1 Welcome Communication Meeting February 3, 2011

2 –Next Steps for the Budget –SPIF Update Planning Update

3 Stamats Branding Research   On January 21 Stamats, a national leader in higher ed. communications/marketing and branding presented a four-hour workshop to the College’s Marketing Advisory Committee.   The Committee is comprised of individuals from across campus, from Marketing and Communications to the Deans, Faculty, Students, Administrators, Student Affairs to members of the Board of Governors with marketing backgrounds.

4 Stamats Branding Research   Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, and Prospective students were queried to help us understand how we are perceived internally and externally, and to help us understand how to best position the College on issues of student and faculty recruitment as well as fundraising.   The response was noteworthy and we were complimented by the Stamats consultant regarding the extensive response rate and the enthusiasm shown for the College by our stakeholders.

5 The Internal Assessment of Students, Alumni, Faculty and Staff:   Objectives were to identify image/perception among the group; determine what we think are our strengths and weaknesses; evaluate where Ramapo ranked among our students and determine what other schools they considered.   Student Perceptions :   The College must focus on improving our academic features and social life. Our students are happy here, but they believe TCNJ and Rutgers excel in academics in ways that Ramapo does not.   Our students are unhappy with the social life on campus and that unhappiness prevents some of them from recommending the College.

6 The Internal Assessment of Students, Alumni, Faculty and Staff:   Faculty Perceptions:   Faculty and staff believe the College is a good place to work and give Ramapo a good rating   But faculty attribute stronger academics to Rutgers, along with graduate success, study abroad, internship opportunities, and social life.   Alumni Perceptions:   Alumni are quite happy with the College, recommend it highly to others and feel the institution has improved although they, like faculty and staff, feel more needs to be done to promote the College.

7 The Internal Assessment of Students, Alumni, Faculty and Staff:   Conclusion:   All internal audiences perceive the College as a small school with a liberal arts emphasis, good teachers and beautiful facilities. They believe the College falls short on some key college choice factors, namely a strong academic challenge, internships, and graduate success in terms of job placement and graduate school acceptance.   For the most part, Ramapo alumni and employees value the “liberal arts” education more than current students. Faculty see the greatest value in it.

8 The External Assessment of Prospective Students   Participants were taken from a list of prospective students in Northern NJ who meet the College’s academic criteria.   Ramapo College must increase awareness and familiarity, 40% of the pool was not familiar with the College and its offerings. Approximately 27% consider Ramapo among potential options and only 4% cited the College as a top-choice institution.   Currently, Ramapo falls below student expectations in offering challenging programs/majors, graduate success, hands-on learning, and reputation. The College has the opportunity to differentiate itself from competitors by developing greater hands-on learning/internship opportunities.

9 The External Assessment of Prospective Students   Prospective students value challenging academics the most, but fail to appreciate the value of what a liberal arts education means to them. Less than 10% consider liberal arts as an important college choice attribute.   Communications should focus on how a liberal arts college enhances factors of greatest importance – teaching, graduate success, internships, challenging academics.   Prospective students rate the campus visit as the most important source of information about a College.

10 The External Assessment of Prospective Students   The Next Step:   Stamats will return to campus on Friday and lead the Committee in a brand promise workshop from which five brand promises will be developed and then surveyed among the same constituencies to help the College articulate our values.   From there, that information will be incorporated into new creatives for our publications and marketing materials and a new Integrated Marketing Communication Plan for the College.

11 Achievements  Graduation Rates  NACUBO Recognition ---  AACSB Accreditation  MS Educational Leadership  Project Management Certificate  Research and Recognition of Professor E. Karlin

12 Graduation Rates

13 N.J. University/CollegesRankFY 2010 Endowment Funds ($000) Percentage Change from 2009 Ramapo College of NJ810$9, % Monmouth University525$53, % Georgian Court University584$40, % Fairleigh Dickinson693$23, % College of New Jersey766$14, % College of St. Elizabeth733$18, % Princeton University3$14,391, % Rutgers105$603, % Seton Hall University275$162, % Princeton Theological80$811,1017.5% Rider University557$46,8026.3% Drew University249$183,3556.2% Stevens Institute of Tech.316$133,3973.9% Rowan330$122,0343.4% NACUBO/Commonfund Study of Endowments FY 6/30/10

14 Achievements (continued)  AACSB Accreditation  MS Educational Leadership  Project Management Certificate  Research and Recognition of Professor E. Karlin

15 New Jersey Higher Education Task Force Report The Higher Education Task Force was commissioned by Governor Christie in May 2010 The Higher Education Task Force was commissioned by Governor Christie in May 2010 “to assist in identifying challenges facing New Jersey’s institutions of higher education and to offer recommendations to the Governor to further the quality and success of these institutions and the overall system of higher education in the State…”

16 Task Force Overview Membership  The Honorable Thomas H. Kean, Chair  Robert E. Campbell, Vice Chairman (Retired), Johnson & Johnson  Dr. Margaret Howard, Vice President for Administration & University Relations, Drew University  John L. McGoldrick, Esq., Chair, Zimmer Holdings, Inc., Executive Vice President – Retired, Bristol-Myers Squibb  Dr. George A. Pruitt, President, Thomas Edison State College Process  Met with more than 150 people from May to November  Issued a 9-point questionnaire to college Presidents and Trustees Recommendations in 6 major categories:  Financing/Affordability  Governance  Mission  Rutgers University  UMDNJ and Medical Education  Workforce Development and Economic Development

