The purpose of Governor Christie's advisory committee was to examine the state of medical education in the state of New Jersey. Recommendations have been made for Rutgers-New Brunswick and UMDNJ-Piscataway to merge to ensure the stability of medical education at UMDNJ-Piscataway.

However, the committee was unable to make a recommendation on Southern New Jersey at the time. A proposed merger of Rutgers-Camden, Rowan University, and the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford (part of UMDNJ) was made without adequate research or investigation.

Medical Education in Southern New Jersey is hardly lacking. Currently, The Cooper Medical School of Rowan University is under construction in Camden which will serve as the first new medical school in New Jersey in several decades. The creation of a medical school hardly represents an institution in need of a merger.

Rutgers, Rowan, and UMDNJ-SOM have increasingly made a name for themselves throughout their growth over the years.

Changing their names would be a dis-service to the Universities they have built.

Forcing Rutgers-Camden to secede from Rutgers University is grossly unfair to the several students who attend Rutgers-Camden to be a part of Rutgers University.

Rowan University is named accordingly following the endowment made by Henry Rowan and his wife to Glassboro State College. The University was named in his honor due to the large endowment made. Changing the name would be an insult to the man and woman who gave so much for education in South Jersey.

UMDNJ-SOM repeatedly places its graduates at prestigious hospitals such as Johns Hopkins. UMDNJ-SOM has made an impressive name for itself in regards to medical education in South Jersey.

Please see that what Governor Christie proposes is highly misguided and a diservice to the universities located in South Jersey.

Please SIGN the Petition NOW.