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April 6, 2026
Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff,
With Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies at the Prudential Center less than two months away, on May 28, I want to remind everyone of the time change to 12:00 noon that was communicated last week.
Turning to enrollment, as of Friday, registration is open to all matriculated students for the Fall 2026 semester. We currently have 2,993 students registered, but let’s all make sure to focus our efforts on helping students register for the Fall semester before the end of the Spring semester. Domestic new student applications currently sit at 12,094, which is 3.62% ahead of last year. New domestic first year applications are at 8,857, which are 3.13% ahead of last year. There are currently 323 domestic first-year students deposited, which is 6.60% ahead of this time last year, though this includes this year’s bump from Will.Power. Day, which was held a week later, last year. Yield for incoming student cohorts will be critical towards meeting our enrollment goals, so everyone’s support in these areas will be critical, as always.
Speaking of Will. Power. Day, on Saturday, March 28, we welcomed 452 admitted students and their families to campus, approximately 1,400 people in all. The chilly weather was no match for our warm WP spirit, as students and their families interacted with faculty, staff, and students, toured campus, enjoyed fun activities, ate lunch in Wayne Dining Hall, received financial aid consultations, and learned about various departments and student clubs. Our success in getting students who visit campus to deposit and enroll is impressive, so these efforts are critical to help ensure that we have a strong entering class this fall. Indeed, more than 60 students deposited that day. Thanks goes to all faculty, staff, and current students who participated in the event, and special thank you to John Illge, Assistant Director of Event Management for University Admissions, for leading planning for the day, along with Missy Matera, Martha Echevarria, and Tyler Schreckenstein, of University Admissions, for assisting with the planning.
A reminder of a few important upcoming events. Please join us tomorrow, Tuesday, April 7 for the annual President’s Diversity Lecture, where Paulette Granberry Russell, J.D., immediate past president and CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, will speak on “Achieving Inclusive Excellence: Aligning Mission and Values in a Changing Policy Landscape.” The event is open to the campus community and invited guests.
On Thursday, April 16, the annual Tuition and Fees Hearing and Spring Enrollment & Budget Forum will take place at 12:30 p.m. in the Cheng Library Auditorium. Later that day, I will host Faculty and Staff Office Hours at 3:00 p.m. at 1600 Valley Road, Rooms 1007/08. Please join me and bring questions to ask and news to share.
Looking further ahead in April, Bring Your Child to Work Day! will take place on Thursday, April 23, with the theme, “The Future is @ Work”, highlighting a vision where every young person is inspired to explore career possibilities with confidence and curiosity. It serves as a call for innovation, adaptability, and lifelong learning in an ever-changing landscape, and to show young learners that the future is full of opportunity.
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