ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE Veterinary Medical Education

POPULATION STATS FOR THE US (Census 2000)

United States total population: 281,421,906 (as of April 1, 2000, according to the US Census Bureau).
State
Population Ranking
PopulationCensus Data: April, 2000

Colleges Of Veterinary Medicine
STATE ****RANK*****POPULATION ***IN-STATE SUPPORTED SCHOOL

California ***1*****33,871,648 ***yes

Texas ***2 *****20,851,820 ***yes

New York*** 3 *****18,976,457 ***yes

Florida ***4 *****15,982,378*** yes

Illinois*** 5***** 12,419,293 ***yes

Pennsylvania*** 6*****12,281,054 ***yes

Ohio ***7 *****11,353,140*** yes

Michigan ***8 *****9,938,444 ***yes

New Jersey ***9 *****8,414,350 ***NO

Georgia ***10 *****8,186,453 ***yes

North Carolina*** 11 *****8,049,313 ***yes

Virginia ***12*****7,078,515*** yes

Massachusetts***13*****6,349,097***yes

Indiana ***14*****6,080,485*** yes


NJ is the only state, in the top 14 states, NOT to have an IN-state supported Veterinary College. We must keep the NJ Contract Seats fully-funded. This is a bargain for NEW JERSEY. Look at the cost of starting a new Veterinary School and the costs of funding NJ Contract Seats. NJ resident students need ACCESS TO AN AFFORDABLE Veterinary Medical Education.

Loans repayments $160,000= 1900.00 a month

Payments for loans are becoming increasingly expensive.

Loans -- $40,500 per year, over a 10 year repayment cycle, can cost for a total $160,000 (loan for four years ) =$1900 per month for repayment.

Please have your parents, friends, animal lovers, neighbors and any NJ voters sign the petition now. It can save you $$$ in the future.
NJ students need ACCESS to AFFORDABLE Veterinary Medical Education.


http://www.petitiononline.com/VMEA1971/petition.html

DR BOB's Interested in being a Vet?- Excellent source of Info

A few years ago, I found Dr. Bob's webpage. An excellent source of information regarding Pre-Vet New Jersey information:


http://las.rutgers.edu/vet.htm

Please sign the Petition

Just two weeks from now the State Legislature will consider the budget. Please have friends, family, neighbors with pets etc. sign the petition online:

http://www.petitiononline.com/VMEA1971/petition.html


The more signatures we have, the more clout we will bring to the financial table with the Legislators and Governor.
We are interested in ACCESS for resident students for Veterinary Education which is affordable.
If students do not have full-funding for the Veterinary Medical Education Act of 1971 certain schools (ie. Cornell) will not discount the tuition for our NJ contract seats. We need affordable tuition for our Vet students so they can return to New Jersey and practice. We are the one of the largest populated states WITHOUT A VET SCHOOL. We have the largest pharmaceutical industry in the country here in NJ. Dairy and Equine are huge industries. Medical research, anti-bioterrorism, public health all need qualified well-trained veternarians. We need to continue the supply for New Jersey. The VMEA of 1971 is the most cost-effective way for providing for a needed profession.

Please have everyone you know sign.

Write Governor Corzine and your State Legislators

Write Governor Corzine and your New Jersey Legislators to support full-funding of the Veterinary Medical Education Act and the Contract Seats at Vet Schools


Write the Governor:

link: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html


Write your New Jersey legislators:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/SelectMun.asp


Support full funding of Contract Seats to continue ACCESS to a Veterinary Education for our New Jersey students. At current tuition rates, without New Jersey Contracts, most New Jersey resident graduates would not be able to AFFORD to return to New Jersey to practice.
We need well trained Veternarians for New Jersey. Who do you know that does not have a pet dog or cat?
New Jersey resident Veternarians will be needed for pharmaceutical and medical research industries (most pharmaceutical companies have a presence in New Jersey) , public health, anti-bioterrorism, agricultural support (including those that work for the Department of Agriculture in evaluating safety of our food supplies).
The Dairy and Equine industries are important to the economy of New Jerssey Agriculture.
Please write your representatives.

NJ VME Contract Program FY2007

The chair of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Education Contract Program Advisory Committee , Dr. Sarah Ralston, DVM, PhD, DAVCN, wanted me to be aware of the following facts:



