William Paterson Plans For Return To Campus Next Fall

WAYNE, NJ — "Normal operations" at William Paterson University are on pace to resume by the fall semester, if not sooner, President Richard Helldobler announced.

Helldobler, in a letter to the William Paterson community, cited vaccine eligibility expansion and accelerating vaccination rates as cause for optimism.

"I am excited to announce that William Paterson University plans to fully welcome students, faculty, and staff back to campus for the Fall 2021 semester. Of course, we will continue to adhere to all State and federal guidelines and regulations, but all signs suggest that conditions will allow for a return to normal operations by the fall, if not sooner," said Helldobler.

Campus officials are working toward a return to normal schedules over the summer, with plans for a four-day summer workweek established.

Staff will continue with a hybrid schedule of remote and in-person work for now, but the college anticipates "shifting back to fully in-person work schedules sometime over the summer."

Helldobler didn't issue any sort of mandate that students and staff be vaccinated, but did "encourage" the WPU community to get vaccinated. Rutgers became possibly the first university in the country to issue a mandate of the sort, but most universities in New Jersey have held off, instead issuing similar encouragement to Helldobler.

William Paterson has recorded a total of 137 coronavirus cases since they began recording those numbers, including nine cases during the week of March 26.

Click here to read his Helldobler's full letter.

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