Mr. David Gershon Ms. Melissa Hager National Association of Hispanic Journalists Paragon Federal Credit Union Ramsey Veterinary Hospital, PA Mr. & Mrs. Russell Reinhardt SBHS 1969 Reunion Mrs. Anne M. Smith V-Day Y.W.C.A. of Bergen County Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Yampell
Daniel J. Cronin Memorial Endowment Ms. Cynthia A. Cappell Esq. Ms. Beatrice Cronin Mr. Sergio Sedita
2004
Anthony and Theresa Padovano Lecture Series Endowment Dr. & Mrs. Anthony Padovano
Audrey Cooke Berntsen Scholarship Endowment
Mr. & Mrs. David H. Berntsen Global Impact
Babette & Raymond Brown Endowed Scholarship Fund Ms. Babette M. Varano
1983
Beck Endowed Scholarship Fund
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Dr. Christine Beck & Mr. Adalgery Beck
1974
Lorna Onyango ‘90, is a member of the Foundation Fellow Giving Club and is a consistent Annual Fund donor for more than 10 years. Becky and Frank Kraus Endowed Scholarship Mrs. Rebecca H. Kraus
Bob Sproul Empathy Scholarship Mr. Robert C. Sproul Ms. Emily Stewart
Carol Schaefer Human Services Award Shepherd Foundation
Carole Campana Scholarship Fund
Ms. Laurel Kohl Ms. Lillian S. Silver Ms. Marsha E. Ziegler
TD Bank Scholarship in Honor of James Napolitano Mr. & Mrs. James Napolitano
Crane Fund for Widows and Children Scholarship Fund
Crane Fund for Widows & Children
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Fran Hackett Service to America Scholarship Endowment
David Blauer Memorial Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. Martin Blauer
Drs. Ellen & Jeffrey Kaiden Urban Educator Scholarship Drs. Ellen & Jeffrey Kaiden
Dugan Community Scholars Endowment Mr.& Mrs. John P. Dugan
1985
1983
1980
EOF Alumni Scholarship Reunion
1976 Mr. Gerald Akridge Ms. Aida Alonso 1976 Ms. Joshlyn Anderson 2004 2007 Ms. Ana G. Arias 2003 Ms. Khadijah Baker Ms. Rasmiyyah Baskerville 2000 1986 Ms. Dorine Bethea Mr. Corey Brown 2005 Ms. Miki L. Cammarata Ms. Angeolina Castillo 1977 Dr. Pat Chang & Mrs. Anne Chang Ms. Lacey Debro 2002 Ms. Fatima I. Duenas Dr. Dorothy Echols Tobe & Mr. Walter Tobe 2003 Ms. Mercedes Fabor Dr. Donna C. Gibson & Mr. Brian Gibson Ms. Denise Gibson-Hoyle 1980 Mr. Jaquair L. Gillette 2007 Mr. Isaiah E. Gomez 2004 Mr. Robert Hanna 2000 Mr. Obie P. Hill 2006 Ms. Donna M. Huff 1983 Mr. Christopher C. Irving 2004 Mr. Ronny Jackson 2001 Ms. Jamila Jendayi 2001/2005 Ms. Delvin K. Kariuki 2006 Dr. Iraida H. Lopez Ms. Chermite Manace 2001 Ms. Maria L. Marte 2003 Ms. Patricia A. McClenton 1976 Mrs. Santa McDowell 1980 Mrs. Lakiesha M. Mendez 1995 Ms. Latoya L. Nelson 2005 Ms. Shakira Nowell 2002 Mr. Ricardo R. Ortegon Ms. Nicole Pacheco 2002 Ms. Tiffany Patterson 2000 Dr. Carolina E. Perez Ms. Zoila P. Quezadafrancisco 2005 Ms. Mia Reardon Ms. Gaudy Rodriguez 2002 Ms. Temeshia N. Rufus 2004 Ms. Lisa A. Ryan 1984 Ms. Maretta J. Short 1985 Ms. Brenda Shumpert-Gibson 1974 Ms. Kamisha T. Sykes 2000 Ms. Frankye Taylor 2003 Mr. & Mrs. William P. Topken 1987 Mr. Montea S. Williams
EOF Endowment
Mr. & Mrs. Juan E. Arroyo 1977 Mr. Jeffrey K. Camerato 1993 Dr. Carol F. Cohen Dr. Dorothy Echols Tobe & Mr. Walter Tobe
www.ramapo.edu
Parent’s Council Scholarship Endowment
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald J. Kase Dr. Iraida H. Lopez Dr. Yolanda Prieto Dr. Eric M. Wiener
Mr. David R. & Mrs. Frances K. Hackett Prudential Foundation Sigmacraft Industrial Services, Inc.
