The direct economic impact of New Jersey's community colleges

This Major Applied Research Project had its emphasis on the development, implementation and evaluation of (1) a local economic impact model, (2) a statewide economic impact statement, and (3) a handbook to assist campus personnel in local economic impact calculations.;This project also addressed the following questions: (1) What economic impact does Brookdale Community College have on Monmouth County? (2) Is Brookdale's economic impact on Monmouth County different than that other New Jersey community colleges have on their counties? (3) What is the economic impact of the community college system on the State of New Jersey?;The project was conducted as follows: (1) A survey was developed and distributed with the assistance of appropriate committees of the Council of County Colleges on New Jersey and statewide associations of business officers and research administrators. The survey was field tested prior to distribution to all colleges. (2) Each community college provided its local economic impact data to its county government as part of the local Fiscal Year 1984 budget process. (3) A statewide economic impact statement was presenteed to the Joint Appropriations Committee of the State Legislature as part of the State Fiscal Year 1984 budget process.;The completed objectives of this project were as follows: (1) An economic impact study was produced to assist Brookdale Community College in its efforts to obtain more appropriations from the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders. (2) A simplified model for calculating local economic impact was made available to provide information for Brookdale's sister colleges in their efforts to obtain a greater amount of appropriations from the County Board of Freeholders. (3) A statewide economic impact statement was produced for the Association of County Community College Presidents and the Council of County Colleges in their efforts to obtain an increase in state appropriations for community colleges. (4) A Handbook was produced that will serve as a guide for the specific calculations for each element of an economic impact statement. (5) The economic impact model and the Handbook will make it possible for New Jersey's community colleges to analyze changes in impact over time and determine the causes of such changes. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)...