Rowan University's Mission to Prevent Out-Migration from NJ

Steve Adubato and Dr. Ali Houshmand, President, Rowan University, talk about how quickly the university is growing, how they are better preparing students for the future and how they are working to prevent out-migration from New Jersey.

10/6/18 #3124

Excerpt:

"We're pleased to be joined by our good friend Doctor Ali Houshmand, President, Rowan University, based in southern New Jersey. The town is? Glassboro. Ali, we've had so many great conversations about higher ed. You were just with a group of university presidents in this studio talking about the future of higher ed. One thing we didn't get to talk about is investment. Mm hmm. Big investment... you were telling me... and I've read about this in many publications, there are three areas of investment at Rowan. Break it down. One is in curriculum? Curriculum. What we are saying is, Steve, higher education needs to always be ahead of the industry to train the workforce of the future for the industries that are going to be created in the future. Many of us do not know... who would have predicted ten years ago, Uber, as a new industry? Similar kinds of industries are going to come, and we need to be prepared to train that workforce. Therefore we figure that, given that many of the jobs that we are used to today will not exist in 10-15 years from now, what should be replacing them? So I figured that we need to invest in that area. So we put three million dollars, one million per year for the next three years... Right. ...provided it to our faculty, and then said, "Go at it. Go and invite experts. Go and visit other institutions. Have conferences, and go to conferences, learn what are the new and innovative curriculum that you need to create and replace the existing degrees with those, so that we can train the future of America." But you're also making an investment... by the way, I have, in fact, taught in the past at Rowan. It's been a wonderful experience for me. And you also are... Rowan's a supporter of what we're doing here at the Caucus Educational Corporation. Sure. But one of the areas that I also want to talk about is hiring new faculty is the point here? Yes. Yes. Why are you hiring 100 new faculty members? And in what areas? Well first of all, our university has grown very very fast. Since 2010 we had roughly 10,000 students. This September there will be over 19,000 students. 19,000? 19,000. Therefore we need to make sure that the quality of our faculty that we have are sufficient for our students. Therefore that's one area. Not only have we done that, but this year alone - this September - we will bring 142 new faculty to Rowan University. In what areas? 40... in every area that... Every area? Every area. Medicine, engineering, sciences, business, humanities, and incubators. Largely research-based? Because I know you're the seventh fastest... Yes. ...growing..."