17 Financing & Affordability Financing & Affordability “After twenty years of declining State funding and increased tuition, the fortunes of citizens of our state hang in the balance. Student access to an affordable college education and the economic prosperity of our state are at stake. New Jersey must decide to change course and provide greater support for higher education.” Ramapo College: State Support as a Percent of Revenues

18 Financing & Affordability Recommendations Financing & Affordability Recommendations Operating Support  Provide greater financial support for operating budgets  Develop and implement a more rational approach to allocating state aid  The state should fund salary increases that it negotiates for state employees Tuition  State should not impose tuition caps  Institutions should not increase tuition in one year increments that unreasonably large compared to previous year increases Student Aid  Maintain Tuition Aid Grant funding,  Increase funding to Educational Opportunity Fund  Transform NJ STARS to promote student choice and mobility  Improve application process for student assistance Capital Support  State should immediately issue general obligation bonds (the last bond issue was in 1988)  Institutions should receive annual capital support  Restore Higher Education Incentive Funding Program (to attract private philanthropy)

19 Governance “There is an important and fine equilibrium between highly desirable autonomy in the hands of strong boards of trustees, and adequate State oversight and protection of taxpayer investment. ” Strong autonomous institutions managing their own affairs is of paramount importance, but appropriate oversight and coordination are also essential.”

20 Governance Recommendations  Eliminate Commission on Higher Education  Identify Secretary of Higher Education and Governor’s Higher Education Council* (*Authorized in Executive Order #52 signed on January 4th)  Colleges should initiate the trustee nomination process  Pass tool kit bills to reform worker’s compensation, collective bargaining, and elimination of civil service  State should pay for any unfunded mandates  Eliminate policies that hinder competitiveness: Caps on state pension contributions Local approvals for construction projects

21Mission “There is great value in the differentiation of the missions of New Jersey’s higher education sectors. But how the institutions understand and articulate their missions is unclear.” “New Jersey stands out more positively in educating students. New Jersey’s nine state colleges and universities comprise one of the most productive set of state colleges and universities in the country.” “Relative to their resources, (NJ’s nine state colleges) are one of the three best-performing public baccalaureate and master’s sectors for six-year graduation rates of bachelor’s students; and given their resources, they are in the top four states in producing bachelor’s degrees relative to their student populations.”

22 Mission Recommendations  All institutions should undertake a review of their missions - Ramapo reviewed its mission in 2007 and again in 2010  Princeton University should enhance its role in researching and recommending solutions to NJ’s public policy and educational issues  The legislature should refrain from micromanaging institutions “Imposing a tuition cap on at the four year public colleges last year may have been a mistake.” - Governor Christie  The state should charge a fee for out of state institutions seeking licensure  More transparency and accountability of teacher education programs

23 Rutgers University “For a state to be great, it must have a great state university. New Jersey is rightfully proud of the history and accomplishments of Rutgers, its only comprehensive public research university.” “Rutgers is a well-respected university. However, for New Jersey’s students to receive the quality of higher education they deserve, and for all our citizens to have the economic future we want, Rutgers must become a great university.” “Rutgers is primarily a research university, and it needs to establish itself among the nation’s top ten public research institutions.”

24 Rutgers University Recommendations  Rutgers should eliminate redundancies in personnel, utilities, and programming  State should stabilize financial support to Rutgers  Rutgers should merge with University of Medicine and Dentistry and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and School of Public Health  Rutgers should increase the resources it provides to Rutgers- Newark and evaluate the resources it provides to Rutgers- Camden

25 UMDNJ & Medical Education in NJ “Throughout the work of this Task Force, however, the need to reform medical education in New Jersey, and the institutions that serve it, was a loud, recurring refrain. “ Many people, including representatives from the public research institutions, expressed frustration over years of discussion and the lack of resolution of this important public policy and educational issue.“ “New Jersey needs a clear vision of medical training and research for the 21st century. Educating physicians and other medical professionals, conducting cutting-edge research, and serving the healthcare needs of New Jersey’s residents need to be balanced.”

26 UMDNJ & Medical Education Recommendations  UMDNJ should be fundamentally transformed  Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and School of Public Health should merge with Rutgers  Advisory Committee* should be convened to implement these recommendations (*Authorized in Executive Order #51 on January 4 th )

27 Workforce & Economic Development “New Jersey’s institutions of higher education link the development of the state’s workforce and the future of the state’s economic prosperity. Job projections indicate New Jersey must increase the number of its college-educated workers. Two significant obstacles stand in the way: too many New Jersey high school graduates who are not prepared for college-level work, and the significant number of well-prepared high school graduates who leave New Jersey to attend college.”

28 Workforce & Economic Development Recommendations   State should develop a comprehensive longitudinal data system to track indicators of college readiness   Improve K-12 alignment with college readiness  conduct a study of Remediation   Increase capacity at state colleges and universities   Increase out of state enrollments   Remove roadblocks to public-private partnerships

29 Questions