September 27, 2021
Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff,
I hope everyone enjoyed the first weekend of Fall, which is always one of the most beautiful seasons here on campus.
I want to update you on some important developments on the budget and enrollment front that are critical to the future of the University. As you know, we are dealing with the fiscal implications of both a current budget gap resulting from a pandemic-related enrollment contraction and a structural deficit that has evolved and deepened over the longer term. In our traditional/on-campus enrollment, a 12 percent contraction in undergraduate headcount has added significantly to our operating deficit. Structural problems are rooted in a decade-long decline in enrollment due largely to the approximately 2,200 students we lose each year through attrition. Since regional demographic trends do not make it feasible to significantly increase the number of incoming students, retaining them is increasingly important. Together, these forces have resulted in what we are projecting to be an approximately $30 million structural deficit. A plan to address and resolve this structural deficit over a three-year timeframe is currently under development.
I know that AFT members were recently updated by their union President on the direct implications of the deficit for your bargaining unit. While the potential for additional layoffs was anticipated, there was no way for any of us to anticipate the timeframe or number of layoffs currently being considered given the drastic decline in full time undergraduate enrollment. I am deeply saddened by the prospect of additional layoffs, and I am committed to working with all union leaders to reduce the number of layoffs as much as feasibly possible. The process will remain dynamic, meaning that if we can work collaboratively to reduce the budget deficit, I commit to reducing the number of layoffs or rescinding them.
I spoke further about these challenges with the Board of Trustees at its Friday meeting and committed to presenting members with a detailed plan to address the structural deficit when they meet again in November. The University will have some painful but necessary decisions to make in the coming months. We will, of course, continue our ongoing conversations with the Unions representing WP faculty and staff regarding any reductions in force going forward. We must all recognize that tough steps need to be taken to ensure that William Paterson can continue to serve our students with the excellence that we have always provided. I look forward to your input and assistance in positioning the institution for future growth in a dramatically changing environment for higher education.
I am hosting my first session of Office Hours this Wednesday, September 29 at 4 p.m. in UC 216. Please come with any questions you want to ask or topics you’d like to discuss.
This week’s WP: We are Proud – Congratulations to Dean Venkat Sharma, Vice President Guillermo de Veyga, Associate Dean Melkamu Zeleke, Associate Provost Sandy Hill, Director of Transfer Programs Patrick Noonan, and Provost Josh Powers for their work in securing a five-year, $4.99 million U.S. Department of Education (ED) grant. The “Access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Pathways through Integrated Research and Engagement” (ASPIRE) project will benefit first-time, first-year Hispanic and low-income WP and Passaic County Community College (PCCC) students by seeking to increase the total number of overall WP STEM majors, increase the number of low-income and Hispanic STEM students transferring from PCCC to WP in a STEM major, and increase the number of juniors and seniors participating in internships, research fellowships, and other work-based learning opportunities.
We face tough challenges, but together we will rise to meet them with determination and commitment to our students. As we often tell them – Will. Power. Together, we’ll do this!
