About the Board
The Rowan University / Rutgers – Camden Board of Governors was created by the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act which took effect on August 22, 2012. The Board’s mission reflects an extension of Camden’s significant “eds and meds” presence and is expected to leverage the educational and research assets to support growth in the region’s health care capacity. The Board has three overarching objectives.
First, from an education perspective, the Board’s mission is to facilitate the development of curricula and programs at Rowan University and Rutgers University – Camden in the area of health sciences and build partnerships between these two institutions and other educational entities. The law gives the Board a clear mandate to establish or expand any schools, programs or departments in the areas of health sciences proposed either by the board of trustees of Rowan University or the board of directors of Rutgers University – Camden. The Board will determine policies, administration and development of health sciences curricula at these two institutions while building partnerships with others.
Second, from an economic development perspective, the Board’s mission is broad. The Restructuring Act contemplates a role for the Board in assisting Camden in its growth arc, specifically within the health space or in areas where there is a health nexus. Experts view economic and social determinants, including physical and social infrastructure in a community, to have an impact on its health outcomes. These determinants include, but are not limited to, housing, employment, education, utilities and public safety. To that end, health related influencers and activities not only provide the right economic development focal point for the Board to pursue, but also a framework for the breadth and scope of efforts it can undertake.
Finally, from a civic engagement perspective, the Board has many pathways to engage the community as it pertains to health related issues. Clearly, the educational and economic development initiatives to be advanced by the Board will have a net positive effect on the community. However, there is a clear and present opportunity beyond those two objectives to build accountable and healthy communities. The Board will work with the universities and colleges, the city government and various entities to advance community based programs and projects that will have an appreciable impact on Camden and the region.
The Board will carry out its mission by engaging and partnering with public and private institutions to develop programs and projects that will effectuate a vibrant and sustainable community and health sciences corridor anchored by Rutgers University – Camden, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Cooper University Health Care, Cooper – MD Anderson Cancer Center, Coriell Institute for Medical Research, and Camden County College.
Rutgers University–Camden
As the southernmost campus of Rutgers, New Jersey’s flagship public research university, Rutgers University–Camden enrolls approximately 7,000 students in 38 undergraduate and 29 graduate programs, including four doctoral programs and South Jersey’s only law school. Rutgers University–Camden faculty are respected internationally for their significant contributions to the advancement of knowledge across many disciplines. A Carnegie R2 research institution, Rutgers University–Camden regularly receive grants from such leading funders as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Knight Foundation, and the U.S. Army Research Office. Their books are published by top trade and scholarly presses, and they publish in and edit top scholarly journals. They are fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Academy of Nursing. Undergraduate and graduate students alike engage in this transformative research. Known as a rapidly emerging national model for the civically engaged urban university, Rutgers University–Camden is located in the heart of the University District at the Camden Waterfront.
Rowan University
Rowan University is a Carnegie-classified Top 100 public, national doctoral research institution dedicated to excellence in undergraduate education. The University offers bachelor’s through doctoral programs to nearly 20,000 students through its campuses in Glassboro, Camden and Stratford, New Jersey, and online. Rowan has had a campus in Camden since 1969, but has recently expanded its presence with the addition of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and increased partnerships with the Camden Public School District. Focused on practical research at the intersection of engineering, medicine, science and business, Rowan has earned national recognition for innovation, commitment to high-quality, affordable education, and developing public-private partnerships.