Faculty and Staff: A Positive Start for the Academic Year

August 31, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

It has been thrilling over the past several days to see our students move into the dorms, and to meet so many eager new scholars and colleagues at our New Student Convocation and New Faculty Orientation.

As always, the start of the fall semester represents a new beginning for our entire community. That is especially so now, with our repopulation of the campus. This is a time of great excitement as we embark once again on our sacred enterprise of providing the outstanding education our students deserve, as well as the groundbreaking research and public service for which Rutgers–New Brunswick is known.

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 at 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 documents.

Your Role in Our Community

You, our Rutgers–New Brunswick faculty and staff, have been so inspiring in the ways you have come together to continue our academic enterprise amid an unprecedented crisis. We are committed to fostering your continued success.

Over the coming days, weeks, and months, you will learn about the development of the Rutgers University–New Brunswick Academic Master Plan, a process I am leading on behalf of President Holloway to chart the course for our future academic priorities. Faculty and staff input will be an important part of this process.

Along with President Holloway’s commitment to creating a beloved community at Rutgers, this effort is connected with our culture of inclusion. We want you not just to work at 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.

I am excited to share this academic year with you, and to continue helping our students reach their highest goals.

Sincerely,

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