William Paterson University Annual Report 2017

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Board of Trustees Frederick L. Gruel Chairperson Michael Seeve Vice Chairperson Robert Guarasci Secretary Chelsye Carrion (Student Trustee) Lourdes Cortez John Galandak Kevin Lenahan ‘90 Anna Marie Mascolo Brad Neilley ‘80 Linda Niro ’76 William J. Pesce ‘73 Joseph Velli ‘80 Deborah Zastocki Kathleen M. Waldron, ex officio Robert Seal, Chief of Staff to the President and Board of Trustees

President’s Message At William Paterson University, we are committed to providing our students with an excellent and affordable education that prepares them for success in their careers and advanced studies. During the 2016-17 academic year, we continued to enhance the overall experience for our students through new academic programs and facilities, increased scholarship support, and additional important cocurricular and extra-curricular opportunities.

I am pleased to report that this year two new members joined the University’s Board of Trustees, Kevin Lenahan ‘90 and Joseph Velli ‘80. Kevin graduated with a degree in accounting and is the senior vice president, chief financial officer, and chief administrative officer for Atlantic Health System, Inc. Joe, who also graduated with a degree in accounting, was senior executive vice president of The Bank of New York and chairman and CEO of Convergex Group. We also celebrated 33 years of service on the Board by Henry Pruitt. Jr. who retired from the Board in June 2017 and was named trustee emeritus. Henry was committed to William Paterson University and was a tireless advocate for our students, and we are grateful for his dedication to public higher education in our state.

At William Paterson University, we recognize that part of our mission as a public university is to prepare students for their post-graduate lives. Since many of our students seek careers upon graduation and often select professional fields of study, we believe it is in the best interests of students to participate in experiential learning opportunities, hold internships, and gain direct clinical or teaching experience before they graduate.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences offered specific career preparation workshops for humanities and social sciences majors, drawing on the expertise of the local business and community leaders, including alumni, who support the College through its Dean’s Advisory Board. The College also hosted a networking event that drew hundreds of students and representatives from numerous companies, search firms, and not-for-profit organizations.

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In the Cotsakos College of Business, the professional enrichment program requires all undergraduate business majors to create a career development plan, create a LinkedIn profile, and complete mock interviews. The College expanded those efforts to include COIN (Crux of Industry Niche), a four-day intensive business boot camp for students that provides them with the opportunity to meet and interact with leaders from some of New Jersey’s top industry sectors, including banking, food, retail, and healthcare. This year, 14 accomplished professionals, nearly half of whom were alumni, discussed the inner workings of their industry, their firm, and their own personal career path with our students.

In the College of the Arts and Communication, connections within the arts, music, and communication industries play a vital role in providing professional practice opportunities. Art students have been included in gallery exhibitions in New York City, and gain hands-on knowledge in emerging robotic and 3D printing technologies in the University’s studios. Jazz studies students performed at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Lincoln Center, and during our acclaimed Jazz Room series, while popular music and music management students met industry leaders during special seminars and conducted interviews with industry professionals at the Music Biz 2017 conference in Nashville. Communication students have access to important internships with top media companies, including a new invitationonly opportunity to apply for a two-year technical operations training position with NBC Universal.

In the College of Education, continuous learning and professional development for teacher candidates and current teachers has long been the norm. The University’s network of more than 60 Professional Development Schools throughout the state serve as a model for the College’s career preparation partnerships with teachers and administrators, many of whom are alumni. All students in the College complete rigorous on-site supervised experiences in their disciplines. The College continually revises curriculum; as of fall 2018, teacher candidates will now be required to complete a year-long student teaching assignment. The College also works closely with Career Development to host a job fair and networking event specifically for education majors.

In the College of Science and Health, many departments continued their active research programs for undergraduate students, which provide valuable opportunities for students to apply skills learned in the classroom and laboratory, as well as important mentoring by faculty members. In addition to hosting the 11th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, which drew more than 300 students from 30 metropolitan area colleges and universities, the College sent several students to academic conferences to present their research projects. The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) chapter on campus also hosted guest speakers and networking activities to support female students seeking to pursue graduate studies and careers in the sciences.

We are proud of the continuing progress we are making as an institution that carefully and successfully prepares our students for future success.

This William Paterson University Annual Report 2016-17 highlights our major achievements in keeping with the goals of our Strategic Plan 2012-22 and includes many wonderful accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students.

Kathleen Waldron, President William Paterson University

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I.

Academic Excellence

Academic Initiatives and Highlights The 2016-17 academic year was a milestone for the University’s nursing program, which offered its first baccalaureate degree in nursing in 1966 and celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special event for alumni on March 30, 2017. William Paterson continues to be a leader in nursing education in New Jersey, with more than 3,600 graduates on the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Today, enrollment in the nursing program numbers 500 students and nearly 15 percent of current students are male. More than 335 are undergraduates; 140 are in the master’s program and 22 students are earning their doctorate. There are more than 50 nursing faculty. The program is affiliated with more than 50 cooperating agencies in the surrounding North Jersey region, including major hospital and medical centers, public health agencies, clinics, and nursing homes. William Paterson nursing alumni are employed at nearly every major hospital and medical center in New Jersey and beyond.

The year also proved significant for the bachelor’s degree program in public health, which became one of only eight undergraduate programs in the nation to be accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). In this, its first round ever of accrediting such undergraduate programs, CEPH invited only a handful of programs to apply for consideration.

