Even for a laconic personality like George Norcross, the message was cryptic. Simply the letters "FYI" attached to an e-mail statement written by someone else. Norcross has declined to elaborate, but it was clear the South Jersey political boss was endorsing some or all of the message from Wendell Pritchett, the chancellor of the Camden campus of Rutgers University.
Pritchett opposes the plan, pushed by both Norcross, a Democrat, and Republican Gov. Chris Christie, to allow Rowan University, a former state teachers college now saddled with a very expensive medical school, to swallow the Camden assets of what has been New Jerseys only real state university Rutgers.
Pritchett sent out a note to the Rutgers-Camden alumni explaining his opposition to the Rowan takeover. In it, he cites comments made by Norcross in a radio interview "that many of the concerns over the elimination of RutgersCamden were 100 percent correct. It also quotes Georges brother Donald, a state senator, about the need to keep the Rutgers brand" in Camden.
In an interview, Pritchett concedes he doesnt know "whats going on in the minds" of the powerful Norcross brothers, but he hopes these were signs the execution of Rutgers-Camden would be commuted to a life sentence of "partnership" with Rowan, an arrangement that would allow it to remain part of a major, national research university: Rutgers.
George Norcross sent Pritchetts email here with his cryptic "FYI." He declined an interview. Gov. Christies spokesman also did not respond to a request for comment.
Perhaps the Norcross-Christie partnership is having second thoughts about the wisdom of eliminating Rutgers-Camden by fiat. If so, there is a good chance one reason is the work of a Camden finance professor who is raising serious questions about the financial implications of the proposed takeover.
Eugene Pilotte, unlike other Rutgers professors and opponents of the takeover, doesnt argue against the merger for sentimental or "branding" reasons. Hes talking serious stuff money.
Pilotte starts with the irrefutable position that medical schools cost money: "Medical schools are costly enterprises that require large subsidies from their hosting academic institutions and states," Pilotte said in a presentation to the Rutgers trustees.
Rowan took over medical education in South Jersey and is about to open a medical school. The head of the new schools trustee board is George Norcross. Its a Norcross achievement boosted by his former friend in the governors office, Jon Corzine. The existence of the Rowan medical school was cited by Christie as a reason for pushing Rowans digestion of Rutgers-Camden.
But Pilottes report notes that, since trying to run a medical school, Rowans debt has skyrocketed and its bond rating was downgraded by Moodys Investment Services in November, 2010. That downgrading was reaffirmed last May. Moodys shows that Rowans debt per full-time student is $51,704 versus $22, 986 for Rutgers.
More:
Braun: South Jersey political boss Norcross mum about Rowan University merger plan