Update on Student Services Initiative

October 18, 2004

Members of the Rutgers Community:

For the past 10 months, Rutgers has been engaged in a thoughtful, collaborative effort to improve student services. The effort began with retreats on all campuses that brought together students, administrators, and representatives from housing, dining, financial aid, parking and transportation, the police, and other service areas. From these meetings came a series of pragmatic recommendations to ensure that services at Rutgers are delivered efficiently and courteously.

Although some recommendations will take time and increased resources to implement, I am pleased to report that many changes have already been made to improve operations, increase accountability, expand hours, enhance communications, and address campus safety.

Everyone who contributed to these impressive improvements deserves our sincere thanks. Their accomplishments reflect a serious desire to make the Rutgers experience productive and pleasant for all.

Service improvements cannot be completely achieved overnight; nor are they a one-time effort. They demand hard work, continual evaluation, and a willingness to innovate. They challenge all of us - faculty, staff, and students - to work together to create a better environment for teaching and learning. Based on the superb progress to date and the willing attitudes evident across our campuses, I have every confidence that we are up to the task.

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