N.J. Governor Wants to Merge Thomas Edison Into Rutgers

[rmroberts]

Below is a copy of the e-mail I received about it.

Hi Linda,

I checked on the college's second degree policy and you would be able to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in History, because it is a different subject area than your first Bachelors degree. As of right now our second degree policy states that students are required to do at least 30 additional (new) credits to go for a second bachelors degree. If you wait until after July 1, that policy is changing and you will only have to do at least 24 new credits. I did an unofficial evaluation for a BA in History for you and based on what you have already taken you will need 30 credits in history regardless because right now you only have 3 completed.

You also asked me yesterday how the BA in History is changing after July 1. After July 1 students will be required to complete at least 18 credits of 300 or 400 level courses in their major.

If you have any other questions let us know.

Thanks,


Donald S. Cucuzzella MA
Program Advisor
Office of Learner Services
dcucuzzella@tesc.edu

I want to test out of the whole thing so I will do the 30 200 and up credits

That's great! Thanks!

From what I understand, you can add this on after you have already graduated w/ first degree, right?
I plan to graduate in December and the start graduate school early next year. So I don't want to delay graduate school to add this on, but if I can do it between October and January and maybe even finish it up while in graduate school, that would be great.

[doghouse42]

This may be old news already, but this is the email I got from tesc today:


As you may have heard, a proposal was made to merge Thomas Edison State College into Rutgers University. We vigorously opposed this idea because we believe that the unique mission of this institution to serve self-directed adults would not have survived.

I am pleased to inform you that after thoughtful consideration and reflection by the Governor and the Legislature, a consensus has been reached that the merger proposal will not go forward.

I am grateful that the Governor, the legislative leadership in both houses, and of both parties, concurred in our view that the public interest was best served by maintaining the autonomy and special mission of both Rutgers and Thomas Edison State College.

I would like to thank all of our students who contacted New Jersey officials and shared their story of how the College helped them achieve their goals. Your support played a critical role in this process by reminding everyone of the unique mission of the College and the vital opportunities it creates for adults, like you.

Now, with the merger proposal behind us, it is time to continue moving forward.

The time for uncertainty is over. You no longer have to worry about how the proposed merger might affect your status. As we enter a new academic and fiscal year, we are continuing our work to expand degree programs and provide flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults.

Our advisors and mentors are ready to help you take your next steps toward completing your degree.


Sincerely,


George A. Pruitt
President

[bricabrac]

Office of the Governor
Office of Constituent Relations
Post Office Box 001
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0001

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE ELECTRONIC RESPONSE

July 1, 2010

XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX

Dear XXXXX:

I am writing to follow up on your correspondence expressing opposition to the proposed merger between Thomas Edison State College and Rutgers University.

Given these tough economic times, my Administration had some very tough decisions to make in this year's Budget. However, because higher education is so important to you, me and so many others in New Jersey, my Administration worked with the Legislature to make the best decisions for the Budget. That is why I am pleased to inform you that the proposed merger of Thomas Edison and Rutgers was not included in the Budget that I signed on June 29th. Thomas Edison State College will remain independent.

Despite our difficult fiscal environment, I am always looking for ways to improve our State's system of higher education. That's why I signed an Executive Order creating a Higher Education Task Force, chaired by former Governor Tom Kean, whose purpose is to conduct a complete and holistic review of the higher education system in New Jersey. The recommendations of the Task Force will look to promote efficiencies in the governing structures of institutions, create public-private partnerships to better utilize resources, seek capital investments and seek to redress affordability and tuition concerns. I am hopeful that when the Task Force's work is completed, I will be able to work with the Legislature to strengthen New Jersey's higher education system. I am hopeful these reforms will allow institutions, including Thomas Edison, to provide an even better educational experience than exists now.

Best wishes and have a great summer.

Sincerely,

Chris Christie
Governor

[sanantone]

Dang! Y'all ruined it. 

Students and alumni also launched Facebook groups and letter-writing campaigns to save their school. It appears their argument worked. The budget compromise reached between Christie and state legislators earlier this week drops the merger idea and restores part of Thomas Edison’s state funding.

https://www.nj.com/news/2010/06/plans_fo...ediso.html

Here's an interesting tidbit. The average TESU (formerly TESC) student is 40 years old. 

https://www.nj.com/news/2010/03/nj_gov_c...get_p.html

[cookderosa]

I'm so confused lol. Wow was this really almost 9 years ago? Seems like yesterday!

[sanantone]

I'm so confused lol.  Wow was this really almost 9 years ago?  Seems like yesterday!

The topic came up in a recent thread, so I dug up this one. I could have sworn this was talked about in 2012 or 2013, but the merger was being discussed as I just discovered TESC in 2010. It 's kind of funny to see old members freaking out whereas new members would love the idea of having a Rutgers degree. I guess it's different now since TESU no longer gives UL credit for community college courses.

[Merlin]

I'm so confused lol.  Wow was this really almost 9 years ago?  Seems like yesterday!

The topic came up in a recent thread, so I dug up this one. I could have sworn this was talked about in 2012 or 2013, but the merger was being discussed as I just discovered TESC in 2010. It 's kind of funny to see old members freaking out whereas new members would love the idea of having a Rutgers degree. I guess it's different now since TESU no longer gives UL credit for community college courses.

Back then I was more interested in COSC but I remember the discussions around that proposed merger. Personally, I'd rather have the Rutgers name on my degree instead of TESC (now TESU), but I assume that merger would have also resulted in changes to the way TESU operates. Had it gone through I wonder if the school would have continued to be as alt. education friendly as it has been over the last decade.

[jsd]

I demand my Rutgers diploma!

[sanantone]

I'm so confused lol.  Wow was this really almost 9 years ago?  Seems like yesterday!

The topic came up in a recent thread, so I dug up this one. I could have sworn this was talked about in 2012 or 2013, but the merger was being discussed as I just discovered TESC in 2010. It 's kind of funny to see old members freaking out whereas new members would love the idea of having a Rutgers degree. I guess it's different now since TESU no longer gives UL credit for community college courses.

Back then I was more interested in COSC but I remember the discussions around that proposed merger. Personally, I'd rather have the Rutgers name on my degree instead of TESC (now TESU), but I assume that merger would have also resulted in changes to the way TESU operates. Had it gone through I wonder if the school would have continued to be as alt. education friendly as it has been over the last decade.

My fear was that Rutgers wouldn't like the idea of letting students transfer in 100% of their credits and use alternative sources of credit for everything. However, I suspect that TESU has been increasing its requirements due to constant threats of decreased funding. TESU is a money loser. Connecticut doesn't care about COSC because they only have about 2,300 students, but TESU usually has between 15,000 and 18,000 students. When they're transferring in about 75% of their courses (this is just an educated guess of how much people often transfer), TESU is not making a lot of money off of them.

---

I demand my Rutgers diploma!

I joined about a year after this thread was made, and I am shocked that their letter writing campaign deprived me of a Rutgers degree.

[posabsolute]

There is also a possibility that joining Rutgers would have changed the big3 to big2, and in that sense, I'm grateful to those that wanted to keep the integrity of what TESU is.