By Randell Leak
It appears that Cumberland County College and Rowan College at Gloucester County could possibly merge. Gloucester County Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger and Cumberland County Freeholder Director Joseph Derella said the counties are finding ways to deliver the best services possible to their residents. “These preliminary discussions are just that, discussions,” Damminger and Derella said in the statement. “Each Boards of Trustees and Boards of Chosen Freeholders would be remiss if we didn’t continue to explore enhanced educational opportunities, reduction of higher education costs, and opening access by paving the way for an easy transition into a Rowan University.”
Even if the discussions are just “discussions,” that doesn’t stop students or faculty from asking questions. When asked on how they feel about the possible merger, most of the students were shocked. They didn’t know anything about the merger. “I think it’s pretty cool,” a student studying at Cumberland County said. “I feel like it gives more opportunities to students. I mean, what if you wanted to major in a class the CCC doesn’t have? Then what? So it’ll be cool to see more majors at the college.” With some students bringing the positive effects of the merger, many bring the negative effects. “What will happen to the students already in college? Will they still be able to attend?” Many students questioned this, trying to find an answer, “Will their financial aid change? Where will classes be? Who will be the president? What will happen to the faculty? If someone gets a scholarship to either CCC or Rowan, will that scholarship still transfer? When asked about the possible merger, both presidents from Rowan and CCC said they have no comment.
“While it is too early to speculate the outcome, we do support the concept of seeking new ways of delivering the best services to our residents, weighing all options, pros and cons and we look further to a continued conversation on this idea, which will be done in the most transparent of manners,” Damminger and Derella said.
Gloucester County’s community college, re-branded three years ago as Rowan College of Gloucester County, with the total number of students in 2010 at 6,609 and with CCC’s total at 3,844, if the merger does happen then the total number of students will be approximately 10,500 students to serve. And the faculty will be just as bad or worse. “There’s no way all the professors and teachers will be able to stay, so what will happen to CCC faculty. It’ll just be a mess,” a CCC student said when asked about their current faculty.
“Rowan University is growing at a really high rate, holds a designation as a Research Institution, and also maintains two medical schools. An opportunity to expand facilities and offerings does not present itself often, so taking the time to evaluate and consider options for the benefit of our students is important,” Damminger and Derella’s statement continued.
One idea discussed in a potential merger is possibly creating a “corridor of education and medicine along Route 55,” according to the county officials. Only time will tell if any of this merger is true. When asked for more information from CCC’s president’s office, Maryann Dombroski, Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernandez’s assistant, stated, “ she [President Salomon-Fernandez] is unable to give interviews at this time. Please note that the process is at a very nascent stage. We are awaiting guidance from others.”
The only thing the people of Cumberland County can do now is wait and see how this possible merger affects them, positively or negatively.
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