The Department of Computer Science successfully achieved re-accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology/Computing Accreditation Commission.

The University continued its commitment to developing graduate programs that respond to professional workforce demands. The Board of Trustees approved the master of science degree in materials chemistry, which now moves forward to the state for approval. This program will be among the first in New Jersey and one of just 30 similar programs nationwide.

The Cotsakos College of Business initiated a new MBA Pathway certificate program. This 18-credit oneyear graduate business certificate program provides students with a bachelor’s degree in any major with six foundational MBA core courses that can support professional advancement and can be applied to the MBA program. In addition, new education certificate programs were approved, bundling existing courses into “stackable” certificates that students can use in the workplace for career advancement and which may lead to enrollment in degree programs.

In addition, the University continued to provide opportunities for students to highlight their undergraduate research and scholarly experiences with faculty, a hallmark of a William Paterson education. This year, the University expanded Explorations 2017, its showcase of faculty and student research, scholarship, and creative expression, with

Faculty and students in the Nursing Department celebrate the program’s 50th anniversary

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The College of Humanities and Social Sciences hosted its 5th annual Multidisciplinary Conference, “The Public Spectacle: Exploring Anger and Political Transformations,” in October 2016, just one week before Election Day. The event focused on the function of anger in politics as both a political tool and a response. The keynote session featured Ian Haney-Lopéz, the John H. Boalt Professor of Law at University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches race and constitutional law.

A poster session during Explorations 2017

events throughout the month of April. As part of this event, the Cheng Library hosted the annual Author’s Reception, and also honored William Paterson faculty and staff who have received grants and other external funding.

Faculty members Michael Figueroa, kinesiology, Betty Kollia, communication disorders, Kem Louie, nursing, and Persephone Vargas, nursing, worked together to develop the Interprofessional Collaboration Education (IPE) Activity, a pilot program that provides students from three different majors in applied health an opportunity to work together to develop comprehensive treatment plans for patients in a clinical setting. The program is an example of the University’s focus on creating educational opportunities that prepare students for professional settings.

The Cotsakos College of Business hosted its 10th annual Russ Berrie Institute National Sales Challenge in November. More than 100 students from 31 universities across the country as well as Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland participated in the event, along with 113 executives from 16 sponsor companies, marking the largest executive attendance in the competition’s history.

The College of Education hosted a two-day workshop on campus in July 2016 for area teachers to enhance their instruction of STEAM materials.

The acronym STEAM adds art instruction to the traditional science, technology, engineering, and math instruction. Funded as part of a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the workshops provide teachers with professional development on ways to integrate art into the curriculum. Teachers from Paterson and other local schools participated in the workshop.

The Cotsakos College of Business also hosted 25 Chinese students from Zhejiang University of Technology for a three-week training on Bloomberg terminals and U.S. finance and markets. This program with Zhejiang University of Technology is part of an ongoing relationship between our two institutions. These students also joined with University business students to attend the College’s annual Crux of Industry Niche (COIN) Boot Camp. a four-day intensive business boot camp connecting them to leading industry professionals in banking, food, and healthcare, including many alumni.

Jeffrey Buonoforte, Lakeland Bank, speaks during COIN 2016

During the spring 2017 semester, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences held a daylong workshop on social justice, attracting faculty, staff, and students. Coordinated by the Social Justice Project and the Gandhian Forum for Peace and Justice, the March event focused on how to be effective citizens in an increasingly diverse, interdependent, and pluralistic society, and was an opportunity for students and faculty to discuss the battle over “fake news.” As part of the event, the Gandhian Forum presented a talk by Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change, who discussed “Freedom Under Fire.”

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Faculty News and Achievements The University’s faculty of teachers/scholars had a very productive year, with more than 385 publications, including books, book chapters, and articles in journals and other publications; more than 80 artistic artifacts/events, including performances, productions, and exhibitions, and nearly 450 lectures, presentations, and workshops at academic conferences and other settings.

Research by Rahi Abouk, assistant professor of economics, on the impact of an e-cigarette ban on conventional cigarette smoking by teens, was published in the Journal of Professor Rahi Abouk Health Economics.

Professors Janet Ahn and Elizabeth Haines, psychology, along with a third professor at Columbia Business School, conducted a groundbreaking series of studies in the journal Sex Roles that found that women also take on more of couples’ “mental housework” —the remembering of daily errands and to-dos.

Professor Martin Becker, environmental science, who conducts research on fossil shark teeth, was featured in a documentary about the discovery of an ancient underwater forest 60 miles from the Alabama coast.

Stephanie Rivera Berruz, assistant professor of philosophy, was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Foundation Career Enhancement Fellowship. She is one of 30 junior faculty members across the country selected for the prestigious honor.

English professor Marina Budhos received several awards for her young adult novel Watched, including an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature YA Honor (APALA). Her book, which takes on the topic of Muslim surveillance, was named an Honor Book for YA, The Walter Award (We Need Diverse Books).

Elizabeth Ekmekjian, professor of accounting, was among 27 honorees selected as recipients of the New Jersey Society of CPAs Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award. This year’s award was based on dedication and commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion issues within the accounting profession and, in many cases, personally mentoring staff to leadership roles in the industry or students to follow an accounting path.

