<p>I don't see how Rutgers is not a "premier public research university." Rutgers has an outstanding academic reputation in academic circles had has many phenomenal departments and graduate programs. Philosophy is tops in the country and history and English are also excellent. While Rutgers can be large and impersonal for undergrads, this does not diminish its excellence in research and the strength of its academic departments. Those are the two main markers of a top research university.</p>
<p>PHampson, I agree with what you said, but I still would not send my kids there for undergraduate study, for the reasons you mentioned. I prefer a more student focused U than research focused for undergraduate study (especially in the first 2 years of undergraduate study).</p>
<p>Whether or not you hold Rutgers in esteem, you must admit that these are rough times for higher ed in NJ. Corzine is cutting funding, prospective and current students are worried. Not a great situation.</p>
<p>That's an interesting article, lawmatt, but the problem is that many of Rutgers' "peer institutions" did most of the things on the list a long time ago.</p>
<p>I really don't think you have the slightest clue what you are talking about.</p>
<p>First of all, President McCormick has been very forthcoming and up front about Rutgers' deficiencies. He spelled them out very clearly in arguing for reorganization and campus improvements. Nothing has been shoved under the rug or denied. In fact, McCormick went so far as to call Rutgers the "weirdest academic setup in Amerca."</p>
<p>Yet you claim RU is in denial. Reconsider your position.</p>
<p>Here is a link to President's McCormick's page. I suggest you educate yourself about his views and how he is working to improve RU. That might be more productive than spewing negativity. </p>
<p>The point is that RU is clearly moving in the right direction insofar as improving the undergraduate experience is concerned. Rutgers is already a fine school and will only get better when undergrads are more engaged. These steps actually go beyond what some other top state universities have done. This is nothing less than a major step in the right direction. </p>
<p>I had a positive experience at RU. I was a philosophy major. Rutgers' philosophy dept. is among the best in the entire world. I was around a much higher caliber of scholar than I would have been at a place like TCNJ. I think there is something to be said for being around creators - rather than popularizers - of knowledge.</p>
<p>There are certainly programs at Rutgers that are top notch, Mason Gross definitely falls in that select group. However, there was a time when Rutgers was perceived OVERALL as akin to an Ivy League school. Regrettably, very few top NJ students feel it has that level of quality now. That's why when that valedictorian fencer decided to attend Rutgers it made a newsworthy story. Except in the case of those select programs which are still excellent, the best and the brightest young people are looking elsewhere to study. Rutgers is considered a safety school, or financial fallback option in many kids' minds. In fact, that was the motive behind the establishment of the merit scholarship program--to keep the top students in state since it had been shown they were not interested in the state schools. So, even if the quality of programs is just as good as it once was, NJ's best students are not convinced. And that means the academic level of the student body has declined somewhat.</p>
<p>I agree with most of what you say. I think we are romanticizing RU's past a tad bit too much when we bring up the Ivies, though.</p>
<p>Rutgers has a PR/marketing problem. There is no denying that. NJ students are foolishly dismissing RU when it is a very solid option for many of them. Rutgers has a plethora of opportunities for students and a great faculty.</p>
<p>Rutgers needs to better market itself and explain its mission. McCormick has fully acknowledged this and plans to make it happen. Once the reorganization takes place, RU will be in better position to promote/explain itself, as it will have a better and more understandable structure.</p>
<p>Finally - the importance of improving the campus can't be underestimated. RU has major plans for College Avenue, and a design competition involving world class architecture/landscape firms is underway. Their plans will be unveiled this fall, and this project will go forward, despite the budget concerns. A more attractive campus will help RU attract better students and faculty.</p>
<p>MRC-
I may be that mom you refer to whose son is transferring from TCNJ to Mason Gross this year.
