New program for intellectually disabled

[srru86]

Star Ledger
Rutgers would add program for intellectually disabled under new bill

NJ Senate
Committee Advances Singer Bill Establishing Rutgers Program for Intellectually Disabled Students


I will probably come off sounding like a heartless creep for saying this but this makes me a little nervous.

I understand Senate President Sweeney has a special needs child. I also understand there are legions of NJ parents in a similar situation that will react very positively to this idea.

However in a time of limited budgets and many demands on the University is this something we want to focus on? I'm not saying there is not a need for the people in question, but does Rutgers, or any state college, have to be the vehicle to provide it?

They are appropriating $500,000, with only $250,000 to be spent in the first year of the program. Sorry, but that is chump change. No way you can fully fund a program on that. And who is to say if there would be any more money coming from the State Treasury in follow on years.

Of course tuition would be a big part of the revenue picture as it is with all students. But would the legislature allow Rutgers to charge a higher tuition to these students if their costs in extra support are larger than the average student?

If Rutgers decides to cut back, or close the program, when the State money drys up how is that going to play, with the legislature, or the public. It will sound awful whatever the reality is.

Why could not a State agency set up special training institutes, or perhaps the county colleges could have transition programs? I certainly hope it is not because those answers would require much greater financial commitment from the tax payers, while this proposed program will quietly shift the costs to Rutgers and those paying tuition.

 

[mkollar]

srru86,

You hardly read like a "heartless creep." I agree the $500K is chump change for any type of program, even if that amount is "just" for setup. Certainly there are a number of established services in place at Rutgers for support of students - see Undergraduate Academic Affairs - but building a completely new program that includes the intense one-on-one connection that may be needed is not going to be inexpensive.

If anything as you suggest, it would make more sense to use the existing services in place for students enrolled at the community colleges where students have an opportunity to "get their feet wet" and learn about what is needed in college while being relatively close to home and then making the next step to the four-year level. In fact, NJCOLLEGE2COLLEGETRANSFER.COM also provides the information and process by which students can apply from a CC to a four-year school either with an Associates' degree or without.

Ultimately, while I think the general purpose of aiding the intellectually disabled continue their studies in college is admirable, it would be far better to utilize resources on the more local level first than to attempt to develop a program on the State level that is without a consistent pool of funding.

 

[cyrock3]

You don't come off like a heartless creep.

You're raising a very legitimate concern. There is no way this program can be done on $500,000, and the state is going to expect Rutgers to find the rest of money somehow without raising tuition. Oh wait! I got it - if you cancelled the football program you would somehow have millions of dollars to fund everything...

 

[srru86]

Originally posted by cyrock3:

Oh wait! I got it - if you cancelled the football program you would somehow have millions of dollars to fund everything...

Of course, why didn't I think of that!