Welcome to Fall 2024!  

September 4, 2024

Dear New and Returning Scarlet Knights,

Welcome to the start of an exciting new academic year at Rutgers–New Brunswick! It's great to see our campus return to life, with students preparing for a Rutgers experience that will shape their future.

It is my privilege to remind all members of our community of the Rutgers Way: We value each student’s and team member’s unique perspectives, which enrich our campus culture. As President Holloway mentioned in his video message yesterday and as stated in the university’s Free Expression at Rutgers website, higher education institutions are places where the best minds discuss and debate while upholding everyone’s right to learn, teach, and work without disruption, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and violence.

It is our responsibility to take care of each other. Rutgers–New Brunswick’s Caring for Our Community page provides resources and strategies for creating a resilient, responsive, engaged, and informed community. Rutgers can model civil discourse and academic freedom—a community where members advocate for their positions with clarity, honesty, and willingness to listen to differing opinions. Please check our website for educational information throughout the year and get involved.

In addition to free expression, we prioritize the safety and well-being of every community member, and we are committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of background, feel fully included in our campus community.

As we begin the academic year, I invite you to join me in a call to action I call the Compassion Challenge. Over the next 30 days, show one act of kindness each day and note how you feel. The psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, author, and educator Kendra Cherry offers these ten ways to practice compassion: 1) Speak with kindness; 2) Apologize when you’ve made a mistake; 3) Listen carefully and without judgment; 4) Encourage other people; 5) Offer to help someone with a task; 6) Be happy for someone else’s success; 7) Accept people for who they are; 8) Forgive people for making mistakes; 9) Show respect; and 10) Express gratitude and appreciation. Take up this challenge and observe how it changes you and creates a thriving community.

I am also excited to announce that our inaugural Chief Wellness Officer and ScarletWell Director are working to integrate well-being into all aspects of our campus culture for a healthy community. Additionally, students can review the Rutgers Student Health website to learn about the diverse resources available for student wellness.

I wish each of you an exciting and productive academic year. You are a valued member of the Rutgers–New Brunswick community, where we transform lives and serve the public good.

Sincerely,

Francine Conway, Ph.D.
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Rutgers University–New Brunswick