Jean Fuller-Stanley, associate dean, College of Science and Health, was a panelist on a breakout session entitled, "PhD Pipeline: Demands of and Paradigms for Diverse Associate Dean Jean Fuller-Stanley Faculty," at the 16th Annual Diversity Issues in Higher Education Conference.

Professors William Healy, Prabakar Kothandaraman, and Sudha Mani, professional sales, were notified that their work in developing case study materials on Konica Minolta Business Solutions will be included in the Harvard Business School Press Case Collection, the leading collection of case study materials accessed by millions of students and scholars.

Leo-Felix M. Jurado, associate professor of nursing, was selected as an American Academy of Nursing Fellow for 2016. Jurado was one of 164 nurse leaders from across the U.S. and ten other countries selected for outstanding contributions to nursing, health care, and their influence on health care policies.

Payton MacDonald completed a documentary film, Sonic Divide, which chronicles his summer 2016 2,500-mile bicycle ride along the U.S Continental Divide, during which he performed 30 original commissioned compositions. MacDonald presented a TEDx Bozeman talk/ performance in Bozeman, Montana

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about his experiences, which was streamed live, and also presented a screening of the film on campus in April 2017.

Gallery. Her paintings and drawings were included in the book Abstract Expressionism for Beginners by Richard Klin, published in August 2016.

Kathleen Malu, a professor of secondary and middle school education, received a Fulbright Scholar award to conduct research at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London on language policy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This marks Malu’s second Fulbright Scholar award; she was previously awarded funding for teaching and research in Rwanda from 2009 to 2010.

Sheetal Ranjan, professor of sociology, participated in the 8th Milestones of a Global Campaign for Violence Prevention, sponsored by the World Health Organization. She also represented the journal Feminist Criminology on a panel at the United Nations Women headquarters in New York City where she discussed “Violence Prevention: A Coordinated Community Response Approach.”

Professor Kathleen Malu

History Professor George Robb curated Over Here: Newark in World War I, 1917-1918, an exhibition that commemorates the centennial of World War I at the Newark Public Library, and For Home and Country: World War I Posters from the Newark Public Library, an exhibition in the William Paterson University Galleries to be held during fall 2018.

Julie Rosenthal, associate professor of elementary and early childhood education, led one of 16 education teams nationwide selected to participate in a “Teach to Lead” Teacher Preparation Summit in November 2016 in Washington, DC.

Brenda Marshall, associate professor of nursing, was honored by the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Nursing at the annual Diva and Don Gala in December 2016. Marshall was recognized for extraordinary contributions to the nursing profession in New Jersey.

Paterson and Its People, a documentary by Vincent Parrillo, professor of sociology, continued to receive accolades. The film won the best home-grown documentary feature award at the 2017 Garden State Film Festival and was selected for the 2016 Golden Door International Film Festival in Jersey City.

Lily Prince, professor of art, was named Artistin-Residence at Olana, the historic home of painter Frederic Church, in summer 2016. The award included an exhibition of artwork she created during the residency at Olana's Coachmen's House

“In Vitro,” a poem by Christopher Salerno, professor of English, appeared in print in The New York Times Magazine and was posted on the publication’s website.

Four athletic coaches achieved career milestones.

Hallie Cohen, head softball coach, had her career 800th win; Ed Gurka, head swim coach, had his 700th career win; Mike Lauterhahn, head baseball coach, had his 200th win, and Brian Woods, head men’s soccer coach, had his 200th win.

In recognition of their distinguished service to the University, the following retired faculty were awarded emeritus status by the Board of Trustees: Carole Gelfer, communication disorders; Donna Perry, English; Isabel Tirado, history; Mahendra Jani, mathematics; Donita D’Amico, nursing; Sherle Boone, psychology; Behnaz Pakizegi, sociology; and Jane Hutchison, Cheng Library.

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Grants to Support Academics Support from federal, state, and local government sponsors totaled nearly $4.6 million, supporting a wide range of faculty and academic initiatives, including programs that address issues of national and local importance and ranged from teacher education to scientific research.

Professors Sandy Alon and Laura Fattal

The U.S. Department of Education awarded a $95,000 Fulbright-Hays Grant to Professors Sandy Alon and Laura Fattal from the College of Education for a month-long trip to Israel with six William Paterson students and six current teachers during summer 2017. The project focused on advancing the teachers’ cultural awareness of and interdisciplinary instruction about Israel.

Also in the College of Education, Professor Holly Seplocha, elementary and early childhood education, was awarded $200,000 from the New Jersey Department of Education to support the development of New Jersey Pre-K guidelines and training videos.

The Psychology Department received funding for a number of research initiatives. Professor Michele Cascardi received $285,000 from the National Institute of Justice for the research project, The Next Generation in the Measurement of Adolescent

Relationship Abuse. This research seeks to improve the precision of relationship violence measurement.

Professor Robin Nemeroff received a $25,000 award from the Brotherton Foundation to support her research program on the potential for yoga to increase the effectiveness of current mental health treatments for generalized anxiety disorder.

Professor Emily Monroe, biology, received a $25,000 award from the National Institutes of Health through Rutgers University for a Biomedical Science Education Postdoctoral Training Program.

Elizabeth AmayaFernandez, assistant professor of public health, received $15,000 in funding from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for a research project titled HERO Campaign-2017.