1980
Frances K. Hackett AIS Scholarship Endowment Ms. Alada Bartolucci Mr. David R. & Mrs. Frances K. Hackett Ms. Melissa R. Lombardo Prudential Foundation Ms. Catherine A. Smith
1980
Sabrin Center for Business Excellence Endowment
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Calotta Mr. & Mrs. James Craffey Crane Foundation, Inc Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Culbertson Mr. & Mrs. Scott Linden Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. Maroon Mr. & Mrs. Michael McAteer Mr. & Mrs. Drew Nieporent Mr. & Mrs. Michael Reedy Reedy International Corp
Dr. Murray & Mrs. Florence M. Sabrin
Sebastian J. Raciti Scholarship Endowment Mrs. Elizabeth Hill Dr. Teresa D. Hutchins Mr. Paul Stehle Ms. Angelina R. Sutera
Senator Byron M. Baer Memorial Fund Ms. Joyce F. Baynes Ms. Deborah R. Bozarth Cathe Mc Auliffe, Esq.
President’s Cabinet Scholarship Endowment Drs. Pamela & Henry Bischoff
Mr. & Mrs. Francis Rodriguez
Guiliana Family Scholarship Endowment
The Nine Strong piece of the campaign refers to the nine State colleges and universities in New Jersey including Ramapo College, Rowan University, The College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, New Jersey City University, Kean University, Richard Stockton College, William Paterson University and Thomas Edison State College. Together we account for nearly half of all the students who attend four year institutions of higher education in the State and award 45% of all bachelor’s degrees in the State.
Ms. Stephanie Guiliana
Helen Burchell Endowment North Jersey Media Group
Jack Richardson Memorial Award Jackie & Paul Garber Scholarship Fund Mr. & Mrs. Paul Garber
1973
1975
Joseph & Jennie Sall Memorial Scholarship Endowment Dr. Theodore Sall (In honor of Presdient Peter Mercer)
Joseph M. Leone Family Scholarship Endowment
Louise Tuchman ’86, is a member of the Foundation Fellow Giving Club and is a consistent donor of more than 10 years to the Annual Fund.
Lori Ann Oldenhage Memorial Scholarship Endowment
Ms. Sandra Burton Dr. Frima Christopher Mr. Michael R. Christopher IBM Rosalie J. Lurie Ms. Iris M. Oseas Mr. Robert H. Remien Peter J. Taylor Ph.D.
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Leone
Professor Robert J. Christopher Memorial Scholarship
Mr. & Mrs. Robert T. Caruso Penn Capital
Maddi Endowment C.R. Bard Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Don Maddi
Marion Pawlick Busch Endowed Scholarship
Ramapo College EMS Endowed Scholarship
Ms. Jacqueline B. Hemphill
Ms. Jacqueline B. Hemphill Ms. Heather A. Hemphill
Mary K. & Salvatore J. Fanale Scholarship Endowment Michael & Kathy Azzara Endowment
Mr. & Mrs. Michael W. Azzara Hudson City Savings Bank
Police Officer Michael John Buczek Memorial Scholarship Endowment Police Officer Michael John Buczek Foundation
Minority Faculty Staff Annual Scholarship Fund Drs. Pamela & Henry Bischoff
2005
Ramapo College Foundation Endowment
Ms. Maryellen Licker
2002
&
What is the Nine Strong for a Stronger New Jersey campaign all about and who is its audience?
