More government “oversight”?

Murray Sabrin

The State Commission of Investigation issued a long awaited report on New Jersey’s public colleges and universities. And guess what the report uncovered? There could be better management and tighter financial controls at some institutions. What a news flash! Is there any institution or organization in America or in the world that does not need better financial controls? Of course not. So why all the angst?

Simply, Trenton lawmakers want more “oversight” (make that control) over the state’s colleges and universities after revelations that a lot of monkey business was taking place at UMDNJ. And by looking bad especially when one of their own is accused of having a no-show job at UMDNJ and steering more tax dollars to the university, we are witnessing another example of CYA.

The egregious management of UMDNJ should have taught both lawmakers and the public an important lesson, mixing government and education is a toxic combination. We must remember the old adage, “Those who control the purse strings, make the rules.” Both the governor and legislators believe they must extend great oversight of taxpayer assisted institutions because there have been insufficient financial controls in place. However, the remedy is as easy as ABC, require more documentation and accountability of expenditures. End of story. Public colleges and universities do not need more state government “oversight.”

In the meantime, there will be legislative hearings about some of the investigation’s findings, where some members of the Statehouse will grandstand before the cameras and express their outrage. However, where was the outrage when the Schools Construction Corporation blew $8.6 billion in no time?

What we are witnessing is nothing less than a setup for another power grab by the Trenton establishment to extend their paws in one of the bright spots in New Jersey, public higher education.

What the legislators should be doing is thanking the higher education community for training young men and women to be productive and responsible citizens in the Garden State, while state aid has been cut substantially in real terms during the past two decades. After all, the political establishment needs more workers in New Jersey to tax so they can continue their overspending.

For the long term, New Jersey’s state colleges and universities should become financially independent. That will take politics out of higher education once-and-for-all and preserve the mission of these institutions--to make higher education affordable for middle and lower income families.

Murray Sabrin, Ph.D., is professor of finance in the Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he is executive director of the Center for Business and Public Policy. He is the author of Tax Free 2000: The Rebirth of American Liberty. Sabrin writes a weekly column for www.usadaily.com and blogs for the Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest newspaper, www.njvoices.com.