January 11, 2021 Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff: I hope everyone’s new year is off to a great start and that you were all able to relax and enjoy the holidays. I also hope that, like me, you are reenergized and excited to start the Spring semester. While we face very real budget difficulties and the layoffs and other changes needed to deal with them, I truly believe that the coming year will ultimately be one of promise and hope for our students and our entire University community. I want to thank all the essential employees who have continued to keep our campus safe and critical functions operating over the break and during the current Winter term. Those of us who have been fully remote during this period will return to the Black & Orange schedule on Tuesday, January 19, following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. You should be in touch with your supervisors if you have any questions about how that schedule applies to you or your department. There is a lot to talk about with regard to current operations, future plans, and the many opportunities to make William Paterson a stronger University. I will address all of these issues and try and answer all your questions when I deliver my bi-annual State of the University Speech, virtually, on Thursday, February 11 at 12:30 p.m. Please save the date and check your email for reminders in the coming weeks, which will include the event link and instructions for submitting questions in advance. In the meantime, take care, and I look forward to seeing you on campus soon. Sincerely, Richard J. Helldobler, PhD President
