The leaders of both governing boards of Rutgers University have agreed on a “set of principles” that opposes any loss of their authority over its Camden or Newark campuses but promises to grant all its branches an increased measure of autonomy.

The document, obtained by The Star-Ledger, rejects the efforts by Gov. Chris Christie and South Jersey political boss George Norcross to force a merger between Rutgers’ Camden campus and Rowan University, a former teacher training institution that, mostly through Norcross’s efforts, had aspirations of becoming what the two political figures call a “major public research university.”

Earlier this month, the university’s trustee board voted 32-4 to reject the Camden takeover by Rowan but that panel is less powerful than the 11-member Board of Governors, six of whose members are appointed by the governor. This joint statement by the executive committees of both boards solidifies opposition to the Norcross/Christie plan and will make a forced merger even more difficult.

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