State Sen. Donald Norcross said Tuesday he believes both Senate and Assembly versions of a bill proposing that Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden consolidate under a joint governing board will pass through the full legislature by June 30.

The Senate version — introduced by Norcross (D-Camden), Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) and Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Middlesex) last week — has been challenged by the Rutgers’ boards of governors and trustees, the Rowan University Board of Trustees and the Rowan Faculty Senate.

Last Wednesday, the Rutgers’ boards approved a list of terms members say must be met before they sign off on the restructuring plan — which includes a merger with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey — and have specifically said they would only allow the Camden campus to partner with Rowan if each school retains autonomy.

On Sunday, Rowan's faculty senate released a statement — to be debated by its members Friday — that strongly opposes the idea of a joint governing board they said would "diminish the autonomy and potential growth of both universities." And on Monday, the Rowan University Board of Trustees passed a resolution that recommends an amendment to the Senate bill — supporting the creation of a joint board with representation from Rowan and Rutgers-Camden to oversee joint programs developed by the two institutions, but opposing the bill's proposal that a joint governing board — with two members from each university and three governor-appointed members —would have the authority to approve or reject any decisions made by both boards of trustees. Following the BOT resolution, the faculty senate expressed support for the trustees' amendment.

Norcross said the bill would have some amendments, but the idea of joint governing board will remain intact.

“We will address concerns such as the fact that money can’t be reallocated through the joint board,” Norcross said at a meeting of the South Jersey Media editorial board. “For example, tuition paid to Rowan won’t be reallocated to Rutgers-Camden. The idea of trying to circumvent the board of trustees was never the intention.”

Norcross said, even with the joint governing board, Rowan’s board of trustees will retain the same “advice and consent” as it has now, and Rutgers-Camden will gain an autonomy it has never possessed.

“There has been concern about another level of bureaucracy with the joint board, but institutions of higher education are bureaucratic themselves,” said Norcross. “The joint board’s mission will be to create collaborative processes.”

Norcross said the priorities of both the Senate and Assembly bills are to keep Rutgers in Camden, but with an administrative autonomy separate from New Brunswick; to increase the collaborative process between Rowan and Rutgers-Camden and to give Rowan a research designation so that it will be eligible for federal and private funding.

“There are tens of millions of dollars flowing to research universities, and we’re missing that,” said Norcross, of the South Jersey region. “Rowan can be a research hub of excellence. The state of New Jersey is 47th out of 50 states in funding for higher education. That’s incredibly dismal.”

Norcross said, under the Senate and Assembly bills, Rowan — which already has its new Cooper Medical School of Rowan University opening this summer — would also absorb UMDNJ’s Stratford School of Osteopathic Medicine, allowing it to offer both MD and DO programs. The Assembly version has been introduced by Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Voorhees), deputy Speaker John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville), budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) and higher education Chairwoman Celeste Riley (D-Bridgeton).

Norcross said his bill will go to the Senate’s higher education committee Thursday.

Of the fast-approaching June 30 deadline, Norcross said “the higher education reorganization has started and failed twice.”

“Setting goals and deadlines is extremely important. The fact of the matter is that we need to change. If you look at the dollars for higher education, the southern part of the state gets less than 10 percent.”

This legislation, said Norcross, would finally allow for the growth of Rutgers-Camden, which currently sends half of every dollar it makes to the New Brunswick campus.

“Through this legislation, we’re giving administrative authority to Camden, while still maintaining the academic standards of the Rutgers Board of Governors,” he said. “While New Brunswick has expanded over the years, Camden has remained stagnant. As an example, with the higher education bond act, we asked Rutgers to come up with a ‘wish list,’ and they did — for $1.5 billion. Of that, only $184 million was allocated for Camden.”

Norcross said Rutgers’ collective bargaining procedures will remain in place.

He said he believes a collaborative process between Rowan and Rutgers-Camden is necessary to meet the higher education goals in South Jersey — expanding the number of seats, increasing program options and attracting research dollars and industry. He doesn’t believe keeping them completely separate would draw the same support and believes this proposal is the long-term solution that will be looked back on as a “pivotal point in higher education.”

Norcross said he think the legislation will pass, with some amendments.

“Collaboration is never easy,” he said. “But it’s better that this will take place through a legislative process that takes into account views from all stakeholders.”

Contact reporter Jessica Driscoll at jdriscoll@southjerseymedia.com.

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