Statement of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges on Critical Investment in Community Colleges in the FY2025 State Budget

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges thanks Governor Murphy, Senate President Scutari, and Assembly Speaker Coughlin for their leadership in restoring the $20 million in operating aid for our 18 Community Colleges in the proposed FY 2025 state budget that was released today.

New Jersey’s 18 Community Colleges urge the legislature to adopt the FY 2025 state budget with the restored $20 million for Community College operating aid and ask Governor Murphy to sign the budget into law.

We greatly appreciate the support of members of the Senate and Assembly from across New Jersey for community colleges during the state budget process. It is now clear that the Governor, the Senate President, and the Assembly Speaker heard the many voices of community college students, leaders, employers, social justice partners, and fellow lawmakers who spoke on our behalf during the past three months. The proposed budget is a strong endorsement of the vital role our community colleges play in educating close to 240,000 students and promoting economic prosperity in our state.

In this moment of complex economic, social, technological, demographic, and climate changes, our institutions have been called “democracy’s colleges,” offering our state’s residents of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity for economic mobility and a path to a better life. Our students form the core of New Jersey’s skilled and educated workforce, powering the state’s key industries. Increasingly, more New Jersey residents will need to earn postsecondary degrees or credentials that are aligned with the needs of employers in order to contribute to the rapidly evolving knowledge economy and to attain jobs with family-sustaining wages.

We look forward to working with Governor Murphy, the state legislature, and a broad coalition of business, labor, social justice, and community-based organizations to achieve a more equitable and prosperous New Jersey.

About the New Jersey Council of County Colleges

Governed by the presidents and trustees of the state’s 18 community colleges and enshrined in state law, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) supports New Jersey’s Community Colleges and the more than 230,000 students they serve annually across 49 locations by fostering collaboration and developing solutions that expand access to college, promote equity and student success, and create a skilled workforce to drive economic growth.

NJCCC brings together the state’s Community Colleges to build a world-class, flexible higher education and workforce development system that can respond to the needs of local communities and employers while having statewide reach and impact. NJCCC promotes innovation and policy changes to help New Jersey’s Community Colleges in their efforts to achieve academic, social, and economic mobility for all residents. The Council’s New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development builds statewide industry, education, and labor partnerships that align education and training with the needs of a changing economy.

To learn more about NJCCC and New Jersey’s Community Colleges, go to www.njcommunitycolleges.org. Follow us @NJCommColleges on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to learn more about our latest programs and initiatives.