(TRENTON) – To help New Jersey colleges and universities develop a more symbiotic relationship with the towns they reside in, the full Assembly recently voted 72-0 advancing legislation (A-2311) that would establish a 17-member study commission tasked with examining the creation and implementation of structured partnerships between higher education institutions and municipalities.
Sponsors of the bill, Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-Bergen, Passaic) and Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex, Morris), issued the following joint statement:
“Helping colleges, universities and towns better engage with one another to cultivate stronger, sustained two-way partnerships will prove invaluable for local economic, cultural and social development.
“From attracting more talent and retaining it to fostering greater engagement between students, community residents and local businesses through shared spaces, resources and initiatives, there is a lot of untapped potential.
“Learning what strategies can help New Jersey to lift the often insular bubble of a college campus is therefore critical to realizing the full potential of our state’s plentiful college towns.”