My niece graduated from Middlebury in February, and on the way to the Snowbowl where the graduates ski down the mountain in their robes (it was quite the sight) one goes by the historic Bread Loaf School of English. Robert Frost taught here for 42 years, right up to the year before his passing in 1963. I lingered by the historic marker for a few minutes, recalling of course arguably his most famous poem, The Road Not Taken.
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I have been thinking a lot lately about paths and roads. Many of you know that I enjoy hiking, and a few weekends ago, I set out to find the route between our two campuses. I felt there had to be a connector to a main Nature Conservancy trail somewhere behind 1800 Valley Road because there is an unmarked path right off the parking lot. I stepped into the wood, soon finding myself at a divergence. Should I go left or right? Left felt logical; it was more open and appeared to go around a dip in the topography, and I knew that I would still have the neighborhood close by in case I became lost. To the right seemed less trodden and, by my reckoning, without obvious civilization landmarks from which to draw comfort. But, to the right also felt more directionally correct. I opted for safety and went left. Turns out “safe” did eventually connect me to a main trail and then, after some distance, to the trail I was actually seeking. Later I ran into a fellow hiker who told me I should have gone right. And, ultimately up that way I discovered an amazing view to the west, and the cliffs where the Lenape people once lived. I’m now excited to lead others on a trek between our two campuses, something I’m toying with calling the inaugural WP Point to Point (let me know if you are interested – it is about 4.4 miles).
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In Frost’s poem, it is impossible not to reflect on one’s life paths, and by doing so, the difference it made. As we draw to the close of another academic year, I find myself thinking that we took some difficult budgetary paths to navigate a debilitating pandemic; launched WP Online; embraced adult learners; are partnering with schools, community colleges, and health care entities in new ways; are committed to rebuilding our UCC; are integrating new points of value for students through accelerated programs and certifications; and have a number of important student success efforts bearing fruit.
All directional choices have risks, but taking the ones we have are, I think, positioning us well going forward where others have not done so. Somewhere ages hence, having taken the way less traveled by will make all the difference.
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Thank you to the Faculty Senate for much good work. This has once again been a very productive year for the Faculty Senate and I want to thank the Senate leadership, Senators, Council Chairs, Council members, and University Committee members for all their efforts and accomplishments. Of particular note are a variety of important new or revised policies benefiting students, updates to a number of programs, a set of new certificates, a new master’s degree in computer science, guidance for inclusive teaching, approval for UCC 2.0, and other valuable contributions.
WP Summer Curriculum Institute. Faculty considering advancing a UCC course proposal are urged to attend the WP Summer Curriculum Institute. This three-day experience (with stipend) will focus on course development aligned with SLOs, diversity and justice elements that will be important for integration and not only to the social justice track, quality matters components, and the opportunity to engage in working groups for idea development and sharpening. CLICK HERE to register as time is running short.
School of Continuing and Professional Education soon to become the College of Adult and Professional Studies. William Paterson has been developing a reputation in New Jersey as a leader in enrolling and graduating adult students, doubling our campus percentage of adult learners in just five years. To build further visibility of our substantial supports for this population and with helpful Faculty Senate input received, we will transform the School of Continuing and Professional Education into a College of Adult and Professional Studies, effective July 1. The new unit will make clear not only the professional certification and upskilling opportunities SCPE has traditionally provided, but also the important work of serving returning adult learners in both main campus and online programs. The new college will be home to adult learners seeking to build community with peers, to gain support for credit for prior learning, and to find pathways from non-credit training into our for-credit programs. These college resources, along with important undergraduate advisement and financial service supports for WP Online students, will help provide personalized pathways for New Jersey's some college, no degree population. Internally, nothing changes – it will not have its own faculty, and courses and programs continue as part of the other four colleges.
Thank you to the Cheng Library for hosting the Annual WP Authors Reception. Scholarly contribution comes in different forms and we celebrated it on April 23 in the Cheng Library. We recognized 143 submissions by 74 authors across a range of scholarship and all four domains of the Boyer Model—the Scholarship of Discovery, the Scholarship of Integration, the Scholarship of Application, and the Scholarship of Teaching—all of which are valued at the University. And, we had a number of authors with multiple achievements this year, including two that published two books!
Reminder on Commencement Ceremonies. Just a reminder that our Commencement ceremonies will soon be upon us! For those going to the Undergraduate Ceremony in the Prudential Center who have signed up to take the bus, the assumption is that you will actually ride it as you planned, unless you alert Michele Martin at martinm27@wpunj.edu by May 13. No-shows have costs with respect to our bus quantity order.
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A Transfer Student Story between Fall 2022 and Fall 2023:
Nationally: +4.4% NJ: +2.8% WP: +20%
CAHSS: +12% COSH: +21% CCOB: +42% COE: +11%
Black: +18% Hispanic: +34% Asian: +0% White: +11%
Of additional note, New Jersey is #1 nationally for the percentage of students who start at a community college, transfer to a four-year college, and graduate with a bachelor’s degree within six years (National average: 16%; NJ: 21%).
Sources: National Student Clearinghouse, WP data, Chronicle of Higher Education.
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“We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.”
—Barack Obama
“Have no fear of the future. Let us go forward into mysteries, tear away the veils which hide it from our eyes, and move onwards with confidence and courage.”
—Winston Churchill
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
—Margaret Mead
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The Provost’s Office is Brenda, Claudia T., Claudia C., Jonathan, Kara, Rhonda, Sandy, and Josh. You can reach us at 973.720.2122 • provost@wpunj.edu
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