(TRENTON)—Taking another step forward in his efforts to improve the State’s higher education system, Governor James E. McGreevey today signed an Executive Order that creates a steering committee to plan for the implementation of the public university restructuring detailed in the Report by the Commission on Health Science, Education and Training. The Governor accepted the Commission’s report and recommendations in October.

The Review, Planning and Implementation Steering Committee (Steering Committee) will be chaired by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos, the former Chairman and CEO of Merck, who led the effort of the Commission on Health Science, Education and Training (Commission).

“A world-class university system is the key to ensuring success in an information and innovation economy where there exists fewer manufacturing jobs and an increased need for advanced skills,” said McGreevey. “Simply put, if we are to help our children succeed, and if we are to ensure our economy thrives, we must strengthen our public research university system. The steering committee we have created today will work towards implementing and planning for our goal of excellence.”

“Restructuring of research universities in the State of New Jersey is critical in order to attain the across the board excellence that is desired by Governor McGreevey and all citizens of this State,” said Vagelos. “This new steering committee will put in place a group that will map out the steps required to accomplish the Governor’s vision for higher education.”

The Charge of the Steering Committee:

Specifically, the Steering Committee will create a comprehensive implementation plan for the restructuring of the Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). The Steering Committee will also facilitate the collection of information pertaining to the proposed restructuring from the three public research universities, and advise the Governor on specific implementation strategies.

Within 30 days of their first meeting, the Steering Committee is being asked to outline a proposed work plan for the preparation of an implementation plan. Acknowledging that the

restructuring will take several years, the Executive Order also requires the Steering Committee to develop an implementation plan that includes the actions required, timeline, specific milestones and responsibilities for each stage of the plan.

In order to meet the charges set forth by the E.O., the Steering Committee Chair is empowered to create an Executive Advisory Committee consisting of academic experts, community members and other stakeholders who are interested in the existing university structure. Organizations to be included in the Executive Advisory Committee include American Association of University Professors, New Jersey Hospital Association, New Jersey Nurses Association, New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, Council of State Colleges, Health Professionals and Allied Employees, New Jersey Medical Society, as well as local community organizations.

The E.O. also provides for the establishment of three university committees—one for each geographic region that will select and manage issue working groups, prepare academic and operational restructuring plans and communicate with key stakeholders.

The issue working groups will address specific issues—such as health, faculty, students, alumni, finance—that have system-wide implications in the restructuring proposal.

The E.O. requires that the Administrations of the three universities, as well as any State Government agencies or departments, provide the Steering Committee with information it deems necessary to carry out its charge.

Steering Committee Membership:

The Steering Committee will be chaired by Dr. Vagelos and will have up to 21 members including the two chairs of the Executive Advisory Committee. The Steering Committee members include:

· Dr. Robert A. Altenkirch, President, New Jersey Institute of Technology

David P. Beck, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Coriell Institute for Medical Research
Lucille Davy, Special Counsel to Governor James E. McGreevey

· Laurence M. Downes, Chair, Commission on Higher Education; Chairman & CEO, NJ Resources Corporation

Dr. Vera King Farris, President, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

· Leslie E. Goodman, Chair, Board of Trustees, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

· Harvey Holzberg, Chair, Board of Trustees, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

· James A. Kennedy, Chair, Board of Trustees, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Clifton R. Lacy, M.D., Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services

· Judy C. Lewent, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Merck & Co., Inc.

· Dr. Richard L. McCormick, President, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

· Gene O’Hara, Chair, Board of Governors, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Robert A. Saporito, D.D.S (Designate for Stuart Cook, M.D.), Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

· Charles Sessa Jr. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cooper Health Systems

· Harold Shapiro, Ph.D.President Emeritus and Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Princeton University

· Dr. A. Zachary Yamba President, Essex County College

About the Commission on Health Science, Education and Training:

The Governor created the Commission in March by Executive Order, charging it with designing a framework to improve the quality of medical education, to ensure educational excellence and to increase our institutions competitiveness—including any prospective institutional alliances and/ or relationships with existing universities. The Commission included nationally renowned experts and leaders in medical and higher education.