New Jersey Veterinary Medical Education Contract Program (NJVMECP) Information sheet for FY2007
Approval for $1,505,538.00 was requested for FY2007-2008. This amount is needed to maintain the program at its current level. Recipients of contract seats will be required to return to work for one year in NJ for each year that they occupy a NJVMECP seat. However in the Governor’s current proposal the Veterinary Medical Education Program was recommended for funding at $687,000, less than one half the amount necessary and the same reduced amount as last year. This continued reduction is not only putting the entire program in jeopardy but represents a breach of contract to the schools of veterinary medicine and current contract students.
*Established in 1971, this program compensates for the fact that there is no college of veterinary medicine in the state of New Jersey by "purchasing" seats (paying “capitation fees”) for NJ residents in existing colleges in other states (Univ. of Pa, Tufts, Cornell, Tuskegee, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Univ. of Illinois). These seats then are available only to New Jersey residents applying for admission (90 to 120/year). 744 New Jersey residents have occupied contract seats since the inception of the program, over 60% of which currently reside and work in NJ.
*The requested 2007-2008 budget is $1,505,538.00 to maintain the program at its current level (24 seats per year). In addition a clause has been added to the contracts requiring the students to return to New Jersey to practice for at least 4 years after completing their education.
*In 2006 DVM magazine listed NJ as having a projected 69% growth in available veterinary jobs from 2002-2012, placing us as #1 in the country with increased need for veterinarians. This includes positions not only for veterinary practitioners to take care of the millions of animals owned by NJ residents but also in the pharmaceutical industries, Departments of Human and Animal Health, regulatory agencies, animal control and wildlife agencies and colleges or universities that have animal research programs (even if they do not have Animal Science or Pre-Veterinary/Veterinary technician programs!).
*There are currently at least 1675 veterinarians working in NJ,
over 26% of which have had NJVMEC seats. There are over 600 veterinary hospitals alone in NJ, ranging in size from a single veterinarian to over 50 practitioners, serving communities where they have a practice load of at least 7,000 to well over 100,000 pet owning families. Add this to the equine practitioners who provide mobile service to the $710 million equine industry's 70,000 equine animals, health and regulatory officials, pharmaceutical company employees and research scientists and it becomes obvious that the impact of veterinarians in NJ is far reaching and of great economic importance.
*If the program is discontinued, New Jersey residents wanting a career in veterinary medicine will have less than a 1/30 chance of gaining admittance to an accredited college of veterinary medicine in North America.
* The Contract program is a significant factor in encouraging NJ residents, especially women and minorities, to enroll in New Jersey Universities to complete their undergraduate Pre-Veterinary requirements. For example, over the past 15 years Animal Science has grown to be one of the largest majors at Cook College (now the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Over 50% of the incoming Animal Science majors declare pre-veterinary medicine as their curricular focus, citing the availability of NJVMEP contract seats in making their decision to attend Cook instead of going out of state to establish residency elsewhere.
*Of the approximately 75-80 Cook College Animal Science students who applied to veterinary school from 2000-2006, 69 were accepted, 49 of them to contract schools. Forty-seven of those accepted were women and 17 were minorities.
*There are currently 96 New Jersey residents in contract seats. Twenty three will graduate this spring but hopefully an additional 24 added in the fall if the funding is restored. However, the decision to cut the requested funding in half for FY2006-2007 resulted in schools denying admission to qualified NJ residents and the fear that the whole program would be discontinued, making the contract schools reluctant to open their doors to new NJ residents in the future. The loss of funding for even the existing seats represents a breach of contract.
* It costs Colleges of Veterinary Medicine $95,000/year to educate a single veterinary student. Since 1971 the NJVMECP has spent a total of $36.95 million to educate 744 veterinarians versus the over $1.1 billion it cost to actually educate them. More than 60% of these veterinarians have returned to work in NJ. The cost of establishing a CVM de novo is at least $1.4 billion. It is obvious that this is an extremely cost effective and needed program.

Letter to your State Senators/Assemblymen

I saw this on the New Jersey Veterinary Medicine Association website news section:

Dear Assemblyman/Senator ,
I am writing to implore that the requested $1,505,538.00 funding for the Veterinary Medical Education Contract Program be fully restored in Governor Corzine's proposed budget. It is currently cut to zero.
This program compensates for the fact that there is no College of Veterinary Medicine in the state of New Jersey. There are only 28 veterinary schools in the USA, and all restrict access to "out of state" residents by offering very limited seats to non-resident applicants and charging exorbitant "out of state" tuitions. In 1971 the NJ State Legislature approved funding for the Veterinary Medical Education Contract Program. It is a cost effective, efficient alternative to establishing a College of Veterinary Medicine in New Jersey by "purchasing" contract seats for NJ residents at existing veterinary colleges in other states (University of Pennsylvania, Tufts, Cornell, Tuskegee, Iowa, Illinois and Oklahoma). There are currently 97 New Jersey students in contract seats, with 24 new contracts awarded annually. For less than $2 million annually, these contracts not only assure New Jersey residents of the availability of seats at the rate of 1/5applicants (national average for "in-state" applicants to "in-state" schools), but also allow them to attend the schools at "in-state" tuition.
If the program is cut to zero funding, as currently proposed, not only will the students currently in contract seats be severely impacted, having to suddenly pay out of state tuition, but New Jersey resident access to veterinary education will be decimated.
The demand for veterinarians in New Jersey is high. How many of your friends, neighbors and constituents do NOT own a pet or other domestic animal???
I realize that there are serious cuts being made in many crucial areas, but the $1.6 million currently needed to even sustain this critical program is such a relatively small amount, surely it can be re-instated without jeopardizing other efforts to balance the state budget!