Professor Emily Monroe with a student

Kathleen Muldoon, regional director of the University’s Small Business Development Center, received $32,000 from the New Jersey Business Kathleen Muldoon Action Center to provide its small business clients with free confidential counseling, free and affordable workshops, and marketing research to support business expansion.

The New Jersey Council for the Humanities awarded a $5,000 grant to Kristen Evangelista, director of the University Galleries, for The Human Library Project. This cooperative project with the Paterson Public Library offers individuals the opportunity to connect one-on-one with members of the public and share their diverse set of life experiences, stories, and knowledge.

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II.

Student Success

Enrollment and Degree Completion Highlights To help students progress toward degree completion, the University implemented a number of new initiatives. A redesigned freshman seminar launched in the fall 2016 semester. The course stresses academic, social, and personal development, including time management, classroom readiness, study skills, problem solving, and decision-making skills, and getting to know the William Paterson University campus. Students are required to create an academic action plan that will provide a road map to finishing their degree in four years.

The Student Success Scholarships, initiated in fall 2014, continued as a key element of the University’s retention efforts. The program is designed to encourage full-time, first-year students to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years by earning a minimum of 30 credits with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average before September of the sophomore year in order to receive a $1,000 scholarship. The scholarship is renewable for junior and senior years if an additional 30 credits are completed with a 3.0 cumulative GPA prior to September of each respective year. In fall 2016, the institution awarded a total of 939 scholarships to sophomores, juniors, and seniors totaling more than $900,000.

Outreach to veterans, coupled with the University’s status as a military-friendly school, a designation we have held since 2011, led to a 20 percent increase in the number of veterans and active duty service members on campus.

28%

29.0 26.6

24%

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20%

19.8 16%

12%

8%

4%

2009

2010

2011

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Four-year graduation rates

The University’s efforts to improve the fouryear graduation rate have been successful and the rate now stands at 29 percent. The institution is moving closer to meeting and surpassing the national average for four-year graduation at public institutions, approximately 37 percent, but more needs to be done.

For students in need of additional support, the University launched the Pathways to Academic Success program to identify and assist students whose GPAs place them at academic risk. The University also implemented Starfish, an improved early alert system that will arrange appointments for students and provide analytics to identify those students most in need of extra help.

William Paterson initiated its first fully online undergraduate degree, offering a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.

Graduating veteran students with President Kathleen Waldron and other University administrators

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Student Honors William Paterson University students once again earned a vast array of honors and accolades in areas from academics to athletics.

Financial planning students Eric Vartanian, Stephanie Spies, and Matthew Callander in the Cotsakos College of Business won first prize in the National Financial Planning Challenge during the Financial Planning Association 2016 annual conference in Baltimore. Thirteen institutions around the country participated in the competition.

In addition, Spies was interviewed for an article in The Alert Investor on the need for young people to enter the financial planning field.

Professional sales students Victoria Reyes and Brian Potoczak

Victoria Reyes, a professional sales major, was the overall individual winner of the 10th Annual National Sales Challenge hosted by the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales. The William Paterson team of Reyes and Brian Potoczak finished third in the team competition.

Biology students Sirai Ramirez and Omar Saleh were selected to attend the 2016 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in Tampa, Florida. Saleh won the Outstanding Research award for his poster.

Professor Tao Guo with financial planning students Matthew Callander, Stephanie Spies, and Eric Vartanian

Twenty-two William Paterson students presented posters at the 8th Annual STEM Research Conference at Rutgers University, and three students won awards for their presentations: Exequiel Sisso, mentored by Professor James Arnone, biology; Ming Zhang, mentored by Professor Yalan Xing, chemistry; and Sirai Ramirez, mentored by Professor Jaishri Menon, biology.

Brianna Egers, a sophomore majoring in marketing, was one of 273 students in the nation and one of only five in New Jersey to receive the 2017 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellows Award for civic engagement. Egers received the award for showing her strong commitment to the ideals of Compass Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,000 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education.

Kerry Morath and Phillicia DaCosta, graduate students in the professional counseling program, were selected to present during a poster session at the prestigious 2017 American Counseling Association Conference and Expo in San Francisco.

Their poster was titled “Development of Counselor Identity around the Globe: Application of the Five Factor Wellness Model.”

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Student Brianna Egers, winner of the 2017 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellows Award

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Students Michelle Rosselli, Molly Kammen, and Ashley Bujalski had two posters accepted to present at the 2017 annual convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC in August 2017. The posters were titled “TraumaRelated Predictors of Repeated Physical Dating Victimization” and “Correlates of Relationship “Dissolution: Social Learning, Attachment, and Conflict Theories.” The students were mentored by faculty member Michelle Cascardi.

country were invited to participate. Jake Rollins, a junior, was named tournament MVP, and Andrew Dekowski, a sophomore, was named to the first team all-tournament team. The team also participated in the 2017 Collegiate Team Championships held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The team finished 5/6.

Communication student Katiuska Guzman received a 2017 Gracie Award from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation for her work on The Roundabout, a William Paterson Department of Communication production. Guzman was honored on June 27 at the annual Gracie Awards Luncheon in New York City.

For the third time in six years, the University’s student-run radio station WP 88.7 FM was named Best Radio Station in the nation in 2017 (among institutions with more than 10,000 students) by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS). The station also won for Best Sports Pre- or PostGame Show by students Mason Mills and Dylan Burns, and was a finalist in three other categories.

