August 14, 2023

Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff,

I hope everyone enjoyed the final Summer Friday of 2023 and is ready for the home stretch that will take us to the start of the Fall semester. Our campus has been busy lately with our series of new student orientations and other preparations ahead of Welcome Day on August 30, and the return to our regular work will aid those efforts. If you haven’t already completed the Welcome Day questionnaire included in last week’s “Save the Date” email, please do so now by clicking this link. It will take a just a few moments and will help us greatly as we plan for the luncheon and the T-shirts that will be provided. As a gentle reminder, faculty and staff are required to attend.  

Turning to enrollment and retention, our total enrollment is currently 13.9% away from goal, versus 17.2% away last year at this time. Our main campus continuing enrollment is 7.1% from goal, compared to 5.4% last year. Continuing WP Online enrollment is 1.4% ahead of goal, versus 13.4% away from goal last year. First-year enrollment continues to trend well with 954 deposits, which is 6% ahead of goal, and 913 students have enrolled to date for the Fall semester. Main campus retention is up 1% over last year at this time.

I am pleased to announce that, effective immediately, University Performing Arts will now report to the President’s Office. UPA has a talented team and wonderful resources, including the Shea Center, and is a great asset to William Paterson and the surrounding community. My hope is that the new arrangement will allow us to create better synergy between UPA,  the Music Department, Jazz Room Series, Summer Jazz, art exhibits, and Distinguished Lecturer Series, along with better coordination with the Office of Sponsored Programs and Institutional Advancement. Given my theatre background, I thought that I can personally lend my skills and experience as a former arts administrator to help with its operation.    

This week’s WP: We are Proud – William Paterson University’s College of Education welcomed 49 area high school students as Aspiring Educators on campus from July 5- August 10. The program has experienced tremendous growth since launching in 2021 with 12 students through strategic investment funding to introduce the next generation of future teachers to the education profession and address calls to diversify the teacher workforce. Aspiring Educators spend four days a week on campus, taking a dual enrollment course in education and working as assistants for the Summer Youth Programs. Congratulations to the team of WP faculty, staff, and administrators who made this summer and the entire program a success, including Dean Amy Ginsberg, Associate Dean David Fuentes, Dr. Darlene Russell, Karla Lopez Tapia, Roy Garcia, Dr. Patrick Noonan, Cassandra Carleton, JoAnn Webb, Brie Mesagaes and Cicile Samiz, and others. The Aspiring Educators program is funded in part through support from the U.S. Department of Education, the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Education Association, members of the College of Education’s Advancement Advisory Council, and other generous donors. 

Have a great week!