A Welcome to Parents and Families
August 31, 2018
Dear parents, families, and loved ones,
Welcome to the Scarlet Knight family! Whether your student is just beginning their Rutgers journey or returning to the Banks, we’re thrilled that you too are a part of our community. Each fall, I’m inspired by the energy, passion, and excitement your students bring to our campus and am honored to serve them as Rutgers University–New Brunswick’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
The start of a new academic year can be both exciting and overwhelming for students and their families. Helping to ease the transition and ensure your students’ continued growth, we hope to engage you by providing relevant information that allows you to feel more connected to and knowledgeable about this next stage in their development.
One of the largest administrative divisions at the university, Student Affairs helps to facilitate interactions among students, faculty, and staff to promote students’ academic and personal success. Comprised of 25 departments, including Student Health, Residence Life, Dining Services, Dean of Students, Recreation, Counseling, ADAP and Psychiatric Services (CAPS)and Cultural Centers, we help enrich the quality of student life. Below is a small sampling of the resources we offer.
Dean of Students: Serves as a student support network by providing advocacy, problem resolution, and critical incident intervention for those times when additional assistance is needed.
Counseling, ADAP and Psychiatric Services (CAPS): Counseling services are offered through Counseling, Alcohol & Other Drug Assistance Program and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), our University mental health support service. We develop an individualized action plan for each student based on their unique needs and the range of resources available at CAPS, within the University, and in the surrounding community. Services include crisis intervention, individual therapy, group therapy, a variety of workshops, alcohol and other drug assistance programs, and psychiatric care (medication management).
Dining Services: Provides nutritious, enjoyable quality products in a warm and friendly environment. A Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian is available to assist students with specialized dietary needs. Students requiring a specialized diet for medical needs such as celiac disease or food allergies can schedule a meeting with a nutritionist to discuss an individualized nutrition care plan.
College can be a transformative experience and we strive to develop thoughtful, engaged citizens, leaders, and scholars. By building a community that allows students to thrive, we aim to impact the student experience every day by giving them access to the resources and tools they need to achieve success at Rutgers and beyond.
Our website offers more detailed information about our many departments, programs, and services available to support students’ co-curricular experience and interests. We ask for your support and partnership encouraging students to get involved and make the most of the many resources available to them.
I hope to see you at Parent and Family Weekend this October and wish you all the best as you embark on this new journey with your student!
Sincerely,
Dr. Salvador Mena
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Rutgers University–New Brunswick