On October14, 2002, the Commission presented its report to the Governor recommending that Rutgers University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) be restructured into a single, research university system with three distinct and autonomous university campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/ Piscataway and Camden.

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 14 created the Commission on Health Science, Education and Training, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, to examine ways to enhance the overall quality of medical and health education in New Jersey, and to increase the State institutions’ national competitiveness; and

WHEREAS, the Commission examined a range of possible solutions, and steps that could be taken to create a comprehensive university system that promotes excellence in all schools and disciplines including medical and health education and attracts top students, distinguished faculty, and significant research funding from public and private sources; and

WHEREAS, on October 14, 2002, the Commission issued its Report recommending that the current institutional structure be re-aligned by restructuring Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (Rutgers), the University of Medicine and Dentistry (UMDNJ) and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) into a single, research university system with three distinct, university campuses in North, Central and South Jersey; and

WHEREAS, the Commission’s Report has been reviewed by and discussed with various leaders of the State’s higher education community and the administration and faculty of the public research institutions, and its recommendations and vision have merit; and

WHEREAS, the vision of academic excellence in New Jersey’s public research universities and its higher education system is worthy of implementation;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. McGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. There is hereby established a Review, Planning and Implementation Steering Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Steering Committee.

2. The Steering Committee shall consist of twenty-one (21) members appointed by the Governor. The Steering Committee will be supported by three University Committees, several Issues Working Groups, and Advisory Groups. The Steering Committee shall be chaired by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos. Members of the Steering Committee will include the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Chairs of the Boards of Trustees of Rutgers, UMDNJ and NJIT; the Chair of the Board of Governors of Rutgers; and the Presidents of Rutgers and NJIT, and the Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs of UMDNJ. The remaining members will be selected from among representatives of higher education, research foundations, business and industry, the Governor’s Education Cabinet, and the community.

3. The Steering Committee is authorized on behalf of the Governor to examine the rules, procedures and practices of the public research universities in order to recommend in what respect such rules, procedures and practices may be altered or improved with a view toward carrying out the purpose of this Order.

4. The charge of the Steering Committee shall be to:

(a) Review the impact of the Commission’s recommendations on the three institutions and to create a comprehensive plan for the restructuring;

(b) Facilitate the collection from the three public research universities of information pertaining to the restructuring;

(c) Examine, and advise the Governor through the Chair of the Steering Committee concerning the prioritization of the implementation of specific strategies to restructure the three public research universities;

(d) Within thirty (30) days of the first meeting of the Steering Committee, outline a proposed work plan for the preparation of an assessment and implementation plan;

(e) Recognizing that the actual restructuring will likely be a multi-year effort, deliver an assessment and implementation interim report to the Governor that includes, for the various stages of implementation, the actions required, a timeline for those actions, specific milestones and responsibilities.

5. The Chair of the Steering Committee is hereby empowered to organize its work and committee structure as he deems it necessary including but not limited to:

(a) Establishing an Executive Advisory Committee consisting of academic experts, community members, constituents and other stakeholders who will provide their unique perspectives to the Steering Committee and appointing its chair(s).

(b) Establishing sub-committees to address specific issues that have strategic and system-wide implications. Such sub-committees may be charged with developing proposals on topics including but not be limited to: academic affairs, health affairs, faculty, students, finance/accounting, operations, accreditation, human resources, physical plant, community relations, alumni affairs, information technology/communications. Each sub-committee shall be chaired by a designee of the Committee and may also include representatives from outside the public research universities with relevant expertise.

6. Upon the request of the Chair of the Steering Committee, acting directly or through his staff, the Administration of the three public research universities shall provide the Steering Committee with such information as the Steering Committee may need for the purpose of carrying out its charge.

7. The Steering Committee is authorized to call upon any department, office, agency, authority, instrumentality or institution of State Government to provide such information, resources, or other assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities under this Order. Each department, office, division, agency, authority, instrumentality and institution of this State is hereby required to cooperate with the Steering Committee and its staff and to furnish it with such information, personnel and assistance as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order.

8. Members of the Steering Committee shall serve without compensation, except that they may receive per diem and travel expenses.

9. This Order shall take effect immediately.