Rutgers-Camden to be absorbed by Rowan University? Forum

[mrtoren]

I only applied to Newark because I really, really don't want to live in Camden for three years, to the point of Newark looking relatively attractive in comparison, but I feel like this thread is getting at an important issue. The fact that the Camden faculty is pissed does make it a problem for the students if a good portion of the faculty flee to other jobs. That's completely separate from the name change, which I'd argue DOES impact students despite every employer likely knowing about the change.

This is not akin to Penn State affiliating with Dickinson, where both parties had benefits to the new affiliation. The better analogy is a school like Drexel being bought by West Chester. Sure, the new name won't affect people this year because everyone knows about it. It does however, make a difference in five years when people have forgotten that Rowan Law used to be Rutgers Camden Law.

Another question that lingers is, "will the Rutgers alumni continue to support the Rowan graduates?" Alumni networks are crucial to finding jobs and pissed off alumni may sever their connections to the law school.

[2LT_CPG]

Are you guys serious? Nobody outside of NJ cares about the "Rutgers brand" and everybody in NJ is going to know about this change. It has exactly 0 effect outside of 0Ls moving in from across the country for that "great Rutgers name" on their JD.

Yeah this. I don't think anyone outside the region knows or gives a shit about Rutgers. I can't even begin to keep their 19 different campuses (campii?) straight.

Once again, no one in this thread ever claimed Rutgers has any reach outside the tristate region. In fact we've been saying the opposite: Rutgers' name inside NJ carries a lot of weight.

[20130312]

Are you guys serious? Nobody outside of NJ cares about the "Rutgers brand" and everybody in NJ is going to know about this change. It has exactly 0 effect outside of 0Ls moving in from across the country for that "great Rutgers name" on their JD.

Yeah this. I don't think anyone outside the region knows or gives a shit about Rutgers. I can't even begin to keep their 19 different campuses (campii?) straight.

This is a totally moot point, since we were only discussing Rutgers' reputation within the region. Thanks for your valuable contribution.

[neeko]

Are you guys serious? Nobody outside of NJ cares about the "Rutgers brand" and everybody in NJ is going to know about this change. It has exactly 0 effect outside of 0Ls moving in from across the country for that "great Rutgers name" on their JD.

Yeah this. I don't think anyone outside the region knows or gives a shit about Rutgers. I can't even begin to keep their 19 different campuses (campii?) straight.

It's a regional school, so if the region cares, that's a problem. No one gives a shit about other regions when talking about a regional school.

[2LT_CPG]

Another question that lingers is, "will the Rutgers alumni continue to support the Rowan graduates?" Alumni networks are crucial to finding jobs and pissed off alumni may sever their connections to the law school.

I bet they shift their allegiance to Newark.

Back to the original thrust of this thread. Has the possibility of making the Camden law school a branch of the newly christened Newark-based Rutgers Law been brought up? I swear I read it somewhere in the paper recently, but I forget where.

[Nelson]

Another question that lingers is, "will the Rutgers alumni continue to support the Rowan graduates?" Alumni networks are crucial to finding jobs and pissed off alumni may sever their connections to the law school.

Do you think Rutgers alums aren't going to hear about their school changing names? Of course you will continue to get whatever alumni network support there is now.

not sure where you're from Nelson.

I'm from the area as well. There are two NJ state schools we're talking about. This is like ranking the relative preftige of Penn State satellites. Maybe the Rutgers New Brunswick campus has some additional weight (though it's not nearly as significant as going to PSU's flagship) but nobody cares about differences in NJ state schools.

Regardless, we're talking about the law school and the "Rutgers-Camden" brand JD. No one is going to think less of it if it's the "Rowan University Law School" or the "Rutgers-Rowan Law School". All of the drama in the NJ papers is from staff at both schools who don't want to lose their jobs in yet another Christie bloodletting.

[2LT_CPG]

I'm from the area as well. There are two NJ state schools we're talking about. This is like ranking the relative preftige of Penn State satellites. Maybe the Rutgers New Brunswick campus has some additional weight (though it's not nearly as significant as going to PSU's flagship) but nobody cares about differences in NJ state schools.

