TCNJ

20 The College of New Jersey Magazine 1 2 BERNSTEIN'S FOUR PRIORITIES TO ENSURE TCNJ THRIVES INNOVATION BERNSTEIN: We've got to be taking all necessary steps to remain an institution of distinction. Ensuring the quality of the education we offer does not mean simply following the latest trends and best practices in higher education; it means helping to define them, being a peer leader in our sector. Needs and trends are constantly changing. Higher education looks very different today than it did 20 years ago. Twenty years from now, it will look very different than it does today. We've got to be thinking about the needs of future generations of students and constantly innovating. That's something this institution has always done exceptionally well. We are being very forward-looking in this respect. Last spring, as part of an initiative I've dubbed the LIONS Plan, we had a working group looking at ways to offer a bachelor's degree in three years. This is something that I believe will become increasingly attractive to and, dare I say, expected by future generations of students. We've identified three models that we're currently exploring. A second working group developed a business plan for a new School of Graduate, Global, and Online Education that will be positioned to meet the educational needs of some of the new audiences I mentioned earlier. Its first offering, an online master's degree in clinical mental health counseling, is designed to train a diverse group of clinicians and alleviate service gaps in underserved communities. The program launched this fall with a full class (and a waiting list). "We've got to be thinking about the needs of future generations of students and constantly innovating." SUSTAINABILITY BERNSTEIN: Given the headwinds facing the higher ed sector, it should be no surprise that our resources are squeezed. As institutional stewards, we have the obligation to ensure that our budget is sustainable, and we're focused on that. Last spring, several LIONS Plan working groups spent the semester identifying savings and sources of new revenue. The good news is we are on the right path, but we have a lot of work to do to stay there. This involves reducing our investment in some areas and focusing scarce resources where they will achieve maximum effect. Some of the initiatives we now pursue, by the way, won't save us money — but they will save students time. For example, I have pushed very hard for us to go to a 30-unit degree (the equivalent of 120 credits at other institutions) down from the current 32. This will allow us to be more competitive and efficient in the marketplace, as virtually all of our competitors now offer 30-unit diplomas. That's what our students want and need.

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