April 5, 2021
Dear William Paterson Faculty & Staff,
I hope that you had the opportunity for a good rest over the weekend. These continue to be challenging times, and yet it’s good to remember to enjoy time with your family and friends, and to take time to appreciate the season as we move into spring.
April marks Genocide Awareness Month, and William Paterson University commemorates it with several panels and workshops. Thanks to a generous grant from the B L Manger Foundation and funding from the William Paterson University Alumni Association, our immediate and surrounding community will have access to rich and meaningful programing that reinforces important lessons that must never be forgotten about the Holocaust and the genocides that have plagued world history. Among other events, Associate Professor Alison Dobrick, College of Education, and Director of William Paterson University’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, will be welcoming journalist and author, Talia Lavin. Professor Dobrick describes Lavin’s 2020 book, Culture Warlords, as “an important contribution to the conversation on modern antisemitism, racism, and hatred in the online world. Her work uncovers truths about the white supremacist hate groups and terrorist cells that threaten our country today.” I urge you to read the linked story from WP News, and to attend the virtual events that are scheduled: https://www.wpunj.edu/articles/news/2021-03-26/WPgenocide-awareness-month/.
I want to take this opportunity to remind you once again that it’s essential that we all continue to follow the COVID-19 directives. Deans have reported seeing students meeting in groups without masks or social distancing. This is how COVID spreads. You know this! Wear a mask whenever you’re talking with anyone, maintain the six foot distance between you and others, and keep washing your hands. Cases of flu and of the common cold are down this year because so many of us are paying attention to these guidelines.
I also want you to be aware that we have begun the search for the Chief of Staff position in my office. The position description is on the internal job opportunities list maintained by Human Resources. Click here to view.
This week’s WP: We are Proud – This week, as we enter into official Spring, I am proud of our student-athletes who, even in the face of the Pandemic, keep practicing, keep working out, and when possible under the COVID protocols, play their best against our NJ competition. Including today’s schedule, all 13 of our teams will have competed over the course of the past two months. Just in this week alone, we’ve had soccer, tennis, field hockey, and golf teams in the field. What a great example of perseverance and grit! Thank you for making us proud, student athletes!
Have a great week!
