Vision 2025 | New Jersey Council of County Colleges

Call to Action

Building a prosperous and future-ready New Jersey calls for a relentless focus on helping more New Jerseyans achieve postsecondary degrees and credentials that lead to genuine economic mobility and opportunity. New Jersey’s community colleges offer a unique value proposition to address these needs, based on access, quality, affordability, and innovation, and we stand ready to work with all partners for the benefit of our state.

Joining together to do this work is both a moral and an economic imperative.

We are eager to work with all who share this commitment. To learn how you can get involved, please click here.

Action Pillars

To help more New Jerseyans attain postsecondary degrees and credentials of value, we are committed to the following action pillars. Some call for new legislation or funding, while others advocate for new partnerships between community colleges and with external stakeholders. Many will be undertaken by community colleges themselves, reinforcing and building on progress they are already making. These action pillars represent our collective priorities and will shape our focus in the years ahead. We believe implementing these strategies is the best route to equitable academic, social, and economic mobility for all New Jerseyans and broadly shared prosperity for our communities.

Pillar 1: Helping All High School Students Access Pathways to Postsecondary and Career Success

In order to ensure that more New Jerseyans are on a path to family-sustaining careers, that we have an educated, skilled workforce to support economic growth, and that we close equity gaps, New Jersey must implement innovative efforts to help all high school students get on a path to earning a postsecondary credential or degree.

Pillar 2: Fostering Student Success and Completion in Postsecondary Education and Training

It is not enough to enroll students in postsecondary programs: we must ensure that more students earn a credential or degree. NJ’s Community Colleges serve an incredibly diverse population of students with multiple goals.

Pillar 3: Building Transparent, Seamless, and Stackable Pathways That Respond to the Changing Economy

NJ’s Community Colleges recognize that students take many different and unique journeys to postsecondary credentials and degrees and need transparent pathways that can be accessed in myriad ways. These pathways should seamlessly stack to higher levels of education.

Pillar 4: Helping Adults Attain the Credentials They Need for Career Mobility and Labor Market Success

To keep up with evolving skills and achieve economic and career mobility, more adult and working learners will need ongoing access to education and training. Some of these needs can be met through short-term nondegree credential programs at Community Colleges.

In The News

April 27, 2026 | News Story

MYB This Weekend: NJ’s Opportunity Agenda Goes Into Action

On this weekend’s “Minding Your Business” on News 12+, New Jersey Council of County Colleges Chief Innovation and Policy Officer Maria Heidkamp, NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Althea D. Ford and YMCA State Alliance CEO Julie Gallanty join Bob Considine to discuss New Jersey’s Opportunity Agenda, an updated collective road map for a Future Ready New Jersey, which includes the goal of having 75% of New Jersey adults in the labor market to have postsecondary degrees or credentials of value by 2040.

Press Releases

March 25, 2026 | News Story

In Memory of Dr. Steve Rose, President, Passaic County Community College

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Steve Rose, President of Passaic County Community College (PCCC). Dr. Rose was a valued colleague and trusted friend to so many across New Jersey’s community college community. He was a constant and reassuring presence, someone who always showed up for others, who was deeply committed to his community and led with genuine warmth and positivity. His impact will be felt for years to come, and he will be remembered not only for his leadership, but for the care, authenticity, and optimism he brought to every interaction.

Press Releases

March 23, 2026 | News Story

NJCCC Testifies at Assembly Public Budget Hearing, Citing Rising Healthcare Costs and Need for Stability

At the New Jersey General Assembly’s first FY27 Public Budget Hearing on March 13, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) joined Presidents from Camden County College and Brookdale Community College to underscore both the strength of the sector and the growing financial pressures—especially from healthcare costs—threatening its mission.

A Collective Roadmap for Action and a Future Ready New Jersey

Call to Action

Action Pillars

Pillar 1: Helping All High School Students Access Pathways to Postsecondary and Career Success

Pillar 2: Fostering Student Success and Completion in Postsecondary Education and Training

Pillar 3: Building Transparent, Seamless, and Stackable Pathways That Respond to the Changing Economy

Pillar 4: Helping Adults Attain the Credentials They Need for Career Mobility and Labor Market Success

Contact the Council

Upcoming Events

Opportunity in Action: The 3rd Annual New Jersey Community College Opportunity Summit

Latest News

MYB This Weekend: NJ’s Opportunity Agenda Goes Into Action

In Memory of Dr. Steve Rose, President, Passaic County Community College

NJCCC Testifies at Assembly Public Budget Hearing, Citing Rising Healthcare Costs and Need for Stability

Council Newsletter

A Collective Roadmap for Action and a Future Ready New Jersey

Call to Action

Action Pillars

Pillar 1: Helping All High School Students Access Pathways to Postsecondary and Career Success

Pillar 2: Fostering Student Success and Completion in Postsecondary Education and Training

Pillar 3: Building Transparent, Seamless, and Stackable Pathways That Respond to the Changing Economy

Pillar 4: Helping Adults Attain the Credentials They Need for Career Mobility and Labor Market Success

Contact the Council

Upcoming Events

Opportunity in Action: The 3rd Annual New Jersey Community College Opportunity Summit

Latest News

MYB This Weekend: NJ’s Opportunity Agenda Goes Into Action

In Memory of Dr. Steve Rose, President, Passaic County Community College

NJCCC Testifies at Assembly Public Budget Hearing, Citing Rising Healthcare Costs and Need for Stability