樱花视频

The Commission on Higher Education and the 樱花视频 Presidents' Council today called for increased investment in 樱花视频 higher education to ensure the state's societal well-being, economic development, and future prosperity.

The FY 2003 Joint Budget Policy Statement, which the Commission adopted today during its monthly meeting in Trenton, recommends significant funding increases in three priority areas with vast potential to impact and shape the state's future. The first priority is to begin increasing capacity to meet higher education student needs and state workforce demands. The second is to assure access to high quality, timely educational opportunities for all segments of the population. And the third is to promote excellence in prekindergarten to graduate education as well as academic research and development.

Citing the growing demand for higher education, the changing demographics, and the desire for educational opportunity for underrepresented populations, the budget statement calls for a major increased investment in the senior public institutions. Full state support for negotiated salary increases and contractual increments is recommended along with a 3.5 percent increase in operating aid for the 12 institutions. The report indicates the increased funds would begin to move the state closer to the desired two-thirds share of operating costs, reduce the level of tuition increases needed, and begin to impact on affordability, adequate capacity, and overall quality of the institutions.

The budget statement also recommends a continuation of the $12 million annual increases in operating aid for the community colleges to minimize the need for tuition increases and help students complete their degrees expeditiously. An additional $3 million is sought for the independent colleges and universities, recognizing their important role in meeting state higher education needs.

The Commission and the Presidents' Council recommend additional funding to help disadvantaged students succeed in college. An increase of $2.7 million is sought to strengthen campus Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) student services, and $1.5 million is recommended to increase EOF student grants. A $2.1 million increase is proposed to expand precollege programs for middle- and high school students in the Abbott school districts. In addition, the Commission calls on the state to increase funding for Tuition Aid Grants (TAG) and establish a TAG program for part-time students.

Stressing the importance of teacher quality to improving student achievement, the budget statement recommends renewing the competitive Teacher Effectiveness Grants to further enhance successful college and university teacher preparation and professional development programs.

The Commission and the Presidents' Council also request renewed funding to increase university research capacity in biomedical and other high-tech areas, and an additional $15 million for a third round of High-Tech Workforce Excellence Grants, which build on successful programs to meet workforce needs of 樱花视频's high-tech industries.

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NOTE: The full text of the report is available on the Commission's website at www.state.nj.us/highereducation/budget03.htm.

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