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Rutgers University
Rutgers University
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Rutgers University (/ˈrʌtɡərz/ RUT-gərz), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College[10] and was affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States, the second-oldest in New Jersey (after Princeton University), and one of nine colonial colleges that were chartered before the American Revolution.[11][12]

Key Information

In 1825, Queen's College was renamed Rutgers College[13] in honor of Colonel Henry Rutgers, whose substantial gift to the school had stabilized its finances during a period of uncertainty.[14] For most of its existence, Rutgers was a private liberal arts college. It has evolved into a coeducational public research university since being designated the State University of New Jersey by the state's legislature in 1945 and 1956.[15]

Rutgers has several distinct campuses. Since colonial times, Rutgers flagship campus and historic core has been located along College Avenue at the College Avenue Campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey as part of Rutgers University–New Brunswick. Rutgers University–New Brunswick consists of the landscaped campus of Douglass College, a women's college that was traditionally paired with Rutgers, the campus of Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, which includes the College Farm and Rutgers Gardens, as well as both the Busch and Livingston campuses in Piscataway. Apart from the main campus at New Brunswick, additional satellite campuses at Rutgers University–Newark, Rutgers University–Camden, and Rutgers Health complete the university's main footprint. The university has additional facilities throughout the state, including oceanographic research facilities at the Jersey Shore.[16]

Rutgers is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university, as well as the largest university in the state.[17] Instruction is offered by 9,000 faculty members in 175 academic departments to over 45,000 undergraduate students and more than 20,000 graduate and professional students.[5] As of Fall 2023, Rutgers University enrolls over 69,000 students across its three campuses, making it one of the largest universities in the United States.[18] The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education[19] and is a member of the Association of American Universities[20] and the Universities Research Association.[21]

History

[edit]

18th century

[edit]

Two decades after the College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University, was established in 1746 by the New Light Presbyterians, ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church, seeking autonomy in ecclesiastical affairs in the Thirteen Colonies, sought to establish a college to train those who wanted to become ministers within the Dutch Reformed Church in the colony, which developed into the Reformed Church in America.[22][23]

The university's coat of arms, featuring four quarters, a reference to the shields of the House of Orange-Nassau (for William III of Orange and England, New Jersey, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and Henry Rutgers[24]

Through several years of effort by Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen (1691–1747) and Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh (1736–1790), later the college's first president, Queen's College received its charter on November 10, 1766, from New Jersey's last royal governor, William Franklin (1730–1813), the son of Benjamin Franklin.[22] The original charter established the college under the corporate name the trustees of Queen's College, in New-Jersey, named in honor of Queen Charlotte (1744–1818), and created both the college and the Queen's College Grammar School, intended to be a preparatory school affiliated and governed by the college.[23] The Grammar School, today the private Rutgers Preparatory School, was a part of the college community until 1959.[23][25] New Brunswick was chosen as the location over Hackensack because the New Brunswick Dutch had the support of the Anglican population, making the royal charter easier to obtain.[26]

Old Queens, the oldest building at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, built between 1809 and 1825; Old Queens houses much of the Rutgers University administration.

The original purpose of Queen's College was to "educate the youth in language, liberal, the divinity, and useful arts and sciences" and for the training of future ministers for the Dutch Reformed Church.[23][25][27]

In 1771, the college admitted its first students, which included a single sophomore and a handful of first-year students taught by a lone instructor, and granted its first degree in 1774, to Matthew Leydt.[23][25] Despite the religious nature of the early college, the first classes were held at a tavern called the Sign of the Red Lion.[28] When the Revolutionary War broke out and taverns were suspected by the British as being hotbeds of rebel activity, the college abandoned the tavern and held classes in private homes.[23][25]

Like many colleges founded in the U.S. during this time, Rutgers benefited from slave labor and funds derived from purchasing and selling slaves. Research undertaken at the university in the 2010s began to uncover and document these connections, including the university's foundation on land taken from the indigenous Lenape people.[29]

19th century

[edit]

