the transfer agreement regarding how the Council cannot make the final decision in the appeals process, the Mental Health Training Program, Homeland Security finishing the review of Best Practices, and their June 2 retreat at ETS and inviting the Commission to join them.

• Update on Status of Gibbs College: Career Education Corporation (CEC), the Illinois company that owns Gibbs College in Livingston, announced in February that it would be closing the college and providing “teach-out” for enrolled students. Executive President William C. Ehrhardt of Gibbs College provided an update on the status of the institution.

• Overview of Proposed Fiscal 2009 Budget: Ms. Oates provided information on the Governor’s proposed fiscal 2009 budget concerning Higher Education.

• Faculty Development Fund: Dr. Rudolph Bell, Professor of History, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, discussed an innovative new contract provision between the Rutgers University administration and Rutgers faculty union - the AAUP-AFT.

• Update on Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Activities: Dr. Glenn Lang, EOF Executive Director, provided a brief update about EOF, Martin Luther King Physician-Dentistry Scholarship, and the C. Clyde Ferguson Law Scholarship activities including student outcomes for the past several years.

• DeVry University Branch Campus: The Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing DeVry University, North Brunswick, to operate a branch campus in Paramus, contingent upon Commission staff site review of the proposed facility.

• Kean University – Ed.D. in Urban Leadership: The Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing Kean University to exceed its programmatic mission and offer the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Urban Leadership.

• Readoption of Higher Education Technology Infrastructure Rules: The Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution readopting the current regulations for the Technology Infrastructure Fund without change.

• HESAA Update: Commissioner Collins reported that the HESAA Board is in the process of changing their meeting schedule for the coming year.

• Comments from the Public:
  • Dr. John Pace, President, Association of NJ County College Faculty, commented on the transfer legislation and courses available for transfer;
  • Mr. Michael Peters and Ms. Sana Fathima, Student Government Association, The College of New Jersey, commented on the proposed budget, tuition, and out-migration;
  • Mr. James Kline, Student Government Association, Rutgers University, commented on the proposed budget and the student volunteerism conference; and
  • Dr. Jon Erickson, Vice President, Council of NJ State College Locals AFT, commented on the proposed budget.

Next Meeting: April 25, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. Tentative agenda items include:

• Somerset Christian College – exceeding mission petition
• Kean University – branch campus at Ocean County College
• Montclair State University – exceeding mission petition
• College Spotlight – William Paterson University
• Appointment of a nominating committee
• Nova Southeastern licensure

In conjunction with the regular Commission on Higher Education meeting, there will also be a joint meeting of the Commission and Board of Education on high school redesign.