Now That We Are Back, A Chance to Look Forward

January 17, 2018

Dear Members of the Rutgers University–New Brunswick Community:

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing break and a joyful time with family and friends. I did too and, like you, am ready for the Spring semester.

We started the new year with a move. The historic and iconic Old Queens building on our tree-lined colonial campus is now the Office of the Chancellor. While most of the relocation of offices for my leadership team and me is complete, making it our home will require work during the next few months. Because Old Queens is the symbolic heart of the university, we would like faculty, student and alumni highlights—artifacts, books, awards and other hallmarks—to be displayed prominently in the building and in my office. I welcome your ideas and suggestions at chancellornb@rutgers.edu.

Since joining Rutgers last year, I have met with many alumni and friends and heard first-hand how their education has equipped them for leadership roles and success in life. They also reinforced what I already knew—that across the country and around the world, the Rutgers–New Brunswick brand is associated with rigor, quality, and prestige. I have also met with many legislators and public officials in the State. They, too, have shared their institutional pride, and we found commonality in our belief that the land grant Rutgers–New Brunswick has been, and will always be, a part of the solution and in service to the people of New Jersey. Engaging with alumni and friends, deepening our relations in Trenton and communicating the impact of this great institution will continue to be a high priority of my office.

As I wrote to you last summer, my first task as the new Chancellor was to learn about this great institution. I have done this by engaging with our community in several ways: via Campus Conversations and Chancellor's Colloquia, lively breakfast discussions with our faculty, and dinner at the dining halls with students. While these forums will continue, I have learned about what makes Rutgers special, what we are proud of, and where we need to focus our attention.

To that end, later in the semester I will host what I hope will be a new campus tradition: a conversation on the State of the Campus, that will serve as both an occasion to applaud our achievements and, more importantly, to illuminate our plans for the future. Your invitation to this event will be arriving in the coming weeks. I hope to see you there and I look forward to working with you as we continue building our community and charting the way forward for Rutgers–New Brunswick.

Sincerely,

Deba Dutta
Chancellor