The Morning Briefing January 31, 2012

CAMDEN - Rutgers-Camden students, who made an intentional choice to attend Rutgers and are now about to get the notorious RU Screw, are gearing up to fight the Governor's plan to hand the campus over to Rowan University. There's a growing "Save Rutgers" sentiment on campus, with students, faculty and alumni planning rallies, signing petitions and emailing legislators. The big question: Will a campus full of furious people outweigh the interests of one hell-bent Governor? And where is University President Richard McCormick in all this? Like usual, quiet as a church mouse.

PATERSON - "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" are now dealing with "The Real Courtrooms of New Jersey," as the husband of one cast member is fighting against charges he used his brother's ID to get a driver's license in 2010. Joe Giudice, the husband of reality show cast member Teresa Giudice, believes he is being treated harshly because of his so-called "celebrity status." The Record reports Giudice rejected a plea deal that would have capped his prison sentence at five years; he now could be facing 10 years behind bars. How is that for "reality"?

TRENTON - If you can't attend one of Gov. Chris Christie's rousing "Jersey Comeback" pep rallies, but have a burning question, call in to NJ 101.5 tonight at 7 p.m., when the Governor will be taking calls on his "Ask the Governor" program.

NEW LISBON - We keep hearing about small public hospitals in New Jersey getting gobbled up by private companies who are frantically racing to build massive health care systems. The latest is in Burlington County, where the freeholders will be talking today about the proposed sale of Buttonwood Hospital in New Lisbon during the first of two public hearings. The labor unions are aghast, as one would expect, as these large systems are like the Costco of health care and depend on economies of scale to ensure a profit.

TRENTON - Lots of bluster and blowback at the Statehouse over the Governor's controversial statement that civil rights advocates in the South would have loved the opportunity to have a referendum - similar to the one Christie is proposing in regards to gay marriage. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who is openly gay, said marriage equality is a civil right, on the same level as any other civil right. Christie said Gusciora had compared him to backwards Southern governors like Lester Maddox and George Wallace, adding the gay assemblyman is "numbnuts."

NEW BRUNSWICK - Is the new Rutgers head football coach a hidden gem or a warm body? That's the big question, as the university tries to hold on to some top recruits this week - in the wake of Greg Schiano's ill-timed decision to chase the bucks to Tampa Bay. The future of the Scarlet Knights has been handed to Kyle Flood, the team's offensive coordinator, who has never been a head coach. A little nervous here; it seems a Division One school in the New York market should have a list of premier head coaches ready to jump. Instead, it looks like Rutgers' nationwide search was suddenly confined to the walls of the locker room.

PRINCETON - One of the many, many benefits of attending Princeton University is there's always a way to pay. Tuition is going up 4.5 percent, the largest percentage in six years, but the Ivy League school was quick to announce it boosted the amount of financial aid to students by 5.6 percent to cover the cost. Imagine if New Jersey's public colleges and universities had the same deep pockets. Princeton noted its number of applicants is down 1.7 percent, which means that "only" 26,663 applicants were vying for a spot in the freshman class. Princeton may want to keep its head down, otherwise Christie will try to hand the university to Rowan.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Weepy people who think every song needs to be about goopy love are reminiscing about this day in 1975, when Barry Manilow destroyed the radio waves with the release of his song "Mandy."