Five-person committee will consider multiple changes to graduate medical education across the state
Gov. Chris Christie named a five-person committee today to recommend whether to merge parts of Rutgers University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New JerseyTRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie named a five-person committee today to recommend whether to merge parts of Rutgers University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
The committee, chaired by Celgene executive chairman Sol Barer, will consider multiple changes to graduate medical education across the state, Christie said. Earlier this year, another task force chaired by former Gov. Tom Kean proposed giving one of UMDNJ's medical schools to Rutgers.
The task force will discuss that recommendation and several other proposals — including whether New Jersey Institute of Technology should start its own medical school.
The other members of the task force are: Robert Campbell, former vice chairman of Johnson & Johnson; Joyce Wilson Harley, Essex County Administrator; Anthony Perno, president and CEO of Cooper’s Ferry Development Association, and Harold T. Shapiro former president of Princeton University. All will serve for free.
The committee's final report is due Sept. 1.
Christie also named a separate Higher Education Council to advise him on all higher education matters. The five-member council will be chaired by John McGoldrick, the chairman of Zimmer Holdings who served on the previous higher education task force with Kean.
The other members are: Anne Evans Estabrook, chief executive of Elberon Development; Patricia Nachtigal, former vice chairwoman of the Rutgers Board of Governors; John Wefing, law professor at Seton Hall University; and Richard Wellbrock, former chairman of Raritan Valley Community College Board of Trustees and chairman of Hilltop Community Bank of Summit.
Each member will serve for five years, the governor said. They will not be paid.
"Thanks to the work of Governor Tom Kean, we have a blueprint for continuing to ensure the strength, quality and effectiveness of higher education in New Jersey," Christie said. "Now, through the Higher Education Council and UMDNJ Advisory Committee, these two important bodies will provide my administration with recommendations, ongoing guidance for the long-term needs of higher education and the unique challenges facing graduate medical education.”
Previous coverage:
• UMDNJ officials torn over possible dismantling, merger with Rutgers
• In task force report, UMDNJ faces third call to merge with Rutgers University in a decade
• N.J. higher education task force proposes plan to merge Rutgers University, UMDNJ
• Gov. Christie to unveil task force report on higher education, restructuring of UMDNJ, Rutgers, NJIT
• Tight budgets, increased enrollment cause tuition hikes at N.J. county colleges
• Former Gov. Tom Kean will head commission to study merge of UMDNJ with Rutgers, NJIT
• Rutgers, NJIT discuss possible dismantling of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey