Students: Welcome to a New Academic Year!

August 31, 2021

Dear Rutgers University–New Brunswick Students,

It is difficult to express how eager our faculty, staff, and I are to welcome our new students to Rutgers. And we are just as excited to welcome back those returning students who have been away from our campus for so long – your academic home has missed you.

The start of the fall semester represents a new beginning for all of us. It is a time of great excitement as we introduce each other to new modes of thought and perception, new sources of knowledge, and new ways to engage with the world around us.

Your Health and Safety

It is also, understandably, a time of questions and uncertainty – no less so because we are still navigating a pandemic. Please know that your health and safety, and that of our entire community, is Rutgers’ highest priority.

From the start, we have been on the cutting edge of safety, responsibility, and effectiveness in our handling of the pandemic. We were the first university to require vaccination for all students and have maintained significantly lower COVID-19 case rates than the areas in which we reside.

Our commitment to protecting your health and safety is supported by the measures we have employed throughout the pandemic, and bolstered by the impressive vaccination statistics that President Holloway has reported over the past month. Our community’s safety is a shared responsibility, and we expect our students, faculty and staff to abide by the guidelines in our Guide to Returning to Rutgers and Navigating Our Classrooms and Student Spaces PDF documents.

Your Role in Our Community

Rutgers–New Brunswick is committed to your success, and to fostering a positive student experience. My office is currently leading an Academic Master Plan which will chart the course for our future academic priorities, and a Student Experience Task Force to enhance the ways we serve our students’ needs. During both processes, we will solicit input from our students on what works, and on possible areas for improvement.

These efforts, along with President Holloway’s commitment to creating a beloved community at Rutgers, are connected with our culture of inclusion. We invite you not just to attend Rutgers, but to participate in our continued improvement of this institution – and to make your presence felt and acknowledged.

The analogy I often use is that we don’t just invite you to the dance; we invite you onto the dance floor. The process of dancing together can include awkwardness and unintentional stepping on toes. But it is also joyful, and it is a process we engage in together.

As we begin this new semester, I ask that you continue to share your concerns and questions with your respective university leaders and support systems or directly with me via this online form. I will do my best to ensure a timely and effective response.

We have much to be proud of, here at Rutgers. Our community has come together in so many inspiring ways to continue our academic enterprise amid an unprecedented crisis. We will continue to do so, with compassion and flexibility.

I am excited to share this academic year with you, and to help you reach your highest goals for yourselves and your careers.

Sincerely,

Francine Conway, Ph.D.
Chancellor-Provost, Rutgers University–New Brunswick