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November 24, 2025
Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff,
We hosted our second Open House of the fall, along with an Adult Learner Recruitment Event, this past Saturday. Preliminary counts show we welcomed 505 prospective students and their families to campus, which represents a 6.54% increase over last November's event. Students were welcomed by our wonderful Pep Band and heard from faculty, staff, and current students about how WP can be a Powerhouse of Progress for them. Thank you to Vice President George Kacenga and his Enrollment Management team, as well as everyone across campus who helped support this event and show future Pioneers all that we have to offer them.
Moving to current enrollment, Census II was finalized on November 11, and our Fall 2025 headcount stands at 12,521 students. While this is 1.49% (189 students) short of our stretch target of 12,710, it nonetheless represents a 5.32% increase over last fall and marks our highest overall fall enrollment since 1980. We saw growth across undergraduate and graduate enrollment, Main Campus and WP Online, continuing students, international enrollment, and high-school dual enrollment.
At the same time, when filtered for degree-seeking students only, the group most directly tied to net tuition revenue, WP Online is up 4.85% (189 students), but Main Campus enrollment is 2.6% below last year and fell 8.92% (524 students) short of the goal. These results reflect both the progress we have made and the work that still lies ahead, and they demonstrate the coordinated efforts across Academic Affairs, Student Development, and Enrollment Management to strengthen recruitment, retention, and student support. Thanks to everyone for your good work, and let’s collectively commit to doing all we can to meet our ambitious goals for next semester.
Looking ahead to Spring 2026, first-year domestic applications are up 36.19% year-over-year, and overall domestic applications are up 20.97%. Acceptances and new enrollment are also up, though it remains early in the cycle. International applications remain below last year due to U.S. visa and geopolitical pressures, but interest in William Paterson remains strong.
A reminder that I will be hosting Office Hours for faculty and staff today at 2:30 p.m. in Rooms 1007/1008 at 1600 Valley Road. Please join us to share updates and ask questions.
Also, please remember that the deadline to RSVP for our December 11 Hobart Manor Holiday Reception is close of business on Friday, December 5. Please click here, and I hope you will join us.
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