Highlights from the meeting included:

• Chairman's Overview: Chairman Downes gave an overview of the agenda. He stressed the importance of regular updates on the work of the long-range plan teams and the public university restructuring Review, Planning and Implementation Steering Committee. He also highlighted the Special Needs grant program and the Statewide Transfer Initiative as programs of which the state can be very proud.

• Deputy Executive Director's Report: Dr. Oswald reported on recent activities of Commission staff, including budget hearings, completion of long-range plan team reports, the GEAR UP/College Bound conference for parents, the biennial Tri-State Conference on educational opportunity programs, the annual student day honoring high-achieving EOF students, and P-20 collaboration discussions.

• Presidents' Council Report: President Stuart Cook (UMDNJ) updated Commissioners on the Council's April meeting.

• NJ Transfer: Peter Contini, co-chair of the Presidents' Council's Articulation and Transfer Coordinating Committee, and Nancy Hazelgrove, executive director of NJ Transfer, outlined various aspects of the articulation/transfer initiative, including benefits and goals, status of completion of course equivalencies, and budget issues. The desire to increase participation by senior institutions was also discussed.

• Special Needs Grant Program - FY 2004 Awards: Dr. Amy Dell, professor of special education and director of the Adaptive Technology Center at The College of New Jersey, described the work of one of the eight regional centers serving students with disabilities statewide. The Commission approved awards, pending FY 2004 state appropriations, to the eight centers.

• Higher Education Technology Infrastructure Fund: The Commission approved grants to Mercer County Community College and Union County College from the infrastructure fund's interinstitutional connectivity set-aside.

• Long-Range Plan Implementation: Frank Mertz and Commissioner Kevin Collins, co-chairs of the Resources Team, discussed key issues the team has been addressing, such as funding for full-time students who receive Tuition Aid Grants (TAG) and adding TAG funding for part-time students, the need for increased institutional operating aid and capital support, and the lack of a methodology underlying state support for senior public institutions. Also discussed was the importance of considering the level of resources needed for the New Jersey higher education system to be among the best in the world.

• Ruth Charbonneau, staff to the restructuring Review, Planning and Implementation Steering Committee, outlined the committee's history and structure, recent activities of the various subcommittees, the status of information gathering efforts, and the timeline for legislation to implement the restructuring.

• Old Business: Student Commissioners Matt Kleiman and Nexus Sea provided a summary overview of the statewide student forum, held Friday, April 4 at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

• Public Speakers:
  • Dr. John Pace, vice president, Association of NJ County College Faculties: racial diversity and affirmative action in college admissions.

  • Ms. Mariana Vergara, president, NJ Student College Coalition: Legislation to make undocumented aliens eligible for resident tuition rates.

• Next Commission Meeting:
  • Friday, May 16, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. at Georgian Court College, Lakewood
  • Institutional accountability reports - form and content
  • Bond project approvals
  • Licensure approvals - three out-of-state institutions
  • Education of Language Minority Students grant program awards
  • Long-range plan discussion
    • Steering Committee
    • Responsiveness/Collaboration Team
  • EOF student awards