South Jersey BIZ - Issue #8 (August 2021)

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SJBiz_EducationFeature_0821V2_FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 8 / 16 / 21 1 : 29 PM Page 2 Dr . Michael A . Cioce Antonio D . Tillis , Ph.D . Dr . Harvey Kesselman Donald Borden Ali A . Houshmand , Ph.D . PRESIDENT CHANCELLOR PRESIDENT PRESIDENT PRESIDENT ROWAN COLLEGE AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY – CAMDEN STOCKTON UNIVERSITY CAMDEN COUNTY COLLEGE ROWAN UNIVERSITY BURLINGTON COUNTY DR . MICHAEL A . CIOCE , PRESIDENT , ROWAN given for many families ; even if a student has good technology and wireless access A COLLEGE AT BURLINGTON COUNTY : at home , that student might not have a combination of fewer traditional - age students Q & A home environment conducive to learning . and finite resources places a clear need on The pandemic also exposed challenges to right - sizing Rowan College at Burlington What is the biggest challenge facing our collective mental health , with a County ( RCBC ) to ensure we can achieve your institution that is non - COVID mission - critical initiatives that help the greatest articularly profound impact upon students p related ? number of students meet their goals . In an at every level . At Rutgers – Camden , we are increasingly crowded landscape , it’s becoming strengthening our mental health supports ALI A . HOUSHMAND , PH.D . , PRESIDENT , more challenging to make sure people are for our students . aware of the high - quality educational ROWAN UNIVERSITY : One of the biggest opportunities at RCBC . challenges for Rowan University , as well as CIOCE : I truly believe that higher education for other institutions , is adapting to quickly will emerge from the pandemic stronger and DR . HARVEY KESSELMAN , PRESIDENT , shifting societal needs and implementing better equipped for future emergencies . With change within our organization . Rowan is little time to prepare , RCBC shifted to a STOCKTON UNIVERSITY : We live in a used to rapid and significant change , but it’s remote environment . That transition was rapidly changing world and higher education a constant challenge to make sure we’re handled quite smoothly , yet identified areas must be prepared to address the need for evolving as an institution , not only serving that we can improve on in the future . employees trained in areas relating to this generation , but two or three generations Government aid has allowed us to mitigate climate change , health care , business and into the future . impact on students and make necessary constantly advancing technology . Stockton investments for the future that will allow us has responded with new programs including ANTONIO D . TILLIS , PH.D . , CHANCELLOR , to switch more rapidly as hybrid learning our M.S . / P.S.M . in coastal zone management , and live online classes are now a permanent cannabis studies minor and a non - credit RUTGERS UNIVERSITY – CAMDEN : COVID part of our offerings . cannabis certificate series . permeates every aspect of our lives right I also think we have all gained a new now and likely will do so for some time to appreciation for face - to - face interaction . Those come . Rutgers University – Camden is focused What lasting impacts or changes will on - campus meetings that we sometimes on returning to in - person instruction and the pandemic have on your school ? complained about before COVID will seem work in a safe manner , and in helping our a students to acclimate to being on campus . lot different after one - and - a - half years of meeting over computer screens . W TILLIS : The pandemic showed all of higher e need to develop new ways to support education that we are nimble and capable our students ’ pathways to success , and we of leveraging technology are committed to the construction of a new HOUSHMAND : The pandemic impacted to serve our students . academic building that will support the growth the way we think about and invest resources . The teaching modules that we developed of our business school . Rowan University has earned a reputation in response to the pandemic can help of being entrepreneurial and forward Rutgers – Camden to expand its offerings to DONALD BORDEN , PRESIDENT , CAMDEN thinking . The pandemic , however , forced serve more students and to extend its reach us to fundamentally rethink every aspect globally . That does not eliminate the need COUNTY COLLEGE : As was the case even of our operations , particularly as it relates for college campuses . Universities are built — prior to COVID , our biggest challenge is to : academics ; pricing ; diversity , equity philosophically and physically — for collabor - getting more of our students to successfully and inclusion ; flexible workforce ; and ation , not isolation . Innovation is tied to completetheir degree or certificate programs . infrastructure needs . We now have a teamwork , and the free flow of ideas that As is the case with most institutions of higher plan , which we call University of the thrives in person . learning , we all have the potential of helping Future , that positions the university to The pandemic has exposed many more of our students successfully navigate better serve the state and region for vulnerabilities and inequities in our society . their educational journeys and safely land decades to come . The ability to access technology is not a them in a living wage job . SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 11 ISSUE 8 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 33

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SJBiz_EducationFeature_0821V2_FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 8 / 16 / 21 1 : 29 PM Page 3 of the compelling aspects of Rutgers The college launched several targeted University – Camden that attracted me to this financial incentives for different groups of LEADERS institution is its commitment to remaining students such as ones who are new , returning affordable and accessible . after a break or continuing from the spring We do that through our Bridging the semester . IN HIGHER EDUCATION Gap program , a tuition reduction — in some We are also planning a debt forgiveness cases , elimination — program [ launched in program , but our students have comparatively Roundtable 2016 ] that has been replicated nationally . … little debt because of RCBC’s affordable Rutgers – Camden works off of a family’s tuition and programs like 3 + 1 . adjusted gross income , because it’s just TILLIS : The student debt crisis is a national unreasonable to expect a family to sell their What steps are your school taking to crisis that impacts every American . Entire home or their business to fund a college confront declining enrollment and / or generations of college graduates are education . … Bridging the Gap is providing the student debt crisis ? restrained from fully contributing to our opportunity for a truly diverse range of economy due to their debt loads . students , with significant increases in the As a first - generation college student , I numbers of Black and Latinx students who CIOCE : RCBC is home to the first 3 + 1 understand completely the challenges are attending Rutgers – Camden . The program program in the eastern United States that confronting someone who is the first in their boasts a high rate of retention and degree has saved students more than $ 7.1 million family to enroll in college . There is no road completion , which helps to reverse New in tuition dollars since 2017 . In partnership map for these students . They make decisions Jersey’s brain drain and to keep our best with Rowan University , students can earn an without the benefit of family members who and brightest right here in South Jersey . associate and bachelor’s degree for less had been there and can offer guidance . I than what most universities charge for a know how steep a hill that is to climb . One single year of tuition . What are the most in - demand majors currently and have any new ones come to the fore in recent years ? BORDEN : We have a huge contingent of pre - nursing and allied health students and we continue to enroll many students in the areas of business , education and criminal justice as well . Our newest majors focus on areas of cybersecurity , data analytics and other jobs tied to the changes brought about through advancements in technology . HOUSHMAND:Rowan’s two medical schools continue to have record - high application rates , more than 10,000 applications for only 300 seats — combined . STEM - related undergraduate programs continue to draw a lot of interest , as well . 34 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | VOLUME 11 ISSUE 8 | SouthJerseyBiz.net

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