New Jersey Holds Off On University Merger

A plan to merge New Jersey's three public research universities into a statewide university system has been put on hold indefinitely because of financial and other concerns, Gov. McGreevey said yesterday. The merger plan recommended combining Rutgers, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey into a single statewide university system with campuses in Newark, New Brunswick and Camden.

This would have been a bold step if it had been adopted. Financial considerations--that is the cost of higher education is a valid driver here, but consideration should also be given to the creating a critical mass of high quality knowledge resources.

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