WHEREAS, the
institutions of higher education are one of the most valuable and
underutilized resources in the State; and
WHEREAS, the
elimination of State oversight and its accompanying bureaucracy
will serve to unleash the creativity and innovation of these institutions;
and
WHEREAS, the
Governor has proposed the elimination of the Department of Higher
Education as of July 1, 1994 and the shifting of its core functions
to other areas of State government and to the institutions themselves;
and
WHEREAS, implementation
of the proposal must provide that student aid programs be not only
preserved but also strengthened and that the State continue to foster
and encourage programs to promote diversity and accessibility; and
WHEREAS, higher
education must continue to be affordable for students; and
WHEREAS, any
legislation or executive order to accomplish these objectives should
be proposed with the active participation of the entire higher education
community;
NOW, THEREFORE,
I, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey,
by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
1. The Advisory
Panel on Higher Education Restructuring is hereby established
as set forth in this Order. The Advisory Panel shall consist of
fifteen (15) members as follows:
a. Thirteen
(13) members, including the chair and vice chair, appointed
by the Governor, at least four of whom shall be presidents of
higher education institutions in the State, and two of whom
shall be members of the State Board of Higher Education;
b. One
(1) member appointed by the President of the Senate;
c. One
(1) member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly.
2. The Advisory
Panel shall assist the Governor in proposing legislation to implement
the restructuring of the system of higher education based upon
the objectives set forth below.
3. The proposed
legislation should address the following objectives:
a. Institutions
of higher education must be given maximum autonomy with a minimum
of bureaucratic controls in order to meet the specific needs
of their students.
b. Higher
education must be affordable and accessible.
c. Political
influences must not intrude into the decision-making process.
d. The
system must avoid administrative overlap and duplication.
4. The proposed
legislation should provide for the elimination of the Department
of Higher Education with the core functions of the department
being shifted to the appropriate entities, including but not limited
to:
a. A coordinating
council consisting of the presidents of each public or private
institution of higher education, which council would be responsible
for the coordination of programs among the various institutions;
and
b. A commission
for higher education, which commission would be responsible
for long range planning for higher education.
5. The Advisory
Panel shall present its recommendations on or before May 2, 1994.
6. The Advisory
Panel is authorized to call upon any department, offices or agency
of State government to provide such information, resources or
other assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities
under this Order. Each department, officer, division and agency
of this State is hereby required to cooperate with the Advisory
Panel and to furnish it with such information, personnel and assistance
as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order.
7. This
Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN,
under my hand and seal
this 30th day of March in the Year
of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine
Hundred and Ninety Four, and of the
Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Eighteenth.
Christine
Todd Whitman
GOVERNOR
Attest:
Peter Verniero
Chief Counsel to the Governor
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