Fighting the Cuts

By Mike Caputo

President Mordechai Rozanski provided a sigh of relief for the Rider community.
During the Town Hall meeting held in the Cavalla Room on Thursday, April 20, Rozanski assured the audience that Rider will not take desperate measures because of the recent state cuts to private education. Furthermore, the institution will take an active interest in fighting for a reversal of the cuts.

“As serious [as the cuts] may be, the institution will continue moving forward,” said Rozanski. “This is not a crisis for the institution.”

According to Rozanski, the state’s 14 private institutions were cut a total of $12 million, which is 50 percent off of the expected $24 million they were to receive. The total hit Rider anticipates is a $1.28 million cut.

Rozanski said that he, along with other Rider officials and members of student
government, have been actively contacting legislators to voice their displeasure toward the private education cuts. Furthermore, he announced a letter-writing campaign, in which he requested members of the Rider community to identify their legislators and send them their opinions. A model letter is available from the Rider Web site, but Rozanski urged people to make their own adaptations and send it personally.

“It would be best if it came from you directly from your home,” said Rozanski. “This is a serious effort that I think can make a difference.”

Rozanski assured the audience that layoffs would not occur. Instead, Rozanski introduced three parts of his contingency plans: focusing revenues through enrollment growth; attempting to recover contingency funds; and considering budget adjustments.

One of the first notable moves was the tuition increase announced last week. Rider’s tuition rates in the 2006-2007 academic year will rise 5.7 percent from the current academic year. According to Rozanski, peer institutions in New Jersey are implementing tuition increases ranging from 5 percent to 9 percent. He pointed out that public institutions, such as Mercer County Community College are considering double-digit increases.

Nationally, Rider is “in the lowest tier” among higher education tuition increases, said Rozanski. Although Rider’s tuition rise does not appear harmful stacked up against the nation, the increases are still a necessity for the University.

“We wish we didn’t have to do that, but clearly it’s something that reflects trying to be competitive and recognizing the realities we face,” said Rozanski.

Rider has attempted to counteract the tuition increase with a 6 percent increase in financial assistance for students. Along with tuition, room and board rates will rise 5 percent, which comes out to a 5.5 percent overall increase for resident students. This would actually translate into an improvement on this year’s 5.25 percent increase in resident costs.

Although the cuts will affect overall spending, Rozanski introduced improvements that will still be made over the summer. Lawrenceville improvements include the revamping of the Cranberry Café, renovation of signage and entrances and improvements in the residence halls. The Princeton campus will receive much-needed upgrades in the Thayer Lounge, dining commons and residence hall bathrooms.

As Rider continues to surge forward, Rozanski recognizes the challenge ahead for the institution to achieve its goals.

“We have an obligation to educate both the public and particularly our legislators about the disproportionate impact of these cuts on higher education,” said Rozanski.

“They are expensive and short-sighted and they undermine the quality and sensibility of our institutions. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem.”