Reorganization expected to raise profiles of N.J. schools, help fundraising

The reorganization of New Jersey’s higher education system is now official. Rutgers has absorbed most of what was the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. And Rowan University in South Jersey stands to benefit from its acquisition of the UMDNJ’s School of Osteopathic Medicine.

 

The goal of the merger is to attract more talent and make the combined facilities more competitive in obtaining money for research.

Over time, addition of the medical school will yield greater revenue for Rutgers, but says there’s no guarantee it will mean a big boost in research grants, said Eric Kelderman, a reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education in Washington

“The national funding for medial research through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation are not likely to increase really at all in the short term and maybe even the long term,” he said. “You already have a significant competition for those sorts of monies.”

The reorganization also has Rowan University taking over the School of Osteopathic Medicine and becoming a research university. Kelderman says that should benefit Rowan and bring economic development money to the region.

It may take a whole for Rutgers and the medical school to function as a single entity, according to Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education which represents about 2,000 colleges and universities.

“They’ll need to change a lot of processes and procedures. They’ll need to look for ways to establish collaboration, but it will happen,” Hartle said. “In terms of attracting more faculty, in terms of higher research dollars. I think you’ll probably start to see things changing within a couple years.”

Hartle also believes the move will help Rutgers attract better faculty and staff and will enhance fundraising possibilities.