Dear Campus Community,

I am delighted to welcome each of you back to campus! You will feel the energy and excitement that ripples through campus as you walk around, settle in and prepare for classes. It is palpable!

Our “Weeks of Welcome” programs are already well-underway and will continue through the early weeks of the semester. The live music, free food, giveaways and opportunities to connect with your fellow Spartans are a great way for both new and returning students to get a jump-start on the semester.

Our campus will continue to hum throughout the fall. I hope you all will take part in those activities that suit you best and that they give you a taste of what should be an exhilarating year for all of us here at SJSU.

Seeing our students again reminds me that the student body here at San Jose State is exceptional. This fall, we welcome more than 4,090 newly-enrolled freshmen, another 4,598 new transfers, 1,720 new graduate students and 175 new credential students. Altogether, nearly 36,000 of you will pursue your studies at San Jose State University this year, one of the largest, most diverse, and best prepared classes in our history.

I also am delighted to welcome our new provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, Vincent Del Casino, Jr.; our inaugural vice president for research and innovation, Mohammed Abousalem; our interim Vice President for University Advancement, Peter Smits; and our new Chief of Police, Gina Di Napoli. In addition, many new faculty members, including 66 tenure track faculty members, are joining us, adding to the stellar lineup of educators we proudly feature.

Again this year, returning students and members of our faculty and staff are volunteering at three “Ask Me” tables across campus from Aug. 19-23 to help acclimate anyone who might have questions. All students – both new and returning – as well as faculty and staff members are encouraged to stop by a table to learn about your university and all that it offers.

I am looking forward to another transformational year as we all work together to chart our future under the guidance of our new strategic plan, Transformation 2030.  I will have more to say about next steps in implementing our collective vision in my Fall Welcome Address this Thursday. Subscribe to my bi-weekly blog and follow me on Twitter for regular updates on SJSU achievements, accolades and various topics.

Have a fantastic semester and a great year – and welcome home.

Dr. Mary A. Papazian

President