Welcome Back to Campus!

Sent Tuesday, September 6

Dear Members of the Rutgers University–Camden Community: 

I am excited to welcome you back to campus for the 2022-23 academic year! I hope you had a fulfilling, fun, and restorative summer—and just as important, I hope you’re as ready and eager to begin the coming year as I am. There is nothing like being back on a full and active campus, fully immersed in the energy of learning, research, and growth.

I want to express my appreciation to our students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and partners, for your collaboration and collegiality as I embark on my second year as chancellor. It has been a privilege to witness firsthand the fortitude of our institution as we celebrate traditions, while creating new ones. The dedication of our faculty and staff is unparalleled and it has been heartwarming to watch their devotion to Rutgers–Camden. In addition, we are blessed to have enthusiastic, talented, and driven students. As I reflect on these attributes, I am proud to call Rutgers University–Camden… my community.

Regardless of the role you play in our campus community, this year promises to bring continued challenges and opportunities. We are happy to welcome 18 new faculty members, whose wide range of backgrounds and areas of expertise are already building upon the diversity that characterizes and defines our community. Our new students come from 13 states and six countries around the world. They bring a vast array of interests, perspectives, and life experiences to our campus. Additionally, approximately 29% are the first members of their family to attend college. Thus, at Rutgers-Camden, we continue to foster diversity, access, and opportunity for social mobility.

As we begin the academic year, we look forward to a full slate of events and opportunities. On Thursday, September 8, at 3:30 p.m. in the Athletic and Recreation Center, we will host our inaugural Fall Convocation. During this new Rutgers–Camden tradition, we will celebrate and recognize the promise of a new beginning, sharing in eager anticipation our journey ahead. Following the ceremony, our “Welcome Home” celebration will feature food stations, student performances, music, and prizes. I hope you will join me and the rest of the university community in getting this new and important tradition off to an unforgettable start.

While we must navigate the continued presence of COVID-19 and the emergence of monkeypox, I take comfort in knowing that we are a conscientious community with the knowledge, expertise, and tools to effectively navigate these public health crises. Rutgers–Camden is closely monitoring the surrounding landscape, and we continue to follow public health guidelines to ensure our community’s safety and well-being. As you settle into campus, we encourage you to approach your daily activities with the same level of care that you exhibited over the past two-and-a-half years. For up-to-date fall health and well-being protocols, please visit coronavirus.rutgers.edu.

In closing, I look forward to working with each and every one of you on the exciting journey in front of us. Working together, we can anticipate an even better 2022-2023. So, let’s make the most of our endless possibilities in this new academic year. Have a safe and successful 2022-23!

Sincerely,

Antonio D. Tillis, Ph.D.
Chancellor