The 2017 William Paterson Bowling Team

Graduate student Sue DeNardo received the Executive Women of New Jersey Graduate Award.

DeNardo is a Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellow at William Paterson.

Louis Picone, master’s degree student in history, was awarded one of 10 scholarship grants to attend the conference Region and Nation in American Histories of Race and Slavery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

Additionally, in IBS’s first year offering awards in the medium of video, WP-TV, the campus television station, was a finalist for four awards and won for Best Sports Report. The show featured students Wyatt Kalb, Dylan Burns, Justin McHugh, Chris Johnson, and Dante Vocaturo on “WP Sports Desk.”

Michelle Gonnelli, a kinesiology student, was named the recipient of the 2017 American Kinesiology Association Undergraduate Scholar Award in recognition of her research presented at the AKA National Meeting.

William Paterson University’s Bowling Team won the 2017 National Collegiate Club Bowling Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana. The top 24 men’s teams and top 16 women’s teams from around the WP 88.7 FM students with their trophies

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III.

Unique Learning Opportunities

Civic Engagement Civic engagement continues to provide a transformational experience for William Paterson University students, both inside and outside the classroom. The institution requires that new undergraduates complete a University Core Curriculum (UCC) course focused on civic engagement, and this year, 1,960 students completed 62 different civic engagement courses that span academic disciplines from environmental science and nursing to anthropology and philosophy.

Students also contributed more than 9,400 hours to community service projects, an increase of 30 percent over the previous academic year.

The Office of Campus Activities, Service, and Leadership expanded its offering of service activities by 23 percent, and also reached out to new community partners including the Great Swamp Watershed, the East Orange VA Hospital, the Passaic County Medical Reserve Corp, and the Paterson Historic Preservation Society. The Pioneer Life Digital Badge Program, which provides students with the means to document their civic engagement and leadership activities throughout their academic career, has enrolled more than 3,000 students since fall 2015.

Students plant flags for Veteran’s Day

Among the notable civic engagement activities offered this year was a week of special activities surrounding the U.S. presidential election. The centerpiece of Celebrate Civic Engagement Week, held from October 31 through November 11, 2016, was an Election Night watch party. More than 125 students gathered in the White Hall Lounge to watch the presidential election returns. The students also hosted a mock election and played election trivia games. News 12 New Jersey broadcast live from the event throughout the evening and interviewed several students.

The week concluded with the University’s annual recognition of Veteran’s Day. Students planted nearly 6,000 flags on Zanfino Plaza in honor of members of the military killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. As part of Veterans Week, University Performing Arts featured two performances of BASETRACK Live: The Story of a Marine’s Deployment, and His Journey Back Home, and a Remembrance Day ceremony was held on November 10 at which William Paterson student and Marine veteran of Afghanistan Stephen Harris spoke about suicide awareness.

Students and staff actively participated in a day of service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Students were provided with a variety of opportunities both on and off campus to work at food banks, the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in Paterson, and a community health center. Nearly 150 students participated in this event.

Students at the Election Night watch party on campus

The University once again offered students an Alternate Spring Break activity. Thirty-five students and eight staff volunteered at Camp Linwood MacDonald in Branchville, where they worked at

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improving the facility, which is used by the Newark YMCA to provide homeless children from the city with a summer outdoor camp program.

Academic Offerings Many William Paterson University courses offer students the opportunities to apply the skills they learn in the classroom to situations that they may experience in their careers.

For example, students in the Department of Kinesiology provide developmentally challenged high school students with specialized, one-to-one physical education instruction through its Young Adult Transition Program. Created two years ago and directed by Michael Laughlin, assistant professor of kinesiology, the program pairs special needs students from Wayne Hills High School, ranging in age from 18 to 21, with William Paterson physical education majors. The students come to campus twice weekly. The ultimate goal is for these special-needs students to create lasting friendships, and break through the isolation that afflicts so many people with disabilities.

In Professor Jennifer Callanan’s Geomorphology course, environmental science majors traveled to a quarry in Pompton Lakes, a cemetery in Totowa, the Monksville Reservoir in Wanaque, the Great Falls in Paterson, and other nearby locations during a six-week summer session course focused on the changes made to the Earth by rivers, glaciers, and humans. The course gives the students a first-hand look at how nature can have a significant impact on the landscape. For their final project, students were asked to compare natural agents to humans and decide, based on their experiences, who is the biggest mover and changer of the Earth.

Communication students once again traveled to the White House in advance of their participation in College Radio Day, which was founded at the University. The students met with Obama administration officials to discuss issues of importance to college students, including college affordability, student loans, and climate change.

The group of 12 students met with Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. They also met with Press Secretary Josh Earnest to discuss his role and the importance of college media in today’s society.

Rob Quicke, associate professor of communication at William Paterson, organized the delegation of students.

Board of Trustees member William Pesce ’73 speaks at a Pesce Family Mentoring Institute event

Other Significant Opportunities for Students In addition to providing students with a highquality education in the classroom and important research, civic engagement, and other learning opportunities outside the classroom, the University remains committed to providing additional support in achieving career success following graduation.

The Pesce Family Mentoring Institute, which pairs successful professionals, including alumni and local community business partners, with select undergraduate students, this year matched approximately 150 mentor/mentee pairs, up from 91 matches during the previous academic year.

