Clarification of Level Funding for NJ Contract Seats

EMail from Jane Oates, Executive Director of Higher Education Commission of New Jersey:


Email from Jane Oates:

I received your email regarding clarification of “level funding” for the Veterinary Medical Education Program. The Governor has recommended maintaining the same level of state support that is provided for the current year, which is $687,000. While this appropriation is not sufficient to support the same number of students that have benefited in some past years, I believe it is a very positive recognition of the importance of maintaining this program, which was originally slated to be eliminated from the 2007 budget due to extraordinary state fiscal challenges.
I understand your concern and your desire to ensure that New Jersey has a sufficient number of veterinarians to address state needs. The continuation of the Veterinary Medical Education Program at the current level will play an important role in addressing those needs, particularly in light of the requirement for any newly admitted student attending a school of veterinary medicine in a reserved space for New Jersey residents to practice veterinary medicine in the state for one year for each year of contract funding provided on the student’s behalf.
As I had mentioned previously, the statute calls for state funds within the limits of available appropriations rather than a specific funding level, and the Commission on Higher Education is very pleased that the Governor’s proposed budget, despite ongoing revenue constraints, includes funding for this important program.
Thank you for your advocacy for the program and state needs.
Jane Oates

New Jersey Contract Seats

NJ Veterinary Contract Colleges:

Tuskegee Institute (Alabama)
University of Illinois
Iowa State University
Tufts University (Massachusetts)
Cornell University (New York)
Ohio State University
Oklahoma State University
University of Pennsylvania

Letter from the Higher Education Commission Executive Director Jane Oates

March 26, 2007

Dear Dr. Kicenuik:

Thank you for writing to Governor Corzine regarding funding for the Veterinary Medical Education Program. The Governor has asked me to respond to your email.I appreciate your support for a sufficient supply of well trained veterinarians in New Jersey. You have raised significant points regarding the importance of veterinarians to the future well-being of the state. The 1971 statute that created the Veterinary Medical Education Program plays an important role in addressing this need. The statute calls for state funds within the limits of available appropriations, however, not a specific funding level.Difficult choices and decisions were necessary in developing and finalizing the fiscal 2007 budget, because the state faced and extraordinary budget gap that had to be closed. The Veterinary Medical Education Program was originally slated to be eliminated from the state budget for the current year, but the final budget for higher education included a little more than half of the previous year's funding for the program.The budget preparation cycle for the coming fiscal year is underway, and the state continues to face significant fiscal challenges. I am pleased to report, however, that the Governor's proposed budget does not include a cut in this program; level funding is recommended. In addition, statutory language is included that would require any newly admitted student attending a school of veterinary medicine in a reserved space for New Jersey residents to practice veterinary medicine in the state for one year for each year of contract funding provided on their behalf. If the service requirement is not met, funds expended for the recipient's contract seat must be refunded. This new requirement will help to ensure a supply of well trained veterinarians in New Jersey to meet the needs you described.Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with the Governor.

Sincerely,

Jane Oates
Executive Director

NJ Hearings on the Budget

Kristin Kicenuik represented all NJ Veterinary students, past, present and future, today in Atlantic City at the NJ Budget Hearings attended by Louis Greenwald, Chairman of the Budget Committee. She made excellent points with the committee presenting them with written and oral arguments for keeping NJ Contract Seats in the budget. Access to Veterinary Medical Education was emphasized to the committtee. Statistics regarding the top 14 states in Population in the US were presented and it was a surprise that ONLY NEW JERSEY has NO state-supported in-state Veterinary School of the top 14 states in population. The need for ACCESS to Veterinary Education for NJ Students was presented. Hopefully, our legislators will recognize the need for Vets for the medical and pharmaceutical industries and for the need for Homeland Security issues (diseases of animals and humans) and for the continued replacement of Vets currently practicing in New Jersey and will be retiring in the future. We need to have Veterinarians willing to live and practice in New Jersey. Other states have a strong commitments for providing ACCESS to Veterinary Medical Education to provide their states with Veterinarians. Please see the petiton and have everyone sign at:

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


Thanks to Kristin for a job well done. I hope the budget commiteee does the right thing and keep the NJ Contract seats at full-funding for the FY08.

NJ Hearings on the Budget

Please note that the respective organizations must sign up
immediately at the OLS web site \nwww.njleg.state.nj.us OR contact the Legislative Budget and Finance Office at 9609) 984-6798 to register by phone.

Hearings on the 2007-2008 Budget for New Jersey

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2007

Assembly Budget Committee (Budget Hearings Only) Hearing
9:00 AM Committee Room 11, 4th Floor,
State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
Chair: Asm. Greenwald, Louis D.
The Assembly Budget Committee will hold a Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2007

*Senate Budget and Appropriations (Budget Hearings Only) Hearing 9:00 AM Kean University, Kean Hall Conference Center,
Room K-127, Union, NJ
Chair: Sen. Kenny, Bernard F.
The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold a Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.




TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2007
Assembly Budget Committee (Budget Hearings Only) Hearing
9:00 AM Atlantic City Convention Center, One Miss America Way, Level 4, Rooms 411-412, Atlantic City, NJ
Chair: Asm. Greenwald, Louis D.
The Assembly Budget Committee will hold a Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.



TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2007

*Senate Budget and Appropriations (Budget Hearings Only) Hearing 9:00 AM The Enterprise Center at Burlington County College,
The Pemberton Room, Mt. Laurel, NJ
Chair: Sen. Kenny, Bernard F.
The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold a Public Hearing on the
Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.

ACCESS TO VETERINARY MEDICAL EDUCATION

It has been brought to my attention that NJ students need ACCESS to a Veterinary Education. As the only state in the top 14 populous states in the US to have NO Veteterinary College , I agree.

New Jersey has chosen the route of sending our NJ resident students to other schools. This remains a very cost-effective way of training the future Vets that NJ will need and employ in various industries.

We need to support our Veterinarian Students.

I understand that last year the State Legislature did pass the funding for the VMEA1971 only to have Governor Corzine cut it to half-funding with the budget cuts. I hope that this year he can cut the waste out of the budget and leave the necessary items funded.