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The New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (ASCU) is leading an effort on behalf of its members —the nine state colleges and universities of New Jersey— to create a viable long-term plan to help New Jerseyans afford college, to assist these public colleges and universities in becoming the most effective, productive institutions of their kind in the nation. The effort called the “New Jersey College Promise,” will bring to New Jersey some of the nation’s best thinkers about college governance, finance, opportunity, and public accountability. It will include public opinion polling; making public more data about member institutions; comparative information pertaining to peer colleges in other states; and construction of a solution to the affordability challenge geared to our citizens’ values and needs. As part of the project, ASCU will seek ways to open up direct dialogues with the public about higher education issues characterized by a spirit of openness, willingness to listen, and responsibility to be accountable. The Association believes that public colleges and universities must take the lead in responding to citizens’ strong desire for college access at an affordable price and public expectations for greater accountability, during a time of closer scrutiny of some higher education policy and practices. ASCU believes, more than ever, that public colleges need to continue to be resourceful, resilient and innovative in cutting costs, and raising private funds to supplement college opportunity, quality and services not funded by the state. The Association’s position is that while the colleges need to be accountable, there should be greater, not less, autonomy to achieve these goals, and to protect trustee governing boards from political intrusion. Presidents and trustee boards are ready to step forward on this agenda, one critical to the future hope and prosperity of New Jerseyans. ASCU Executive Director, Darryl Greer, says both college and state policy must change. For example, while colleges must find new rigor to cut costs while preserving quality, Trenton’s previous policy of capping tuition gave false hope. “It pushed the problem along to the next year to give the illusion that we are preserving affordability. In addition, this approach to holding down tuition is criticized by bond rating firms as antithetical to responsible management of public higher education debt.” ASCU will make recommendations on the ways the institutions can become more efficient and effective to reduce the tuition burden. It anticipates presenting, each year, a set of specific policy steps the state can take to make college more affordable, including allowing colleges and universities greater administrative flexibility. |
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NJ Association of State Colleges & Universities 150 West State Street Trenton, New Jersey 08608 |
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NJ College Promise |