Veterinary Medical Education Act of 1971

The Veterinary Medicine Education Act of 1971 provides for contractual agreements between the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and out-of-state schools of veterinary medicine for the acceptance of New Jersey residents who are and have been residents of the State of New Jersey for twelve consecutive months. Under the terms of the Act, the schools receive a capitation subsidy toward the cost of education in return for a number of reserved spaces for New Jersey residents.
The contract schools approved by the advisory committee are has follows: University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Tuskegee University, Iowa State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Illinois, and Tufts University. Any changes to this list of schools will be posted to the HESAA website.
The anticipated distribution of spaces is limited. We suggest that you consider applying to all of the contract schools to enhance your chances of being accepted.1
Most schools of veterinary medicine also admit a few out-of-state residents, without specific contracts. New Jersey residents have previously been accepted at Auburn University, Colorado State University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, Purdue University, Texas A & M University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida, University of Missouri, and the University of Wisconsin. You may apply to any of these schools. Their selection of students is based on open competition from all out-of-state applicants. The state of New Jersey does not contribute to the cost of the educational process at these institutions; admission of New Jersey residents is not facilitated by this program.
Application forms and bulletins must be obtained from the schools by the student. The applications should be completed and returned to the schools by the dates specified in their bulletins. Please note that each school has its particular prerequisite education requirements. It is therefore advisable that you obtain college catalogues well in advance of your application in order to make sure that all prerequisites have been met.
In order to qualify for participation in this contract program, each applicant must submit to the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority at the time of application to the schools of veterinary medicine, effective proof of New Jersey residency for at least twelve consecutive months prior to the date of matriculation. Students must maintain full-time status. Students are presumed to be residents of the state in which their parents or guardians reside unless they can demonstrate bona fide independence from their parents.
The following material will be considered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority in making a determination of residency. Additional information may be requested, particularly of students who claim financial independence from parents or guardians:
Two notarized affidavits, one from the applicant and one from a parent, legal guardian, or other relative over eighteen years of age attesting to the candidate's residency status (forms are available from HESAA, call 609-588-4694)
New Jersey State income tax return filed for the most recent tax year. 2
In addition, the student must also present photocopies (xerox, etc.) of any two of the following items indicating New Jersey residency:
voter registration
driver's license showing expiration date
current student identification (if attending out-of-state school, please provide verification from the Dean of Students as to residency status, or Bursar's receipt indicating payment of out-of-state fees.)
The affidavits and photocopies should be mailed to: Ms. Amanda Billups Higher Education Student Assistance Authority P.O. Box 540 4 Quakerbridge Plaza Trenton, N.J. 08625-0540
From this documentation, the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will certify to the schools that the applicant is an eligible candidate for participation in this program, which aims to facilitate the acceptance of bona fide New Jersey residents into schools of Veterinary Medicine. Failure to submit complete documentation materials may jeopardize your admission to the Veterinary Medicine Education Contract Program.
The applicant must also complete and forward the enclosed program registration form to the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority at the above address. Student must apply each year for certification. This information is used exclusively for the purpose of analysis within the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, and is not shared with the schools. The Admissions Committee of each school is responsible for the acceptance and notification of students in accordance with their requirements and policies. Being certified as a New Jersey resident by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority does not guarantee admission to any of the schools of veterinary medicine participating in the contract program.
The State of New Jersey contributes substantially toward the educational costs of the veterinary medicine training of each student accepted under the provisions of this program. It should be noted that this capitation fee is not tuition subsidy, and accepted students are responsible for the cost of tuition and fees at the respective institutions. There is presently no legal obligation for program participants to repay any part of this subsidy, in money or in service. It is our hope, however, that students benefiting from this program will recognize a measure of moral indebtedness to the citizenry that sponsored them, and will give serious consideration to putting their valuable training into practice in New Jersey.
Information concerning student financial aid can be obtained by calling the Student Financial Aid Hotline at 1-800-792-8670 or contacting the Student Financial Aid Office at the respective schools of veterinary medicine.
For additional information please visit the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).
1Subject to Legislative Appropriation.2Parent or legal guardian tax returns if applicant is claimed as a dependent; applicant's return if self reporting

Petiton Online

Please sign the petition :


http://www.PetitionOnline.com/VMEA1971/petition.html

Veterinary Medical Eduacation Act of 1971

New Jersey needs to fully fund the Veterinary Medical Education Act of 1971.
Please sign the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/VMEA1971