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Dear Ұ������ Community,

(Ұ������) continues to achieve a dramatic turnaround in transfer student enrollment following a comprehensive reform of its General Education curriculum designed to create the most transfer-friendly programs in the state. The university has experienced double-digit growth in new transfer enrollment for three consecutive semesters, marking the first sustained growth period since 2016. 

Ұ������'s redesigned General Education program, and launched in Fall 2024, represents a groundbreaking approach to higher education accessibility. The curriculum fully aligns with the General Education Foundation for New Jersey's Community Colleges and accepts every General Education course approved in the community college system for full credit at Ұ������.

The increase follows a successful Spring 2024 semester in which new undergraduate transfer enrollment rose 34.4% in . The GE reform has reversed years of transfer enrollment declines — 63.1% between Fall 2016 and Fall 2023 — while other New Jersey public four-year institutions . The new curriculum's immediate impact demonstrates Ұ������'s commitment to serving transfer students, first-generation learners, and working adults. 

After leading the revision of the program as General Education Director, Dr. Scott O’Connor assumed the role as Assistant Provost to implement and build on these reforms. 

“Under President Acebo’s relentless focus on place and mission, the faculty rallied to build a curriculum designed for our actual students from day one,” said Dr. O’Connor. “I’m proud that our faculty now look first to partners like HCCC and the JCBOE to learn how best to serve our shared students.

“Transfer is no longer something we just accommodate,” Dr. O’Connor added. “At Ұ������, it’s the foundation of how we serve, how we grow, and how we lead.”

The curriculum redesign has enabled Ұ������ to forge unprecedented partnerships with Hudson County Community College (CONNECT), Essex Community College, and Mercer County Community College, with additional partnerships in development. These collaborations are built on shared curriculum standards, allowing students to transfer seamlessly without losing credits or repeating coursework.

Dr. Donna Breault, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, notes the significance of this change.

“The revised General Education Curriculum, and the work it has allowed Ұ������ to do with its partners, are clear indicators of the strategic commitments outlined in Ұ������’s and – documents developed by the hundreds of university stakeholders committed to serving Ұ������’s students. We believe in access and excellence for Northern New Jersey’s most marginalized community members. This curriculum, along with other innovative curricular changes, have provided opportunities not found at other New Jersey Institutions.”   

The program also revolutionizes support for adult learners by allowing Prior Learning Credits (PLCs), CLEP exams, and professional certifications to articulate cleanly into General Education requirements, helping students accelerate their time to degree. Ұ������ is also rapidly expanding its dual enrollment offerings in local high schools. 

"The new General Education program makes it easy for high school students to take real college courses that actually count," said Dr. Michael Arbitblit, Assistant Registrar for Transfers. "Because our GE courses are standard and widely accepted, students know their work will transfer—whether they stay at Ұ������ or go elsewhere." 

The General Education reform supports Ұ������'s broader commitment to affordability and access, including its single tuition model for all students — whether in-state, out-of-state, or international. Additional reforms include generous transfer scholarships unmatched among New Jersey public universities, the university covering the cost of textbooks for students, Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) Format programs in such fields as Business, Cybersecurity, and Fire Science, and streamlined degree pathways. 

As a Hispanic-Serving and Minority-Serving Institution, Ұ������'s new General Education curriculum reaffirms the university's belief that rigorous, accessible academic programs designed for the communities it serves are the surest path to individual and community success.

Learn more about Ұ������'s General Education program at . 

If there are any questions regarding this communication, please feel free to contact the Office of the Provost at provost@njcu.edu.

Sincerely,

Dr. Donna Adair Breault
Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs