One-Minute Summary December 18, 2009 Commission Meeting

The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education convened at the Mary G. Roebling Building in Trenton on December 18, 2009. Chairman Edward Graham presided. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Chairman’s Report: Mr. Graham reported on making the importance of higher education a priority known as we move toward the transition.

• Acting Executive Director’s Report: Acting Executive Director Beardsley reported on tentatively presenting the annual transfer report at our February meeting, the renewal of the CACG grants for a second round, and assisting Treasury in ARRA reporting.

• Presidents’ Council Report: President Jeffries reported on some issues related to matters of governance and financial resources at the Middle States Association, the passing of their budget policy statement, Campus Safety and Security Committee peer reviews and training, their looking into a planning grant with the national Campus Compact, and the appointment of a group to evaluate VALE’s structure and its relationship with the Council.

• Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Report: Dr. Glenn Lang provided an overview and an update on EOF’s progress in meeting goals and objectives outlined in A Blueprint for Excellence, New Jersey’s Long-Range Plan for Higher Education.

• Presentation and Adoption of Fiscal 2011 Budget Policy Statement: The Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution approving the Fiscal 2011 Budget Policy Statement to be transmitted to the Governor, the Treasurer, and the Legislature.

• Exceeding Mission Information Request: Marguerite Beardsley presented an overview of the petitions to exceed programmatic mission that have been approved since the Commission's founding, and an update on petitions to exceed programmatic mission in progress.

• “Troops to College Program” Web site: Thanks to a joint effort by the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, a new, user-friendly website is available to help veterans plan their college careers or complete the degrees that their military service interrupted. Ms. Audrey Bennerson presented an overview of the website.

• Bloomfield College Exceeding Mission: The Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing Bloomfield College to exceed its programmatic mission and offer the Master of Science in Accounting Degree.

• Wilmington University Petition for Relicensure to Offer Degree Completion Programs, Initial Licensure to Offer the B.S.N. in Nursing at Burlington County College, Initial Licensure to Offer a Degree Completion Program at Cumberland County College in Psychology, and Initial Licensure to Offer Three Master Degree Programs in Southern New Jersey: The Commissioners adopted a resolution relicensing Wilmington University to offer degree completion programs and courses at Burlington County Community College, Cumberland County College, and Salem Community College; initial licensure to offer the B.S.N. in Nursing at Burlington County College; initial licensure to offer a degree completion program at Cumberland County College in Psychology; initial licensure to offer the M.Ed. in Elementary Special Education Degree at Cumberland County College; initial licensure to offer an M.Ed. in School Leadership Degree at Burlington County College; and initial licensure to offer an M.S.N. in Nursing at both Burlington and Cumberland County Colleges.

• EFA and HESAA Updates: Mr. Landgraf commented on the public institutions debt, and Ms. Torres commented on HESAA’s budget recommendations, and the numbers of aid and NJCLASS applications.

• Public Comment: Mr. Randolph Portugal, Alliance of Educational Opportunity Fund Students of New Jersey, The College of New Jersey, praised the EOF program and owing his successes to that program. Dr. Jon Erickson, Vice President, Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT, commented on the process of approving programs and monitoring after a program has been approved, and no opportunity available for the public to testify on agenda items before they are approved.

Next Meeting: The next meeting will be held on Friday, February 26, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., at the Mary G. Roebling Building in Trenton, New Jersey. There is no meeting in January.