To the Campus Community, We have turned the calendar to October after an intense September of recalibrating and settling in. Continued thanks for your engagement on many fronts, including above-and-beyond efforts to grow educationally and remain flexible in these unusual times. I write with a few updates guiding options and decisions in the weeks to…

Dear All, We have arrived at the end of week two of fall semester 2020. Remember these days, the substance for a lifetime of reflection and reminiscence. Even as we practice our capacity for patience and resilience—the two most common responses in our community polls at last week’s Convocation and the Welcome Back Assembly—I understand…

Dear All, In the midst of this ongoing global pandemic, with its staggering infection rates, fluctuating risk levels, and ever-changing governmental guidance, my hope is that whether or not you have agreed with all of our decisions to date, you trust The College of New Jersey to consistently place your health and safety above all…

Dear All, When I wrote in late June to announce TCNJ Fall Flex, our plan for fall semester, I indicated that it was predicated on Governor Murphy moving the state to stage 3 of its reopening plan. As of today, and influenced by the recent uptick in the rate of transmission in New Jersey, the…

Dear All, In my first weekly missive—a seeming lifetime ago, but only three months ago on April 10, 2020—I provided the campus community with an outline of COVID-disrupted finances and planning for Fall 2020. My missive of one week ago—the twelfth in the series—offered ample coverage of the latter topic, describing the aims and approach…

Dear All, This is the missive you have been waiting for. Thank you again for your patience over the past three months as we continually monitored an evolving situation and planned for fall 2020. I am pleased to outline in this missive our aims and approach to the semester, which enable both an on-campus and…

Dear All, I am operating this week within the metaphor of rivulets flowing into streams, which carry us to new places. The items in today’s missive connect many channels as we direct ourselves toward restarts and transformations. This Moment, Nationally and Locally. As I write on Juneteenth, there is understandable skepticism from some that protests against…

Dear All, You will find in this missive elaborations and updates on our three continuing conversations: racial justice and TCNJ, coronavirus impact, and plans for fall 2020. A theme throughout is how much I have learned from you via survey responses, Zoom group conversations, or personal correspondence. Thank you for engaging these topics and TCNJ…

Dear All, For the past eight weeks I have been sending weekly corona-missives to the TCNJ community of faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and friends. Guided by student input over the past week, in this and following missives I broaden the scope to encompass community-wide matters of significance. Your input and responses are welcome. Your…

Dear All, I have been carrying with me in recent weeks the Chinese proverb, “be in readiness for favorable winds.” Perhaps it is the planner in me. There is no denying that we remain buffeted by uncertain winds from the coronavirus, economic conditions, state directives, and enrollment choices. Still, our focused and diligent preparations ensure…