By Amy Rowe / Staff Writer
Members of the University community argued against the proposed Rutgers-Camden merger with Rowan University last night at a special Board of Trustees meeting in the multipurpose room of the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Advisory Committee, chaired by Sol Barer, recommended in January that Rutgers-Camden should join Rowan University to create a public research university in South Jersey in the best interest of students and New Jersey’s economy.
“There’s not much of a critical mass in [South Jersey],” he said. “We went through a number of discussions. We arrived at these conclusions after looking at many alternatives. Many of the benefits that are going to arise out of this are going to take a bit of time.”
But Martha Cotter, the board faculty representative, said going through with the merger would end up hurting the new research university in South Jersey.
“Nobody in Camden really wants this. All of the strong programs, [however] small, will be denigrated,” said Cotter, a professor in the Department of Chemistry. “If Rutgers-Camden is forced kicking and screaming to become part of Rowan, many faculty will leave.”
Faculty from Rutgers-Camden pleaded with the board to vote against the merger in the public comment section of the meeting.
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