Friends of Ramapo Endowment
Ms. Cynthia M. Brennan
QA Q&A: Nine Strong
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
Mr. Gerald A. LeBoff (In honor of Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Anisfield)
Ross Family Survivor to Survivor Scholarship Endowment Ms. Rosalie N. Agrow Mrs. Roberta Goldfarb Mr. Milton Horn Ttee Ms. Anna B. Levine (In honor of Mr. Josef Ross) Ms. Toby Mueller Mrs. Joan F. Parness Ms. Judith L. Rotz Ms. Ann Scheufele (In honor of Mr. Josef Ross)
Mr. Daniel J. Collins Democratic Women of Bergen County Inc Englewood Housing Management Services Inc Hon. Robert M. Gordon I.A.T.S.E. Local 632 Lucas & Marose LLC Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Mann Mr. Henry McNamara New Jersey Education Association Ms. Shirley Passow Ms. Elizabeth A. Pollitt Ms. Sandra A. Robinson Mr. & Mrs. John E. Rogers The Election Fund of Senator Bob Smith
Student Affairs Scholarship Drs. Pamela & Henry Bischoff Ms. Jill C. Brown Ms. Nancy R. Carr Ms. Ramona L. Kopacz Dr. Eileen A. Quaglino Ms. Patricia L. Snyder
Topken Graduate Nursing Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. William P. Topken
Topken Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Topken
1987
1987
Pat and Willie Rubel Memorial Scholarship Endowment AT&T Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Jason Simon
1993
The purpose of the Nine Strong campaign is to advance public higher education as a kitchen table topic around the State. We need parents, students, alumni and business leaders alike to take a harder look at the prospects for New Jersey’s economic prosperity. Specifically, we need those key constituents to initiate discussion with elected officials about public higher education’s importance to the future well-being of the State and its citizens in a knowledge-based economy.
I, along with my other colleagues on the Council, understand the Herculean challenges faced by the State, but cannot continue to accept public higher education’s place at the bottom of the priority list. It is a fact that economic innovation and productivity are directly linked to the strength of a State’s education system and thus the need for greater priority to be placed on public higher education.
How can readers of Ramapo Magazine take a more active interest in public higher education and how can they get involved?
An integral piece of the Nine Strong campaign has been the launch of the New Jersey College Promise Action Network. This network is designed to link those interested in the future of higher education with one another to strengthen their voice in the State Legislature. The College Promise network
Nine Strong for a Stronger New Jersey
President Peter P. Mercer was named chair of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) Presidents’ Council. On September 16, the nine state colleges and universities of New Jersey launched a statewide campaign, “Nine Strong for a Stronger New Jersey.” The campaign aims to underscore the collective value and critical role of the state colleges and universities to the economic prosperity of the State. Recently, Ramapo Magazine sat down with President Mercer to talk in depth about this campaign and the future of public higher education in New Jersey. will provide those constituents I mentioned earlier, and our readers in particular, with a forum to discuss issues and obtain information. The web site, www.NJCollegePromise.com, provides templates to draft letters to legislators and further informs visitors on the current state of public higher education.
What are issues that NJASCU is confronting?
The state colleges and universities cannot maintain, much less enhance, campus facilities given high debt loads due to inadequate funding. The demand by New Jersey high school graduates for full-time freshman spots at our nine institutions exceeds capacity by more than 10,000 annually, yet there has been no state support for capital projects since 1988. This is particularly detrimental to Ramapo given its short history and tremendous growth in enrollment. We desperately need to upgrade our science facilities but cannot assume more debt because we have had to shoulder the cost of increasing capacity and consequently already spend 13% of our operating budget on debt service. And you will find similar stories at a number of our sister institutions. And obviously, the volatility of today’s economy continues to send shockwaves through the entire sector of higher education. Colleges around the State and the country are developing strategies to cope with the effects of tumultuous market conditions and reduction in investment returns.
in students’ decision making and those that would have otherwise been drawn to expensive independent colleges are seriously looking at Ramapo College. In fact, an October survey done by MeritAid.com of more than 2,500 prospective college students showed that 57% of prospective students were considering cost as a significant factor.
Operationally, the next few years will continue to be challenging. As the State revenues are projected to be $1.2 billion short this year, and significantly more next year, we are already beginning to model budgets that anticipate significant deficits. We will continue to identify ways to reduce expenditures and enhance revenue. In the next three years, strategically linking budgeting and planning will even in difficult times enable Ramapo to achieve the vision and goals outlined in our Strategic Plan.
What do you hope to accomplish during your tenure as Chair of the Presidents’ Council?
I hope that we can continue to work together, and with our colleagues in the other institutions of postsecondary education, to improve the educational opportunities for students in New Jersey.
Specifically, how is Ramapo positioned to endure these volatile times?
Historically, when the country is in recession, public colleges tend to fare relatively well. What we are seeing at Ramapo is that price is playing a more significant role
President Peter P. Mercer joins the other New Jersey State college presidents and signs onto the Nine Strong For A Stronger New Jersey campaign.
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