Headlines
NJ: Rutgers new president calls for public-private ‘hybrid’
MS: Senate revives charter school proposal
LA: Prison privatization foes lose floor fight
ME: Senate gives initial approval to DHHS restructuring plan

NJ: Rutgers new president calls for public-private ‘hybrid’
..We have fundamental issues to deal with,” he said. “I think we have to restructure these large land-grant universities into public-private hybrids that can satisfy their role as flagship universities for states like New Jersey. We have to be more sustainable, less buffeted by year-to-year shifts in state funding and economic environment. We have to be more diversified, more pro-active in looking at alternative revenue streams.” Barchi outlined a few approaches he thinks could help Rutgers be proactive in defining its own destiny. They include: Partnering with major industries and small businesses in the state
Asbury Park Press

MS: Senate revives charter school proposal
The Mississippi Senate revived charter school legislation Wednesday, giving new life to a c.ornerstone of Republican leaders’ agenda.  The move sets up a showdown in the House, which has been closely divided on broadening Mississippi’s provisions allowing alternative public schools. An earlier bill was voted down in a House committee…The full House will have to vote to either send the Senate plan to conference or approve it, without possibility of floor amendments. If the bill is sent to conference, it could die, because the move would open it up to procedural challenges in the House that won’t be allowed on the direct vote to concur with the Senate…One of the key points of contention continues to be how districts rated “successful” are treated. The Senate bill gives districts rated “star” and “high-performing” a veto over charter schools in their area. Those rated successful would also get a veto, but only until July 1, 2015. Superintendents have fought the bill in part because students anywhere in the state could enroll in a charter school, even if they’re leaving the state’s best-performing district…Opponents continue to worry that traditional schools will lose money and motivated students. Charter schools would collect a per-capita share of federal, state and local funds for each student they enroll. “The ones that are left, it’s important to make sure they don’t get left further behind,” said Sen. Kelvin Butler, D-McComb. GulfLive.com

LA: Prison privatization foes lose floor fight
A move to take a closer look at the proposed sale and privatization of the Avoyelles Correctional Center fell short Wednesday. Rep. Chris Hazel, R-Ball, wanted the House to send House Bill 850 by Rep. Henry Burns, R-Haughton to the House Criminal Justice Committee, which normally deals with prison issues. HB850, though, was sent to the Appropriations Committee, which deals with financial matters, where it received approval Tuesday in a narrow 13-11 vote…However, the House rejected his request and with a 50-45 vote set the bill up for floor debate, possibly next week…Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Marksville, supported Hazel’s effort. He cautioned House members that language in the bill says it’s not just Avoyelles that’s affected because it includes any prison opened since 1989.  Johnson traced a history of escapes from private prisons and mismanagement in the past two years and quoted Corrections Secretary James Le Blanc’s committee testimony that historically, Louisiana’s experience with prison privatization “wasn’t very successful.” Monroe News Star

ME: Senate gives initial approval to DHHS restructuring plan
Many Senate Democrats protested — one even called it “a terrible bill” — but it still passed after considerable debate on Tuesday. It then went to the House late Tuesday for more debate and passed in a 75-67 vote along party lines…The proposal seeks to merge the Offices of Substance Abuse and Adult Mental Health Services and combine the Offices of Elder Services and Cognitive and Physical Disabilities Services…One sticking point for some lawmakers was privatizing some services for the state’s most mentally ill residents. The original bill called for the elimination of 33 “intensive case managers” who work with severely mentally ill and potentially dangerous residents and shifting those services to the private sector.  The committee voted to keep intensive case management services in-house for prison and county jail inmates and then contract out the rest. Bangor Daily News