Good Luck on Exams

May 5, 2004

Dear Rutgers Students:

With the semester drawing to a close, I hope your academic experiences at Rutgers over the past year have been rewarding and fulfilling. I wish every success to those of you who are working on final exams and papers.

As you concentrate on your studies, please know that the university is diligently working to serve you better. We take very seriously the concerns you raised at the student-services retreats we held on each campus this year, and we have begun to act on your suggestions.

Service training has increased, office hours have been expanded, and many offices are developing instruments to measure student satisfaction. A few campus-specific efforts under way or completed include:

• improved shuttle bus services on the Newark campus and within University Heights;
• increased wireless access and improvements to departmental and campuswide web sites for greater efficiency of student service on the Camden campus; and
• centrally located Housing, Dining, and RUConnection Card services on each New Brunswick/Piscataway campus to begin the fall semester.

Students at the New Brunswick/Piscataway retreat also urged improvements in academic areas such as student advising. These critical issues are being taken up by the Task Force on Undergraduate Life and Learning that Executive Vice President Philip Furmanski has formed. I look forward to receiving the recommendations of the task force later this year.

We recognize that improving student services is not a quick fix but instead a continuing commitment. Returning students will hear much more about our improvements in the fall as our work continues.

Please accept my warm wishes for an enjoyable and productive summer – and to our graduating students, the best of luck as you join the ranks of Rutgers alumni!

Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey