Latest news with #RutgersUniversity-Newark
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
HBCU administrator named Rutgers University-Newark chancellor
The post HBCU administrator named Rutgers University-Newark chancellor appeared first on ClutchPoints. North Carolina A&T State University Provost and Vice Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson has been named the new Chancellor of Rutgers University- Newark. The Rutgers Board of Governors overwhelmingly accepted her nomination, which was jointly announced by incoming President William F. Tate IV and departing President Jonathan Holloway. Dr. Smith-Jackson graduated from North Carolina State University with MS and PhD degrees in Psychology/Ergonomics and Interdisciplinary Industrial Engineering. She earned a BA in Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill; and graduated from the inaugural class of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Before becoming Chancellor, she served as Department Chair of Industrial and Systems Engineering, as interim director of a cybersecurity center; director of the Human Factors Analytics Lab and co-director of the laboratory for Cyber-Human Analytics Research for the Internet of Things (CHARIoT). She also worked as an assistant, associate, and full professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech for 14 years. In addition to teaching in universities and community colleges in North Carolina, New York, Virginia, and Germany, she was an engineer at IBM and Ericsson Mobile Communications. Dr. Jackson describes herself as 'first-generation, low-income student.' 'My lived experience taught me that higher education was not necessarily designed for everyone,' Smith-Jackson said. 'It's our challenge to continue to reimagine and redesign these important ecosystems that we build around the learners that we serve so that everybody can be successful,' she said. According to Rutgers, Dr. Smith-Jackson has spearheaded the development of three new doctoral programs, the first artificial intelligence bachelor's degree program in the state, and significant increases in graduate assistants and research staff at North Carolina A&T, the largest HBCU in the country. In addition, some of Dr. Smith-Jackson's recent research has been on helping formerly incarcerated individuals find employment and training in information technology. She has also written about the value of introducing undergraduates to STEM research. Dr. Smith-Jackson's appointment with Rutgers will take effect on August 1, 2025. As part of her agreement, she will receive $515,000 annually in base pay, along with an additional $25,000 to $77,000 per year in incentive compensation, with a guaranteed minimum of $51,500 in her first year. She will also receive $30,000 annually in deferred compensation.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Israel-Gaza conflict ignites flap over Rutgers commencement speaker
Rutgers University-Newark's pick of actor-comedian Ramy Youssef has irked a Jewish state legislator, who urged administrators to reconsider. Officials said no. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) Rutgers University officials have refused a state lawmaker's request that they reconsider actor Ramy Youssef as a commencement speaker because his support for the Palestinian people and a Gaza ceasefire is 'alienating and isolating' for Jewish students. Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-Ocean) sent a letter to Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway and the university's board of governors calling Youssef 'polarizing' and 'anti-Israel.' Picking Youssef to address Rutgers-Newark graduates at their May 22 commencement 'sends an unfortunate and deeply hurtful message,' especially as antisemitism climbs on college campuses, Schnall wrote. 'Graduation should not be marred by controversy or by actions that leave part of the student body feeling uncomfortable, scared or unwelcome,' Schnall wrote. 'It should be a day that lifts every student up.' Rutgers officials, though, said commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients are 'thoughtfully reviewed' and recommended by a campus-wide committee that includes students, faculty, and staff. Youssef also will receive an honorary doctor of fine arts degree at the event. 'Ramy Youssef is a celebrated writer and artist who has deep ties to New Jersey and to Rutgers-Newark, which he attended,' the university said in a statement. 'His selection as commencement speaker at Rutgers-Newark reflects a tradition of honoring individuals who embody resilience, creativity, and connection to our community.' Rutgers announced last week that Youssef, a practicing Muslim and Egyptian-American actor and comedian who was raised in Rutherford, would be the keynote commencement speaker for Newark graduates. 'Thirteen years ago I took a 'break' from Rutgers to pursue acting. The break is now over. I am honored to be giving this year's commencement speech, and to finally receive a college degree,' Youssef said in that announcement. 'Thank you Rutgers for this honor, and for making my parents feel like the three semesters of tuition they paid for was actually worth it.' Last month, he told The New York Times that he has fielded plenty of criticism for his comments about Israel and Palestine. But he defended them as 'completely inoffensive' and lamented 'a massive power imbalance' in the Gaza conflict. Rutgers has caught similar flak, most notably over its response to pro-Palestinian solidarity encampments on campus last year that led to Holloway getting grilled by lawmakers in both New Jersey and Washington, D.C. While Rutgers subsequently banned such encampments and suspended a Palestinian student group that was involved, at least two other Jewish lawmakers have targeted New Jersey's flagship university for criticism about its encampment response and related issues. State Sen. Robert Singer (R-Ocean) last month called for a freeze of public funding for Rutgers for 'ignoring antisemitism.' U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-05) also has called on Rutgers officials to cancel campus speakers he deemed antisemitic. College campuses nationally have seen incidents of both antisemitism and Islamophobia climb since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. At Rutgers, the U.S. Department of Justice in January ordered reforms after it found the university created a 'hostile environment' for Jewish, Palestinian, and other students based on national origin. The Anti-Defamation League recently gave Rutgers a grade of 'D' for its 'deficient' approach to protecting Jewish students from antisemitism. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boston Globe
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
What are the best video games for improving relationships?
Why? It's the game I played during those complicated years. Anytime I needed self-soothing, I got out the controllers and earned myself some coins and mushrooms. I saved a princess. It was a nice distraction. But I'm not sure it helped me — or changed me. It simply gave Younger Me something escapist to do. These days, video games offer more. They can present moral questions and help a fully grown person consider the ramifications of a pandemic, the trajectory of a love story, or the trials of caregiving. That's what I've learned, at least. In today's episode of the Love Letters podcast, we explore how games can change us and help make our relationships better. Advertisement Through the story of Anthony Ureña, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University-Newark, we'll learn how games have evolved, how people can bond over them, and how, for some, an intense graphic narrative can help make sense of life in the real world. You'll hear about 'It Takes Two,' a game about divorce; 'Final Fantasy,' a game with tragic tales of love; 'Pokémon GO!,' and why it brings pleasure; and even 'Pac-Man,' a game that bonds generations. Join the episode for a deep dive into a world I'd never really understood until now. Also, if you have a favorite game — or if there'a a favorite video game in your family that helps everyone learn and thrive — please share. Love Letters is a podcast and advice column. Send your anonymous relationship and dating questions to or Meredith Goldstein can be reached at
