March 22, 2021
Dear William Paterson Faculty & Staff,
Spring’s arrival and its sense of renewal and hope are especially poignant this year, as vaccination rates continue to increase and we can all look forward to better days ahead. As I mentioned in last week’s message, we are planning to return to normal, on-campus operations for the Fall 2021 semester. One pandemic schedule change that we will keep in place again this year, however, is starting the semester one week earlier than usual.
After consulting with the AFT, the Fall semester is set to begin on Wednesday, August 25. The guiding reason for this decision is that it allows for an expanded Winter term, which has proven to drive successful outcomes for our students, while also providing more opportunities for faculty to teach during the term.
On another schedule-related matter, New Jersey will celebrate Juneteenth as an official State holiday for the first time on Friday, June 18 of this year, when the University will be closed. Juneteenth is an important date in U.S. history, because it recognizes the delay between the passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery and the news reaching enslaved people in Texas. While it should be celebrated nationally, I am glad that New Jersey now recognizes its significance. Of course, while Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the constitutional end of slavery, we must also recognize that the fight for civil rights and racial equality and justice continue today.
As evidence of the expanded vaccinations I mentioned above, William Paterson has so far referred 293 faculty and staff members to our partner, Atlantic Health, for the COVID vaccine. The eligibility list has expanded since we first announced this program and is scheduled to expand further on March 29, so check to see if you are eligible. If so, and you would like to participate in the William Paterson/Atlantic Health vaccine program, please register with the NJ Vaccine Scheduling System. Once you register, please forward the documentation you receive verifying you are eligible for a vaccine to payroll@wpunj.edu. In your email, please include a current phone number. After you submit your information, someone from Atlantic Health will be in touch to assist you. As a reminder, this program is for William Paterson University employees only.
This week’s WP: We are Proud – Congratulations to everyone at William Paterson’s student-run WPTV television station, who won awards for "WP Sports Desk" and Best Video Comedy Program at the 81st annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) awards virtual ceremony. This is the third IBS award for "WP Sports Desk", a weekly half-hour student-produced sports talk show on WPTV that includes the following producers: Stephen Bologna, NCAA football; Joe Paolantonio, WP Sports; Dante Vocaturo ‘20, former host and coordinating producer; and Justin Valentovic, NFL. The winning episode can be viewed here.
WPTV also won the Best Video Comedy Program award for its show, "The Fake News Network", "Switzerland Takes a Stand!" episode. A satire news series, the show features Jonah Arnault, head writer; Enrico Cruz, graphics designer; Regan McClure, casting director; Spencer Roda ‘20, former executive producer; and Skye Gugliuzza, social media director. Al Clarke, WPTV studio manager and adjunct professor, is the adviser for the television station that also won awards for Best Student Station Manager, Shaffer Johnston, and Best Social Media Director, John Conlow. Other IBS awards went to William Paterson’s radio station WPSC for Best Specialty Music Show produced by Tiernan Doyle. These awards are further recognition of both the high quality of our Communications program and the work our students are producing. Well done!
Enjoy the first week of spring, everyone.