The Institute held a number of events for mentors and mentees, including two formal dinners with speakers, and also initiated a new series of six informal meet and greet events. The Institute was made possible by a generous gift from Board of Trustees member William J. Pesce ’73 and his wife Henrietta ’72, MA ’75 and their children.

The University held its third annual Family Day in October as part of its efforts to engage with students and their families. The event, an opportunity for first-year parents and siblings to take advantage of varied activities throughout the campus, including tours, performances, athletic events, and a family brunch with President Waldron, drew more than 300 attendees, a 30 percent increase.

To continue to keep parents informed, the University launched the Parent and Family Bulletin, an email newsletter, which provides information on campus services and key dates and deadlines.

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IV.

Community Outreach

William Paterson University continues to play a vital role in its region and state. This year, the University served as the location for a number of significant events that drew members of the community to campus.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker and President Kathleen Waldron during the senator’s roundtable discussion on campus

The University was honored to host a roundtable discussion with U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and a small group of invited guests in August 2016 as part of his “Seven Day, 21 County Tour of New Jersey.”

President Kathleen Waldron joined his guests for a discussion focused on the concerns of the Hispanic community. Throughout the discussion, Sen. Booker’s staff, along with University staff, posted Tweets and Snapchats on social media to document the event.

The School of Continuing and Professional Education enrolled 679 students during its 2016 Summer Pre-College Youth Programs, offering 77 courses, an increase in middle and high school programs. The six-week Summer Life on Campus program, which has been growing steadily over the past five years, drew a record high of 125 young people from June to August. The most popular new programs for middle school students ranged from the arts to science, and included Stop Motion Animation, Designing Apps for the Future, Science Engineering Olympiads, and How to Draw Caricatures. Favorites among the new high school programs, contributing to a strong enrollment increase to 183 students, included Making a Difference: Leadership through Community Service and JAVA Computer Programming. A cohort of 68 Passaic High School students attended courses for credit in a full-day program that also included tutoring, homework help, and SAT preparation workshops.

The School of Continuing and Professional Education entered into a new partnership with Interstudio Viaggi to host approximately 400 international high school students and staff, primarily from Italy, on campus in two-week summer sessions during summer 2017. Students and staff lived in residence halls, dined in the campus café, accessed sports fields and facilities, and attended pre-College Summer Youth classes during the day, as well as participated in field trips to regional points of interest. This initial partnership runs for three years.

Students use 3D printers for a Summer Youth Programs workshop

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Alumni Engagement University alumni are a significant component of the broader William Paterson community. The institution continues to work to engage alumni in the life of the University through events and other activities.

Cyber Security and Big Data Analytics Symposium

Leaders from healthcare, logistics, telecommunications, technology, education, and finance came to campus in March to share their experiences at the University’s third annual “Cyber Security and Big Data Analytics Symposium: Understanding Trends Across Industries.” The conference focused on how businesses can anticipate and reduce cyber security threats using big data analytics, and included a keynote address

by David Rossi, cyber security architect for IBM’s z System. Next year's conference will be held on March 23, 2018.

During Homecoming 2016, nearly 2,000 attendees enjoyed a brunch reception for former student leaders and a prefootball tailgating party at the Pioneer Midway with food, game booths, prizes, and a rock wall, all leading up to the Homecoming football game against Montclair State. Other events included “Bagels & Books,” a celebration of William Paterson alumni authors with a special presentation on reading to children by alumnus and author Doug Snelson ’78.

William Paterson was recognized by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association with a Good Neighbor Award in recognition of University Hall and the positive impact it had on the local economy and in the creation of construction jobs. The award was presented at a luncheon on July 17, 2017 at the Bridgewater Marriott.

As the academic year came to a close, the University learned of its selection, along with its media partners, WCBS broadcast affiliates in New York and Philadelphia and The Record/USA Today Network, by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) to sponsor one of the ELEC-authorized New Jersey gubernatorial election debates to be held in the fall. The debate will be held on October 18, 2017 in Shea Center on campus. This is the fourth time the University has hosted a gubernatorial debate, having hosted events in 2013, 2009, and 1997, underscoring William Paterson’s significant role in the state’s electoral public affairs.

Homecoming 2016

Alumni social media continues to grow. This year a total of 29,350 members/followers populated alumni social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. This number marks an overall 10 percent increase over last year.

In accordance with the University’s Strategic Plan, 13 alumni webinars attracted a total of 401 alumni attendees. Webinars covered diverse topics including resume writing, personal branding, business etiquette, big data analytics, and social media strategies for sales.

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V.

Excellence and Affordability

Academic Zone Master Plan and Facilities Upgrades Preakness Hall

The University continued to make significant progress on its plan to support the work of faculty and students through a modernization of the academic core of the main campus. Renovations have been completed on Preakness Hall, formerly Hunziker Wing, which reopened for classes in September 2017. The building contains 14 smart classrooms, laboratories for the Department of Kinesiology, group study rooms, the Writing Center, and the offices for the English Department and the Philosophy Department, as well as numerous informal seating areas for students. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 29, 2017.

