Supporting You This Fall Semester

September 4, 2020

A message to students from Salvador B. Mena, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Rutgers University-New Brunswick:

Dear Scarlet Knights,

Welcome to our newest Scarlet Knights and welcome back to our returning students!

In his recent message to you, Chancellor Molloy stated, “there is an entire New Brunswick campus community that is supporting you.” On behalf of the Division of Student Affairs, I would like to affirm our commitment to that statement and reassure you that we are in fact together, despite being physically apart.

Student Affairs will continue to offer services and engagement opportunities to support your academic success and the overall student experience while keeping our community connected. Many of you have already participated in New Student Orientation virtually, taken online fitness classes, or signed up for our Virtual Learning Communities and Scarlet Knight Interest Communities. Yet others are looking forward to the Virtual Involvement Fair and what the rest of the semester holds.

I encourage you to visit getinvolved.rutgers.edu, where you will find virtual programs and events by university departments, student clubs, and organizations. You will also find clubs and organizations to join and meet other Rutgers students with shared interests.

Along with engagement opportunities, our departments are available to support you through this period of remote instruction by providing services such as counseling, emergency assistance, food pantry, COVID-19 testing, and legal services. While most services will be provided remotely, some in-person services may be available when necessary with the proper safety measures. Please know that regardless of our in-person or remote services – we are here to support you and we encourage you to ask for help if you experience personal or academic hardship. An excellent place to start when in need of support is the Dean of Students Office.

Like many, I hope for us to return to campus soon and see all our facilities open and safely full of activity. To get us closer to that point, we must all do our part to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. If you haven’t done so already, complete the required COVID-19 online training. This short training provides important information about the virus, symptoms of the disease, and steps to help protect yourself and others.

I believe the experiences we share, the connections we make, and the actions we take–regardless of whether they are virtual or in-person–serve to strengthen the bonds of our Rutgers community and demonstrate what it means to be Scarlet Knights.

Sincerely,

Salvador B. Mena, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Rutgers University–New Brunswick