To: All Students

From: Melissa Van Der Wall, Dean of Students; Amanda Reihl, Asst. Director, Center for Student Involvement

Date: January 15, 2023

Dear Roadrunners,

We are excited to welcome you to Ramapo College for the start of the Spring semester! We hope your break was restful and you are ready to tackle new courses, get involved in clubs and organizations, and experience campus events alongside your fellow classmates.

Meaningful experiences in college happen both in and out of the classroom; therefore, we invite you to be curious about the type of Ramapo experience you want. The start of a new semester is a great time for you to get involved on campus:

• Join a club or organization. Ramapo has over 80 clubs and organizations;
• Be aware of the community building activities being offered to you in Residence Life;
• Become a member of a Fraternity or Sorority. Fraternity and Sorority membership is a valuable opportunity for personal, intellectual, and social development. Our organizations foster these values through promoting scholarship, actively participating in a variety of community service projects, and raising money for their national and local philanthropies all while cultivating a strong sense of sisterhood and brotherhood. Our Greek community currently has 21 active fraternities and sororities;
• Sign up for civic and community service events. These opportunities help you get involved and take action in issues that are important to you;
• Attend programming sponsored by the College Programming Board (follow @cpbramapo on Instagram), Equity, Diversity, Inclusions and Compliance (follow @rcnj_edic), and so many more. After a day of classes, work, and other obligations, you owe it to your well-being to socialize, learn something new, and network with others;
• Cheer on your favorite athletic team or attend a game for a sport you have never seen before.

Your involvement will not only support your own personal development and well-being, but it will also contribute to creating a vibrant campus community. If you find that your interests are not represented within our current offerings, the Student Government Association (sga@ramapo.edu) will advise you on how to start a new club on campus.

As you are getting involved, Ramapo College strongly discourages students from associating themselves with any organization that is not recognized by the college. These groups do not have any of the privileges that recognized organizations have earned and are not regulated. A full list of unrecognized organizations is available here.

Make It A Great Week and Beyond

We encourage you to participate in one or more of the many great events this week:

• Monday, January 16th: Remember when you had your Arching ceremony?  Now is your chance to line Mansion Road and cheer on our newest Roadrunners.  Join us outside the Arch at approximately 4:15pm;
• Tuesday, January 17th: Welcome Back Grilled Cheese Bar Lunch Special in the Birch Tree Inn (standard rates apply);
• Tuesday, January 17th: Open Mic Night at the Padovano Commons from 9:00pm to 11:00pm;
• Wednesday, January 18th: Card Games and CARS sandwiches from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in J. Lees with the Student Government Association;
• Thursday, January 19th: Student Involvement Fair in the Student Center from 1:00pm-2:30pm;
• Thursday, January 19th: Transfer and New Students invited to the Transfer Student Clothing Swap (12:00pm to 1:00pm in the Fishbowl). Donate clothes from your previous institution in exchange for Ramapo gear;
• Thursday, January 19th: Stuff-a-Plush in Friends Hall at 9:00pm;
• Friday, January 20th: Opening Weekend Comedy Show: Lavell Crawford in Friends Hall; Secure your ticket at the Center for Student Involvement (SC 202);
• Saturday, January 21st: Men’s Volleyball Game in the Bradley Center at 1:00pm;
• Saturday, January 21st: Grocery Bingo in Friends Hall at 9:00pm.

A meaningful experience is defined by only you, so we hope that you explore your interests, find ways to continue to stay involved, and discover new ways to unlock leadership potential.  We are here to help you build a memorable and healthy experience, so please keep us in mind as your allies in developing your Ramapo experience. Dean Van Der Wall can be reached at deanofstudents@ramapo.edu and the Center for Student Involvement can be reached at csi@ramapo.edu.

We look forward to seeing you at the Involvement Fair and around campus!