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Wishing You Success This Semester

January 21, 2021

Dear Scarlet Knights,

Welcome to the spring 2021 semester! I hope you had a restful winter break. While we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19, political strife, and racial injustice, I hope you are eager and curious to begin your new roster of classes. And a special shoutout and welcome to our newest Scarlet Knights joining us for the first time this semester!

While some of you will be living with us on-campus or near campus in the towns surrounding New Brunswick, most of you will continue to be connected to us virtually. We learned from the fall 2020 Remote Instruction survey that 53% of students who responded did not feel part of the Rutgers community. Recognizing this challenge, the Student Affairs team is actively promoting social and academic connections among students to ensure that you have the information necessary to seek out resources and opportunities for engagement. We will continue to modify and adjust our programming and support services to provide a well-connected, inclusive, and engaged Scarlet Knight community while also being mindful of our students' health and well-being. Below is a listing of events to start the semester and support services available to you. Please do your best to take advantage of all that Rutgers offers you this semester.

Speaking of student health and a healthy community, Scarlet Knights are a part of the solution. Please continue to keep COVID-19 at bay by practicing the 3W’s: Wearing a mask, Washing your hands, and Watching your distance. We are still in the middle of a pandemic, and I am asking all of our students to do their part to keep themselves and the Rutgers community safe. Doing your part also includes adhering to the Knight’s Call, which calls on us to be Authentic, Inclusive, Responsible, Resilient, and Engaged.

As your Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, I am accessible to you and welcome the opportunity to hear from you directly. I encourage you to visit with me to share your thoughts, ideas, or concerns during my virtual student office hours, every Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. You can schedule an appointment here.You may also schedule an appointment with me by emailing studentaffairsvc@echo.rutgers.edu.

Wishing you a successful semester!

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

 

Events to kick-off our spring semester:

  • Spring Involvement Fair taking place on Monday, January 25 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Learn about the 500+ student organizations and fantastic opportunities Rutgers has to offer you this semester. You can participate in the Involvement Fair via Campus Groups. Click here to watch a quick video about logging on to Campus Groups.
  • Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the Black Student Union and the Cultural Center Collaborative for A Dream of Kuponya/Kikeokàn: Black and Native American Healing, a virtual celebration of Black History Month and Native American heritage taking place on Sunday, January 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event’s theme centers on the healing practices of both Black and Lenni-Lenape people. Featured speakers include Rutgers historian and President Jonathan Holloway, renowned scholar Dr. Cornel West, and Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation member Rev. J.R. Norwood. They will bring awareness to the history, struggle, and resiliency of social justice movements in the United States. Register here.

Services available to you:

  • The Busch, College Avenue, and Livingston Student Centers are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for study, COVID-19 testing, and picking up food. Visit sca.rutgers.edu for additional information.
  • The Sonny Werblin Recreation Center is open by reservation only. You can also continue to stay fit with Rutgers On-Demand virtual classes. Information may be found at recreation.rutgers.edu.
  • Counseling via Let’s Tele-Talk is available remotely via phone and video appointments. To schedule an appointment, call (848) 932-7884. Leave a voicemail with your full name, phone number, and RU ID.
  • The Hurtado Health Center on the College Avenue Campus is open with modified hours of operation: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most services are provided via phone and video consultations. Limited in-person appointments are also available when deemed necessary. Visit health.rutgers.edu for more information.
  • The Office of the Dean of Students, “your friendly neighborhood student advocate,” holds virtual drop-in hours every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and every Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Click here to fill out a short questionnaire prior to attending. A Zoom link will be provided upon completion of the form. You may also schedule a telephone, WebEx, or Zoom appointment via email at deanofstudents@echo.rutgers.edu.
  • Students can sign up for appointments to come to the Rutgers Student Food Pantry, currently located at the Graduate Student Lounge, or the Rutgers Mobile Food Pantry to receive a bag of non-perishable items on Mondays and Wednesdays (Graduate Student Lounge) and Thursdays (Mobile Pantry). Click here for information and to sign up for an appointment.
  • Dining Services offers to-go meal options at various facilities: Cafe West on the College Avenue Campus, Kilmer's Market on the Livingston Campus, and the Busch Dining Hall on Busch Campus. Visit food.rutgers.edu for information about on-campus food and meal plans options.
  • To support your academic success, the Learning Centers offer remote services using Penji. Contact the Learning Centers using this form or via WebEx on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For additional resources available to you, visit studentaffairs.rutgers.edu/resources.