TRENTON – The Senate passed the higher education reorganization bill today by a vote of 29-10. The Assembly had passed it earlier.
The bill, S2063/A3102, is the massive reorganization of higher-education institutions in New Jersey.
Under the plan, the University of Medicine and Dentistry largely is absorbed by Rutgers University, while Rowan University in Glassboro acquires the School of Osteopathic Medicine.
University Hospital in Newark will be separate from the university and become principal teaching hospital of the N.J. Medical School.
In addition, Rutgers-Camden gains a measure of autonomy from Rutgers University, but will not be wholly combined with Rowan as the original proposal put forth. There will be a joint board of directors with limited scope.
The plan, whose true costs even its backers acknowledge remain unknown, would give a boost to Southern New Jersey, creating the opportunity for Rowan to develop into a first-class research institution through its new Cooper medical school.
In addition, Northern New Jersey would see Rutgers’ ranking in the research field take a huge step forward as well.
But the plan has undergone numerous amendments and hearings, and relies on an extensive network of bureaucracy for quality control, including boards of governors, chancellors and advisory boards.
In addition, there remain concerns about how Rutgers will handle the huge amount of extra debt it will take on.
Nevertheless, this is a pet project of the governor who has insisted that the legislation be completed by July 1. The actual reorganization, however, won’t take effect until next year.
There were words of support and criticism for the complex proposal.
Democratic Sen. Barbara Buono asked why are the senators rushing this bill if it will not go into effect for another year. She emphasized the unknown costs of the reorganization, and of the effects on tuition.
Republican Sen. Christopher Bateman echoed Sen. Ray Lesniak’s comments that the bill is a game changer. He said an artificial date of July 1 to rush this through is wrong, in reference to the governor’s call to have this done by July 1.
Republican Sen. Thomas Kean Jr. said this is a good product and looks to where the state needs to be in the future, with an eye toward establishing the state as a leader in health science higher-education research efforts.
Democratic Sen. Ronald Rice said the University Hospital of Newark will stand alone, with the governor appointing four directors. The bill removes the Senate’s consent right, he said, and wanted to amend it so the governor would appoint and the Senate would consent as is normally done.
He said there is an “integrity’’ problem in Essex County and he wanted to make sure transparency is in place. He said Essex County’s political problems continue to hurt that area, and he said his amendments would constitute a simple change to make sure integrity is in place.
Democratic Sen. Richard Codey seconded Rice’s amendments and said he does not understand why the Senate would surrender its right to advice and consent. “There’s something wrong here,’’ he said.
Sponsor Sen. Donald Norcross moved to table the motion for amendments and it succeeded 23-7.
