Celebrating Scarlet Knights’ basketball The board passed a resolution recognizing the women’s basketball team and their spectacular journey to the NCAA National Championship Game in Cleveland. Although the team lost the final game to the University of Tennessee, it racked up an impressive list of honors and achievements: Rutgers’ first-ever BIG EAST conference championship, BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (Essence Carson), and All-BIG EAST honors for Carson, Matee Ajavon, and Kia Vaughn. Epiphanny Prince and Brittany Ray were both named to the BIG EAST Conference All-Freshman team. Despite starting the season off with two consecutive losses, the Scarlet Knights finished with an impressive 27-9 record and won 25 of its last 30 games. They finished the season ranked No. 2.

50th anniversary of the College of Nursing Rutgers’ nursing school was the 15th college to be established at the university, in 1956. The school is celebrating its golden anniversary. It was the first institution in New Jersey to offer a doctoral degree in nursing, as well as the first to introduce an online and blended Ph.D. program at Rutgers, in fall 2006. The college introduced a similarly structured Doctor of Nursing Practice program earlier this year. The College of Nursing has produced more than 4,300 graduates. The Board of Governors passed a resolution congratulating Dean Felissa R. Lashley and the College of Nursing on the school’s accomplishments over 50 years.

New master degrees The board approved two new degrees: the Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at the Graduate School–Newark and the Master of Science in computer science at the Graduate School–Camden. Resources to establish both programs are in place, and the programs have been reviewed by external consultants who recommend approval. The proposals have been forwarded to the New Jersey Presidents’ Council.

Renovations, construction projects approved The board awarded a $7 million construction contract to the Hessert Corporation of Marlton for the new College of Nursing facility planned for Paterson Street in New Brunswick. Originally approved in 2004 with a budget of $8 million, there is now $10 million available for the project, with $4.5 million from the nursing school, $3.5 million in bonds, and $2 million in bond proceeds. The facility will expose students to the latest in scientific and health-care developments as well as attract outstanding faculty eager to explore innovative ways of providing improved health care for the people of New Jersey.

The body also approved a concept document for renovations to the Rutgers–Camden Recreation Center. The school’s growth in student body and residential population necessitates a new facility, which was last updated in 1990. The proposed $9 million project includes a new multipurpose room, pool, fitness facility, and renovated intercollegiate team locker rooms.