I am thrilled to hear how useful your degree from MGSA has been to you since your graduation many years ago. I hope my son has similar success!</p>
<p>As some have noted, some schools within Rutgers are VERY selective in admission, some less so. Mason Gross and the Pharmacy School (Ernest Mario?) are notably competitive. Our son is happy to have MGSA as an option since we could not swing tuition to his desired conservatory. So it's not his first choice but I am confident it will offer him the challenge he is looking for.<br>
And no need to put down TCNJ to build Rutgers up. TCNJ is a fine place. It just happened to lack the depth and breadth of a music dept that our son needed.</p>
<p>Marketing won't make Rutgers a star in New Jersey. Having a great product to market will. Yes there are bright kids and talented faculty. There always will be, because flagship state universities almost by definition have some of those. But it is hard to market a school that is getting most of its current publicity due to the annoyance about cost-cutting measures in areas that appeal to privileged kids who would like to find a home at Rutgers. And it is hard to market a city and university where something bad (in terms of violent crime and sometimes violent death) seems to make the local papers every semester. </p>
<p>I have visited New Brunsiwck on and off for more than 25 years for various purposes, and College Avenue doesn't seem to have improved much. And however much local magazines talk about a renaissance in New Brunswick or local authorities announce redevelopment plans, and however good the reviews are of performances at the State Theater, George Street is still pretty much dead on a summer evening, even in early evening when there is still daylight.</p>
<p>Where to begin...</p>
<p>You are concerned about the state funding issue. But did you do anything to speak up for budget restoration at RU?? Did you contact your elected officials?? If not, you really have no right to complain.</p>
<p>Do you see the problem here? People in NJ complain about RU but they don't do anything to support it. Then things get worse. And they blame RU for it. It's a cycle of apathy. Break that cycle by doing something productive - such as joining Friends of Rutgers. </p>
<p>As for New Brunswick, you are simply wrong. </p>
<p>Let's look at the facts:</p>
<p>1) Approx. 2 billion dollars in investment has flowed into downtown New Brunswick.
2) Downtown New Brunswick has become an attractive destination to live. Well over a thousand people have moved into numerous upscale apartments and condos in the heart of the city. And many more will be joining them as hundreds of more units are currently under construction. (Example: One Spring, a 23-story condo tower right in the heart of the city)
3) New Brunswick has one of the best restaurant selections of any town in NJ with an incredible range of choices. And more are on the way.
4) There is a thriving and diverse nightlife scene.
5) The theatres are doing as well as ever
6) The Heldrich - a 4-star hotel, conference center, and spa - with retail and commercial space, will soon be opening right in the heart of the city.
7) Rutgers is in the middle of a high-profile design competition - with world-class architects - that will lead to major improvements to College Avenue. College Avenue will be "greened" and become a beautifully landcaped pedestrian mall instead of a road.
8) Despite some highly publicized cases, overall crime in New Brunswick has declined in recent years</p>
<p>The net effect of all of this is that people are coming - and staying - downtown. New Brunswick has a vitality that is lacked for many years. </p>
<p>If you can't see a difference between today and 25 years ago, you are totally clueless.</p>
<p>Yes, I see the streets are paved with bricks now. I assure you I am not clueluess.</p>
<p>lawmatt - although incredibly disapointed with Rutgers (to me, a model for state governments on how to waste opportunity and advantage - world class universities are among the best social investments that can be made - and new Jersey instead has decided to build a bloated social welfare infrastructure), I take your word for it that McCormick is a capable administrator. But he is not going to rescue Rutgers without State help - and with New Jersey continuously electing tax and spend social welfare liberals, the kind of money that it will take to put Rutgers into the status it once enjoyed won't be forthcoming. Note that this is not a knock per se on liberals - in fact, liberals used to lead the charge on higher education spending - this is how the University system in California became so good - but the kind that get elected in New Jersey are beholden to constituencies (especially public unions, but also to decrepit and corrupt money pits like Newark and Camden that bleed the State) and they will not countenance the kind of competitive elistism that is necessary to bring Rutgers to the fore, especially given NJ's awful budget problems and the fact its ridiculously high tax rates will drive businesses and people away in droves in the next five to ten years. Not a pretty picture. </p>
