Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Higher Education Policy at TCNJ

On September 19, The College of New Jersey hosted students, college presidents, and trustees from institutions across the state, along with New Jersey gubernatorial candidates Doug Forrester and Senator Jon Corzine, at a Gubernatorial Candidates’ Forum on Higher Education.

The forum was sponsored by the New Jersey Presidents’ Council in an effort to help New Jersey voters become familiar with each gubernatorial candidate’s views on higher education, and bring into political discourse the issues related to higher education in New Jersey. The charge of the Presidents’ Council, a 50-member board representing the state’s public, private, and community colleges and universities, is to make recommendations on new programs, regional alliances, budget and student aid levels, licensure, and the statewide higher education master plan.

On stage in the Music Building Concert Hall, Kent Manahan, senior anchor for NJN News, facilitated an individual question-and-answer session with each gubernatorial candidate. Questions for each candidate were supplied by the members of the audience prior to the start of the event.

Though appearing on stage separately, Corzine and Forrester began with presentations that highlighted their visions for New Jersey higher education, its priority in their prospective administrations, and how they each envisioned building a strong partnership with higher education to assist in improving New Jersey’s economic future.

Thanks to the audience-supplied questions, discussion topics ranged from tuition stability and affordability, to the appointment of board members, to the collaboration between K—12 and higher education in the state. The candidates were also questioned regarding their plans on how to keep New Jersey’s brightest students in-state for college, and how they would each attempt to unify New Jersey as one state, rather than northern and southern regions.

Both candidates stressed the need to increase space and facilities for higher education in the state, with Corzine specifically referencing a recent visit to the College’s new library as an example of the importance of investing in upgrading and building facilities.

“The quality of how people feel about their education is determined by their facilities,” Corzine said.

Forrester leaned toward long-range planning in which the state would take the lead in getting industries and businesses on board to invest in their future by providing students the chance to go to school, thus developing the expert knowledge that will someday supply the workforce of those New Jersey industries and businesses.

More of Forrester’s comments revolved around his property tax relief plan, stating that such relief will allow more families to make a home in the state and thus afford to send their children to school in the state.

Corzine discussed his commitment to a substantial expansion of programs such as the Tuition Aid Grant program, the Education Opportunity Fund, and the NJ Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJSTARS) program for county colleges.

Both candidates firmly stated that investing in education plays an integral role in growing the economy and supporting business and industry in the state. The candidates also affirmed that a commitment to higher education will be among the top priorities in their respective administrations.