Respectfully, you don't know what you're talking about. It's not at all like ranking the various PSU satellites as if they were separate. Rutgers is NJ's state university, as Penn State is Pennsylvania's state university. Rowan is a public college that used to be a state teachers' college. Rowan is more comparable to a school in PA like West Chester - a public, former teachers' college that today is still public, and has relatively little prestige. Just because the two schools are public does not make them one in the same. You'd never call William and Mary the same school as UVA, but under your logic, what's the point in differentiating them? They're both Virginia state schools.

People care about the prestige of the state schools they go to. Rowan is NOT Rutgers, just like West Chester is NOT Penn State. So stop saying otherwise. They're completely different kinds of institutions. Just because they receive state support doesn't mean they're various satellites of the same institution.

Also you've misspelled the word 'prestige' the same way multiple times in the same way. Just a heads up.

[mrtoren]

I'm from the area as well. There are two NJ state schools we're talking about. This is like ranking the relative preftige of Penn State satellites. Maybe the Rutgers New Brunswick campus has some additional weight (though it's not nearly as significant as going to PSU's flagship) but nobody cares about differences in NJ state schools.

Respectfully, you don't know what you're talking about. It's not at all like ranking the various PSU satellites as if they were separate. Rutgers is NJ's state university, as Penn State is Pennsylvania's state university. Rowan is a public college that used to be a state teachers' college. Rowan is more comparable to a school in PA like West Chester - a public, former teachers' college that today is still public, and has relatively little prestige. Just because the two schools are public does not make them one in the same. You'd never call William and Mary the same school as UVA, but under your logic, what's the point in differentiating them? They're both Virginia state schools.

People care about the prestige of the state schools they go to. Rowan is NOT Rutgers, just like West Chester is NOT Penn State. So stop saying otherwise. They're completely different kinds of institutions. Just because they receive state support doesn't mean they're various satellites of the same institution.

Also you've misspelled the word 'prestige' the same way multiple times in the same way. Just a heads up.

+1

[srfngdd6]

Point of Information any Penn State degree just says Penn State and does not denote which campus you attended

[Nelson]

Respectfully, you don't know what you're talking about. It's not at all like ranking the various PSU satellites as if they were separate. Rutgers is NJ's state university, as Penn State is Pennsylvania's state university. Rowan is a public college that used to be a state teachers' college. Rowan is more comparable to a school in PA like West Chester - a public, former teachers' college that today is still public, and has relatively little prestige. Just because the two schools are public does not make them one in the same. You'd never call William and Mary the same school as UVA, but under your logic, what's the point in differentiating them? They're both Virginia state schools.

People care about the prestige of the state schools they go to. Rowan is NOT Rutgers, just like West Chester is NOT Penn State. So stop saying otherwise. They're completely different kinds of institutions. Just because they receive state support doesn't mean they're various satellites of the same institution.

I'm saying the difference between Rowan and Rutgers is minimal, yes. Being the "flagship" university of the state is a meaningless distinction. Jobs that care about where your undergrad is from are equally unimpressed by Rutgers and Rowan. Jobs that don't care, don't care.

Also you've misspelled the word 'prestige' the same way multiple times in the same way. Just a heads up.

It's a joke.

[neeko]

Respectfully, you don't know what you're talking about. It's not at all like ranking the various PSU satellites as if they were separate. Rutgers is NJ's state university, as Penn State is Pennsylvania's state university. Rowan is a public college that used to be a state teachers' college. Rowan is more comparable to a school in PA like West Chester - a public, former teachers' college that today is still public, and has relatively little prestige. Just because the two schools are public does not make them one in the same. You'd never call William and Mary the same school as UVA, but under your logic, what's the point in differentiating them? They're both Virginia state schools.

People care about the prestige of the state schools they go to. Rowan is NOT Rutgers, just like West Chester is NOT Penn State. So stop saying otherwise. They're completely different kinds of institutions. Just because they receive state support doesn't mean they're various satellites of the same institution.

I'm saying the difference between Rowan and Rutgers is minimal, yes. Being the "flagship" university of the state is a meaningless distinction. Jobs that care about where your undergrad is from are equally unimpressed by Rutgers and Rowan. Jobs that don't care, don't care.

Also you've misspelled the word 'prestige' the same way multiple times in the same way. Just a heads up.

It's a joke.

You have no idea what you're talking about. I hope you know that.

