Welcome to the New Academic Year (Aug. 31, 2009)

To the Campus Community:

Welcome to the start of the 2009-10 academic year!  Some of you are returning to campus, while others are experiencing Rutgers–Camden for the first time. Since my arrival on campus in July, I have spent the past two months learning about the extraordinary skills and dedication of our faculty, students, staff, and graduates.  I have met with regional leaders who consistently express their respect and admiration for our campus and its vibrant reputation. Clearly, Rutgers–Camden is an exciting place to be.

I continue to learn more about our campus every day, and look forward to meeting and working with all of you.  During the past few months alone, some impressive growth has occurred.  I’d like to offer an overview of just some of the changes that will augment Rutgers–Camden.

ATHLETIC AND FITNESS CENTER

The year-long, extensive renovation of the Rutgers–Camden Gymnasium concluded this summer, yielding a state-of-the-art Athletic and Fitness Center that provides 75,000 square feet of space, all renovated from the original 1973 Gymnasium and its 1989 Auxiliary addition.  The center now boasts top-of-the-line cardio and strength-training equipment, a resistance pool, team locker rooms, and recreation program space for yoga, spinning, and Pilates.  We owe a debt of thanks to the students and staff who worked so diligently on this $12 million project; their commitment is evident in the quality and thoughtfulness of the final product.

I encourage you to join President Richard L. McCormick and me at the official re-opening of the Athletic and Fitness Center during 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1. 

This new space will serve our student-athletes as well as those of us seeking to keep fit. Rutgers–Camden competes in NCAA Division III sports.  During the upcoming spring, we will introduce lacrosse to our roster of intercollegiate sports.

FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS

In addition to the Athletic and Fitness Center, improvements to other campus sites may be evident.  The Penn 401 classroom has been renovated.  Currently, the Paul Robeson Library is undergoing renovations that will introduce compacted shelving on the lower level, thereby opening new space on the main level; those renovations are expected to conclude by the end of the fall semester.

FACULTY GROWTH

The academic units are to be congratulated for attracting 13 established and emerging scholars to our campus.  All of these new tenure-track faculty members show tremendous promise for advancing the intellectual reputation of both the campus and the University.  Join me in welcoming:

School of Business

Dr. Andrei Nikiforov (assistant professor, finance); PhD, University of Missouri-Columbia

Dr. Yuliya Strizhakova (assistant professor, marketing); PhD, University of Connecticut

School of Law

Prof. Pam Jenoff (clinical assistant professor); JD, University of Pennsylvania

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Sarah Allred (assistant professor, psychology); PhD, University of Washington

Dr. Bonnie Jerome-D’Emilia (assistant professor, nursing); PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University

Dr. Kwangwon Lee (assistant professor, biology); PhD, Texas A&M University

Dr. Susan Miller (assistant professor, childhood studies); PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Sean O’Malley (assistant professor, physics); PhD, NJIT/Rutgers–Newark

Dr. Lauren Silver (assistant professor, childhood studies); PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Patricia Dunphy Suplee (assistant professor, nursing); PhD, University of Pennsylvania

The following faculty scholars join our faculty during the academic year and await Board of Governors confirmation:

Dr. Andrei Grigoriev (professor, biology); PhD, Research Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms (Russia)

Dr. Benedetto Piccoli (professor, mathematics); PhD, SISSA/The International School of Advanced Studies (Italy)

Dr. Charles Watters (professor, childhood studies); PhD, Sussex (United Kingdom)

NEW PROGRAMS

During the 2009-10 academic year, Rutgers–Camden will finalize preparations for critical new programs that will debut in fall 2010.  The Faculty of Arts and Sciences is transforming the undergraduate nursing department from an upper-division program to a four-year program that will provide our students with a rich and comprehensive experience. As health-care employers increasingly select the BSN as a standard for nursing professionals, this new program will reinforce Rutgers’ leadership in this area.

Similarly, PhD programs in computational biology and public affairs are advancing, with the goal of enrolling their first students next fall.  These innovative doctoral programs leverage existing campus strengths, and will place Rutgers–Camden at the vanguard of scholarship in these disciplines.

Through such activity, campus enrollments are expected to exceed target goals in terms of both enrollment numbers and student quality.  Increasingly, Rutgers–Camden is a choice destination for undergraduate and graduate students.

Your insight into the future of our campus is of great importance. I would like to invite you to join me for my first campus address, which will be held at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, in the Penn 401 classroom accessible on the side of the Robeson Library. I will offer some thoughts about campus priorities, and am eager to discuss your ideas and questions.

In closing, thank you for welcoming me to campus.  We have great opportunities at Rutgers–Camden, and I look forward to working with you to advance our campus.

Please accept my best wishes for a successful semester.

Sincerely,

Wendell Pritchett

Chancellor