Passaic Today

On Thursday, May 10, 2024, Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell and Bloomfield College of Montclair State University Chancellor Marcheta Evans led a delegation of faculty, staff, and students to the Capitol in Trenton. The purpose of their visit was to advocate for more equitable funding for the university during the Montclair and Bloomfield Day at the Capitol 2024.

The group visited the State House Annex where they met with state senators and assembly members before Koppell testified before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. During his testimony, Koppell highlighted the success of Montclair and Bloomfield in improving social mobility and helping students achieve the American Dream.

“The good news is, the merger is going spectacularly well,” Koppell testified. He elaborated on how refinancing Bloomfield's debt using Montclair’s superior debt rating has resulted in savings and created opportunities for students at lower costs. However, he also expressed concern over what he termed as "the complexity with which New Jersey spends money on higher education that stands in the way of realizing all of the benefits.”

Koppell drew attention to a significant disparity in state funding per student among higher education institutions. “The range of investment per student is from $3,200 to $9,000 per student,” he said. He expressed dissatisfaction with Montclair State University being at the bottom end of this range.

While acknowledging that universities should not receive identical per-student funding, Koppell stressed that there should be transparency and rationale behind these decisions. He cited how Bloomfield College's investment per student dropped following its merger with Montclair due to state funding policies for independent colleges and public institutions.

Koppell argued that fully integrating Bloomfield into Montclair would result in greater efficiency and improved outcomes for New Jersey students. It would also provide an opportunity to address some structural issues related to state funding.

Before concluding his remarks, Koppell reminded the committee members of the prosperous era in American history during the 1950s and 1960s. He attributed this prosperity to the expansion of access to higher education facilitated by the GI Bill and investment in public education.

Some students, such as Film and Television major Alex Greaney, attended the event not only to advocate for the university but also to cover it as student journalists for Montclair’s News Lab. “Going to the heart of New Jersey to see how things are done is fascinating,” said Greaney.

The event was initially scheduled for May 2 but was postponed due to a cancellation of all State committee meetings following the funeral of Congressman Donald Payne Jr. Those unable to attend can still support equitable higher education funding for Montclair and Bloomfield by visiting fundmontclairandbloomfield.com.