Education has become prominent again as a key issue, ripe for challenge and examination.

From the public policy efforts of No Child Left Behind, the current Race to the Top and now the $100 million gift to the Newark School System, these efforts focus on elementary education - a bedrock of our societal values.  But these programs also impact our secondary and higher education institutions and our country's business, corporate and community successes as students move forward.

An educated workforce helps drive prosperity, not only for business but for our families and communities as well as being an important underpinning of community life.

In a highly diverse state like New Jersey, the impact of diversity in higher education is the subject of our Annual Diversity Issues in Education Conference (see sidebar for this year's conference information).

As we do our work in New Jersey colleges and universities the focus is on our Campus Leaders program - training Resident Assistants; providing diversity knowledge and skills during Freshman Orientation; developing and implementing diversity initiatives among key groups of students and faculty; and through consultation with administration on key diversity issues.

As the demographics of our state change - the 2010 Census will provide interesting information - so too will our campuses.

For all of us that's a good thing -for the students, for their families, for the quality of life in our communities and our businesses and corporations, seeking customers and employees. The better educated our entire potential workforce, the more enhanced is our quality of life. The more diverse the college community, the greater the learning and personal growth - strong goals of higher education.

At every level and interaction of our society, an educated and diverse population can bring us richness beyond the economic measures.  A rich and vibrant personal and community life is enhanced by the growing diversity we see in New Jersey and on all of our campuses as well.

Diane