BY HERMAN J. SAATKAMP, JR.

COMMENTARY

Governor Christie recently made an announcement that has the potential to hurt New Jersey college students and their families.

The Governor seeks to impose a four percent tuition and fee cap on the Colleges, in addition to the substantial cut in state financial assistance previously announced at his budget address. While on the surface this may sound good, the measures will limit the state colleges' ability to fund need-based scholarships and harm students and families struggling to attend college.

While fully acknowledging New Jersey's fiscal crisis as well as the need to rein in government spending, the Governor's proposal is not a sound policy for our great state. The measures create gaps in College budgets and substantially hurt our ability to deliver a high quality, accessible and affordable education.