Our newest academic building, University Hall, has been certified as LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its sustainability, savings, energy efficiency, and environmental quality. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system is the most widely used, internationally recognized, third-party verification for green building certification. The design and construction of University Hall has received numerous commendations and awards from state and national organizations, including the following: ■ NJ Green Building Council—2017 Honorable Mention ■ NJ Alliance for Action—2016 Distinguished Engineering Award

With the completion of Preakness Hall, work is well underway on renovations of Hunziker Hall, the University’s original classroom building. The project is scheduled for completion by fall 2018. The renovation of these two academic buildings was partially funded by $7.2 million from the State of New Jersey through the Building Our Future General Obligation Bond and the Capital Improvement Fund.

The University is moving forward with plans to construct a new residence hall on campus to replace an older facility. Construction is slated to begin in fall 2017.

A rendering of the new residence hall

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■ American School & University—2016 Interior Common Space SILVER Citation

University Hall

■ NJBIZ—2017 Good Neighbor Award ■ NJ Board of Public Utilities— Paid for Performance Incentives of $136,000 ■ United States Green Building Council—LEED Gold Certification During this year, the University reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability and energy conservation. In June, President Waldron signed on to “We Are Still In,” which recommits the University’s support of the Paris Climate Agreement and its continued implementation, and our intent to work toward becoming a carbon-neutral campus.

Fundraising A major initiative of the Office of Institutional Advancement has been raising funds for scholarship support. Precipitated by a $1 million pledge from the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, the University has been busy securing scholarship support. As of June 30, 2017, William Paterson has raised $5.7 million towards our goal of $10 million. Since 2010, the University has increased private funding for scholarships from $414,000 to an estimated $1.3 million, resulting in more than 500 scholarship awards. The scholarship endowment has increased 140 percent from $3.2 million to more than $7.7 million. In the past year, the University raised more than $2.2 million in endowed and annual scholarship support. Total institutional support for scholarships (institutional and donor supported) now totals more than $12 million annually. These gifts reflect the University’s ongoing commitment to raise private funds to help students finance the cost of attendance.

community leaders to select ninth graders who show academic promise and whose family income level qualifies them to receive a Federal Pell Grant, with the goal of helping students who may not have considered college an achievable option to get the guidance and financial support they need to complete a college degree in four years, debt free. We are delighted to have been selected a recipient of this gift, which will be transformative for ten students in New Jersey.

Alumna Karen Cheney, MEd ’79, donated $50,000 for an endowed scholarship in honor of the late retired education Professor Joan Feeley. The scholarship fund will provide an annual award for a full-time undergraduate or full-time or part-time graduate student in the University’s College of Education. Each year’s selected applicant will receive at least $1,000 toward his or her studies.

William Paterson University’s Foundation raised more than $250,000 in support of scholarships at its 27th Annual Legacy Award Gala in April. At the gala, alumna Blair Schleicher Bravo ’95, chief executive officer of Morris Habitat for Humanity; John Galandak, president emeritus of the Commerce and Industry Association of NJ (CIANJ) and a member of the University’s Board of Trustees; and Toys“R”Us were honored for philanthropy, leadership, and community

Among gifts for scholarships was a $200,000 donation from the Give Something Back Foundation that will provide ten students from northern New Jersey with the opportunity to attend William Paterson and graduate in four years. The gift was announced by Robert Carr, founder and chairman of Give Back, during a campus reception in September.

Give Back works with high school administrators and President Waldron (right) with Legacy Award honorees (left to right) John Galandak, Blair Schleicher Bravo ’95, and David A. Brandon, CEO of Toys R Us, who accepted on behalf of the company

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service. Toys"R"Us, based in Wayne and an important corporate partner to the University, committed $100,000 to the University for scholarships.

Other significant gifts to the University for scholarships came from Fred Gruel, chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, and his wife Susan, who pledged $100,000 to establish the Frederick and Susan Gruel Endowed Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will support a full-time first-generation student at the University who demonstrates academic excellence and financial need. In addition, alumna Linda Niro ’76, a member of the University’s Board of Trustees and Foundation Board, committed $102,000 to endow a scholarship. President Waldron also made an additional pledge of $100,000 for scholarships.

completion program that helps advisors and other administrators to correctly advise students as to the appropriate courses needed to complete their degrees in a timely manner.

Public Recognition The University had many accomplishments with regard to building institutional identity and expanding visibility, including hosting notable speakers and events and gaining positive media coverage on a wide variety of platforms.

The Morris County Record Operation Sunshine gave $277,000 for scholarships, thanks to Campaign Leadership Committee member Rick Sirota. In 2013, Fredric “Rick” Sirota, along with his brother Bobby, established an endowed scholarship in memory of their parents, alumni Louis Sirota ‘41 and Charlotte Sirota ‘59. Rick Sirota, who is a partner of Wiley Malehorn Sirota & Raynes, assisted in facilitating this new gift, which will benefit students from Morris County who demonstrate financial need.

Ip-Wing Kong, a well-known figure in business among the contemporary Chinese American community, gave a generous contribution of $150,000 for the Center for Chinese Art. Mr. Kong is the founder of Kong Kee Food Corporation, a specialty food products company, as well as an artist who focuses his work on Chinese calligraphy.

Employee Recognition William Paterson University continued for a third year to support and recognize faculty and staff through the WP P.R.I.D.E. Staff Excellence Awards Program administered by the Office of Human Resources to reward staff members for excellent service to the institution. The P.R.I.D.E. awardees are nominated by colleagues for contributions above and beyond.