<p>McCormick should, however, set the athletic program straight - and frankly, move the school down to a league that actually cares about academics - like the Patriot League. The athletic department spend millions, still produce a lousy product, and corrupt the heck out of the University's academic mission (argue with me if you want - but RU is taking players that University of Miami rejects, on the basis of both conduct and academics). I know of no school that elevates its academics when it follows bandit athletic practices. It doesn't work.</p>
<p>Lawmatt78,</p>
<p>Since you seem to know alot about Rutgers and the surrounding area, I'd like to ask your advice. I am the parent of an excellent NJ student and would like her to consider Rutgers in her college search. However, she has been to the campus informally a couple times (drove through once and attended a seminar for high school students interested in engineering) and refuses to consider it for college. Her impression is that it's all parking lots and too spread out to feel like a campus. We've never taken a formal tour, but if I could get her to go back what should we look at? She's interested in science and engineering, is into cultural things like opera and theatre, likes the idea of being close to things. She's visited MIT and Northeastern and likes both of them. I guess what I'm asking, is how would you market Rutgers to a High School senior?</p>
<p>Thanks for your insight.</p>
<p>SLMOM: I'd have her visit Stevens Tech in Hoboken. Good rep, nice campus, NYC view, merit aid and $$$ for female students. She could use a Bloustein there if she wins one. A quick Path ride to NYC & all it has to offer. Plus, Hoboken itself has nightlife.</p>
<p>Actually the RU football program seems to be headed in the right direction and went to to a minor bowl game last year where they played very well against a more highly ranked team. This season should see football sellout most games and make a solid profit. The subsidy to sports will be reduced with on the field success and the reduction in number of sports recently announced. Rutgers will enjoy a higher national profile through sports and it gives the students something enjoyable to stick around for in the Fall.</p>
<p>I saw the huge benefits to Wisconsin when it took the terrible athletic dept that was losing money and turned it around so that now it makes money and has some of the best facilities in the nation--all paid with athletic money. The financial turnaround took only five years.</p>
<p>Stickershock,
Thanks for the Stevens referral. We actually have been there and she liked it (especially the NYC skyline!) It's the exception to her "I want a big school" criteria. Unfortunately, it's another pricey school so that will be an issue. You mentioned merit aid for females, do you have any experience or knowledge of the possibilities here? Her stats are well over their middle 50% numbers, good EC's (chorus, theatre, model UN, Mock trial, color guard etc), top 1% of class.<br>
Thanks!</p>
<p>I know 2 kids who got full merit deals at Stevens. My son received a card saying that the application (online maybe) is free. Someone we know applied at the last minute just because it was free and he's there now...</p>
<p>mam, I agree with you on the shame of allowing thugs into Rutgers to beef up the football program. barrons is right that they played well & made it to a bowl game. But Charlie Weis is a Jersey guy who will recruit all the true student-athletes to Notre Dame. He's already begun to make inroads here. I don't see much hope for the RU football program either. Some of the top h.s. players in the country are from NJ, yet they are not staying in-state.</p>
<p>RU has done well to date in football recruiting with commits from 4 top players. ND will take a few but they recruit all over and there will be plenty left for RU. What RU needs is to beat schools like UConn, Iowa, Wissconsin, Uva for top NJ players.</p>
<p><a href="http://rutgers.rivals.com/commitlist.asp%5B/url%5D">http://rutgers.rivals.com/commitlist.asp</a></p>
<p>COMMITTED/NOT YET SIGNED Pos Stars Ht Wt 40 RR Video Hometown
Edwin Alvarez OL 6-7 253 - 5.3 Miami, FL
Justin Francis DE 6-2 247 4.92 5.2 Miramar, FL
Al-Majid Hutchins DB 5-11 180 4.45 5.6 East Orange, NJ
Joe Lefeged LB 6-0 190 4.6 5.6 Germantown, MD
Keith Newell DE 6-7 280 5.1 5.6 Trenton, NJ
Caleb Ruch OL 6-3 285 5.2 5.6 Quakertown , PA
Fabian Ruiz TE 6-4 224 4.85 5.4 Miami , FL
Desmond Stapleton OL 6-6 318 5.2 5.5 Union, NJ
Wayne Thomas DT 6-6 285 4.9 5.7 Nottingham, NJ
Desmond Wynn DE 6-6 245 4.7 5.5 Wilmington, DE</p>