EDISON…Leaders of AFT New Jersey praised the Senate Higher Education committee for passing legislation to better inform students about college costs, curb excessive fees and protect students and their families from abusive student debt collections practices. “We have a long way to go to strengthen higher education in New Jersey, but we are heartened that elected representatives are taking action,” said AFT New Jersey Executive Vice President for Higher Education, Dr. Susanna Tardi, and a William Paterson University Sociology Professor.
Tardi cited committee passage of legislation requiring institutions create a standardized financial aid “shopping sheet” for prospective students as part of the school’s financial aid offer, another which attempts to control excessive fees charged in addition to tuition and a third intended to curb abusive student debt loan collection processes of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.
The bills must be approved by the full Senate with companion bills passed by the Assembly then signed by the Governor before being enacted. AFT New Jersey President Donna M. Chiera pledged to back continued efforts to improve the state’s higher education system. “We are proud to support the work of the division and AFT New Jersey Higher Education Vice President Tim Haresign who represented us on the College Affordability Study Commission which developed many valuable recommendations.”
Dr. Haresign, a Stockton Biology Professor, praised the work of the commission, but called for greater student, faculty and staff inclusion in future efforts to formulate policy recommendations. Haresign made a “strong recommendation” that the Governor and legislature reverse higher education budget cuts by restoring state funding to at least 2008 levels on an inflation adjusted per student level by the year 2022. “This is a very modest goal, and an investment that will more than pay for itself in terms of the long term economic prosperity,” he said.
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AFT New Jersey is the largest higher education union in New Jersey, representing more than 23,000 educators at all the four-year public colleges and universities and approximately half the county colleges.