During this year, 69 employees nominated by their peers and supervisors received awards. The overall WP P.R.I.D.E. Award winners were Lisa Brenenson, Emily Plaskow, Renee Ojo Ohikuare, and Vanessa Lenoir of the Registrar’s Office, who were recognized for their work implementing DegreeWorks, a degree

N.J. State Sen. Paul Sarlo, the University’s commencement speaker

New Jersey State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36) gave the commencement address at William Paterson’s 194th commencement ceremony on May 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, where an enthusiastic audience of more than 10,000 family members and friends were on hand to celebrate the graduates and their achievements.

Sen. Sarlo was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree. Maureen Conway ‘66, retired senior executive at Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) who served as vice president for HP’s Emerging Market Solutions Group, was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Conway served as a member of the University Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2016, including a term as vice chair, and as a member of the William Paterson Foundation Board from 2006 to 2011. A separate ceremony was held for master’s degree and doctoral degree graduates on campus on May 17 in Shea Center.

The January 23 edition of Hispanic Outlook on Education included a feature story on the 50th anniversary of the University’s nursing program and the program’s high-tech simulated laboratories in University Hall.

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Hispanic Outlook also named the University’s Pre-College Summer Youth Programs as among the top 25 programs in the nation and featured them in an article in the March 2017 issue. The programs are administered by the School of Continuing and Professional Education. The selection process focused on Hispanic-serving institutions that offer programs for grades K to 12, expose students to college-level material, emphasize STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and STEAM, which adds art to the mix, and incorporate a hands-on learning approach. William Paterson’s Summer Youth programs were recognized for achieving success in each of these areas.

President Kathleen Waldron continued to be a frequent speaker on issues throughout the state.

She joined a panel of distinguished local leaders in February for a discussion on personal leadership challenges and opportunities that was hosted by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey.

She was also interviewed by the panel moderator, Emmy-winning television anchor Steve Adubato, for a segment that aired on NJTV. Other presentations included a keynote speech at Investor’s Bank’s third annual Southern New Jersey Not-For-Profit Conference titled, “The Art of Thriving: Getting Inside the Minds of Millennials,” and participation in the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Summer Institute at Bryn Mawr College on a panel of presidents, providing guidance and mentoring for aspiring female leaders.

She also served as the keynote speaker at the naturalization ceremony for 34 new U.S. citizens that took place at the Paterson Great Falls Historical Park in October 2016. Her speech served as the springboard for an opinion piece on the importance of voting that appeared in The Record and the Herald News on the Sunday before Election Day. Loretta McLaughlin Vignier, associate dean of the College of the Arts and Communication, was sponsored by William Paterson and accepted by the HERS Institute. The University also sponsored the participation of Professor Mark Ellis, sociology, in the Summer Harvard program for future leaders.

The University earned Gold Level Recognition from the Exercise Is Medicine on Campus Program, a national initiative coordinated by the American College of Sports Medicine in collaboration with the American Medical Association. William Paterson is

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one of just 23 institutions across the globe awarded gold level recognition for its commitment to exercise.

The 38th season of the Distinguished Lecturer Series featured historian and New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham, who discussed the 2016 presidential election, and civil and women’s rights activist Anita Hill, who spoke about how to address questions of equity, including sexual harassment and assault, gender and racial economic gaps, and leadership disparities.

Anita Hill speaks with University students

Numerous faculty and administrators shared their expertise on a wide variety of topics which resulted in significant positive media coverage for the University.

The University’s marketing accomplishments were recognized by the New Jersey Advertising Club at its 49th annual Jersey Awards with a series of awards that underscore our success at building institutional reputation. The Marketing and Public Relations Department earned first place in the Corporate/ Product Brochure category for our Explorations brochure, which highlights noteworthy students who are involved in undergraduate research with faculty members; second place in the Social Media Multiplatform Program/Campaign category for our Commencement 2016 integrated social media campaign; and third place in the Collateral/Direct Marketing category for our promotion of the Jazz Room Series.

In addition, Jaclyn Antonacci, online marketing coordinator, and Maria Daniels, senior marketing communications coordinator, were named to a list of “Jersey’s Best 40 Under 40” marketing communications professionals by the New Jersey Advertising Club.

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About William Paterson University William Paterson University is a leading public University with more than 10,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered by five academic colleges: Arts and Communication, Cotsakos College of Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Health.

Its 370-acre wooded campus is located in suburban Wayne, New Jersey, just 20 miles from New York City, adjacent to 1,200 acres of wetlands and woodlands, and only three miles from the historic Paterson Great Falls.

The University offers a wide range of learning opportunities in its classrooms, laboratories, and studios, and throughout the campus, as well as at various off-campus locations. William Paterson’s faculty members provide a valuable blend of accomplished scholarship and practical, applied experience.

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Among the University’s faculty are 41 Fulbright scholars and recipients of numerous other awards, grants, and fellowships. Students benefit from individualized attention from faculty mentors, small class sizes, and numerous research, internship, and clinical experiences.

The institution’s more than 75,000 alumni can be found throughout New Jersey, the nation, and the world, using their William Paterson degrees and experiences as a springboard to professional accomplishment and personal growth. They are leaders in the arts, business, health care, sports, entertainment, the media, and education. They are public servants, artists, musicians, teachers, scientists, television personalities, authors, politicians, crime fighters, and entrepreneurs. Their achievements reflect the University’s mission and commitment to preparing graduates for success in their careers, communities, and lives.

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