[20130312]

NOPE

[gaud]

Rutgers has a far superior brand name in the region. Outside of the region, no one knows what a "Rowan University" is.

This. I lived in NJ and totally forgot Rowan even existed. Not saying that Rutgers is the greatest school or anything like that, but it is certainly respected more in that region than Rowan.

[Nelson]

The Fortune 500 company I work for specifically has Rutgers as a target school for employment. Rowan is not on the list. It makes a difference to employers, even those in the Philly area.

Dude, so what? My point is that if you're gunning for the kind of job where you're relying on your school's reputation to get you a job, either out of undergrad or out of law school, you're better off going to a school with a real national reputation. For the vast majority of Rutgers and Rowan grads, their job searches are going to be determined on their work experience and who they know.

The original point of this thread was whether Rutgers-Camden's rep was going to be threatened by the "taint" of the Rowan name. It's not. Your company will continue to target the campus for recruits if they do so now.

[2LT_CPG]

Dude, so what? My point is that if you're gunning for the kind of job where you're relying on your school's reputation to get you a job, either out of undergrad or out of law school, you're better off going to a school with a real national reputation. For the vast majority of Rutgers and Rowan grads, their job searches are going to be determined on their work experience and who they know.

That applies to everyone, including Princeton undergrads. Meaningless.

Rutgers and Rowan grads are not in comparable situations. You're missing that point completely. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

[mrtoren]

Dude, so what? My point is that if you're gunning for the kind of job where you're relying on your school's reputation to get you a job, either out of undergrad or out of law school, you're better off going to a school with a real national reputation. For the vast majority of Rutgers and Rowan grads, their job searches are going to be determined on their work experience and who they know.

That applies to everyone, including Princeton undergrads. Meaningless.

Rutgers and Rowan grads are not in comparable situations. You're missing that point completely. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

Both of you need to end the personal attacks.

What I've taken away from this thread is an aura of uncertainty. Nelson's argument is sound; employers will probably recruit there regardless of the name that is on the building as long as the graduates are of the same caliber. The quality of students may change in time, but it shouldn't affect anything for several years. However, 2LT presents a strong case for the strength of the school's success being due to its brand name. I wish things hadn't changed, but its a new reality. The fall out will land somewhere between null and complete meltdown, but probably not at either extreme.

It'll be a tough call.

[drmguy]

My feeling is that there would be a VERY short term downside when the south jersians cope with the difference and then there will be a significant upside.

All I care about, which I haven't researched, is if and how the law school balance sheet will change.

[PBateman1]

Which one has the football team?

[Lil Kev]

Which one has the football team?

Neither.

[neeko]

Which one has the football team?

If you mean the Rutgers football team, New Brunswick.

[Lil Kev]

Which one has the football team?

If you mean the Rutgers football team, New Brunswick.

I thought he meant the Temple football team when he said the football team.

[romothesavior]

Which one has the football team?

If you mean the Rutgers football team, New Brunswick.

Wait... wut?

How many freaking Rutgers campuses are there?

[20130312]

Which one has the football team?

If you mean the Rutgers football team, New Brunswick.

Wait... wut?

How many freaking Rutgers campuses are there?

3. New Brunswick is the largest. It has the football stadium and used to have Ray Rice run all over people in it.

[jetissent]

I live almost exactly halfway between Rutgers Camden and Rowan and I agree throwing away the Rutgers name --no matter how little weight people my argue it carries-- makes 0 sense as the Rowan brand certainly carries less. Moreover, the differences between Jersey's state schools are quite pronounced (there is a reason Rutgers NB and TCNJ have much lower UG acceptance rates than William Patterson or Ramapo). In this case specifically, the governor is attempting to combine a research university campus with a predominantly undergraduate liberal arts school. That is a big change and anyway you slice it, it's silly to keep the lesser known school's name.

That said...if I went to RC I'd trade the school's name in a heartbeat if they moved the building out of Camden lol sadly that's not in the cards though.

[Lil Kev]

As someone from PA, I can concur. No one gives a fuck about Rowan. It's looked at as a crappy school (for the most part). Rutgers has a lot more name recognition and a lot more behind it. A lot of my friends went to R-C and they are all freaking out about this. Rowan has a pretty bad rep in the area, and this is definitely going to hurt prospects in the general vicinity.