In its early years, due to a lack of funds, Queen's College was closed for two extended periods. Early trustees considered merging the college with the College of New Jersey, in Princeton, but the measure failed by one vote. They later considered relocating it to New York City.[23][25] In 1808, after raising $12,000, the college temporarily reopened and broke ground on a building of its own, called "Old Queens", designed by architect John McComb Jr.[30] The college's third president, Ira Condict, laid the cornerstone on April 27, 1809. Shortly after, the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, founded in 1784, relocated from Brooklyn, to New Brunswick, and shared facilities with Queen's College and the Queen's College Grammar School, and all three institutions were then overseen by the Reformed Church in America.[23][25] During those formative years, all three institutions fit into Old Queens. In 1830, Queen's College Grammar School moved across the street, and in 1856, the seminary relocated to a seven-acre (28,000 m2) tract less than one-half mile (800 m) away.[23][25]

Colonel Henry Rutgers (1745–1830), an early benefactor and the namesake of Rutgers University

After several years of closure resulting from an economic depression after the War of 1812, Queen's College reopened in 1825 and was renamed "Rutgers College" in honor of American Revolutionary War hero Henry Rutgers (1745–1830). According to the board of trustees, Colonel Rutgers was honored because he epitomized Christian ethics. A year after the school was renamed, it received two donations from its namesake: a $200 bell still hanging from the cupola of Old Queen's and a $5,000 bond (equivalent to $139,000 in 2024) which placed the college on sound financial footing.[31]

Rutgers College became the land-grant college of New Jersey in 1864 under the Morrill Act of 1862, resulting in the establishment of the Rutgers Scientific School, featuring departments of agriculture, engineering, and chemistry.[23][25] The Rutgers Scientific School would expand over the years to grow into the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (1880) and divide into the College of Engineering (1914) and the College of Agriculture (1921).[23][25] Rutgers created the New Jersey College for Women in 1918, and the School of Education in 1924.[23][25]

20th century

[edit]

With the development of graduate education, and the continued expansion of the institution, the collection of schools became Rutgers University in 1924.[25] Rutgers College continued as a liberal arts college within the university. Later, University College (1945) was founded to serve part-time, commuting students and Livingston College (1969) was created by the Rutgers Trustees, ensuring that the interests of ethnically diverse New Jersey students were met.[23][25]

Rutgers was designated the state university of New Jersey by acts of the New Jersey Legislature in 1945 and 1956.[32] Although Rutgers thus became a public university, it still retains—as the successor to the private college founded and chartered in 1766—some private rights and protections regarding its fundamental character and mission.[33]

The newly-designated state university absorbed the University of Newark in 1946 and then the College of South Jersey and South Jersey Law School in 1950. These two institutions became Rutgers University–Newark and Rutgers University–Camden, respectively. On September 10, 1970, the board of governors voted to admit women into Rutgers College.[23][25]

On the western end of Voorhees Mall is a bronze statue of William the Silent, commemorating the university's Dutch heritage.[34]

There were setbacks in the growth of the university. In 1967, the Rutgers Physics Department had a Centers of Excellence Grant from the NSF which allowed the physics department to hire several faculty each year. These faculty were to be paid by the grant for three years, but after that time any faculty hired with the associate or full professor designation would become tenured. The governor and the chancellor forced Rutgers to lose this grant by rejecting the condition that tenure be granted.[35]

In 1970, the newly formed Rutgers Medical School hired major faculty members from other institutions. In 1971, the governor's office separated Rutgers Medical School from Rutgers University and made it part of New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry, and many faculty left the medical school, including the dean of the medical school, Dewitt Stetten, who later became the director of the National Institutes of Health. As a result of the separation of the medical school from Rutgers University, Ph.D. programs that had been started in the medical center were lost, and students had to seek other institutions to finish their degrees. After the dissolution of the University of Medicine and Dentistry in 2013, the medical school again became part of the university.[36]

Before 1982, separate liberal arts faculties existed in the several separate "residential colleges" (Rutgers, Douglass, Livingston, University, and Cook colleges) at Rutgers–New Brunswick.[37]

In 1982, under president Edward J. Bloustein, the liberal arts faculties of these five institutions were centralized into one college, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which itself had no students. The separate residential colleges persisted for students, and while instructors for classes were now drawn from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, separate standards for admission, good standing, and graduation continued for students, depending on which residential college they were enrolled in.[38] In January 1987, around 2,800 non-teaching employees went on strike for increased salaries, which ended after nine days after an agreement with the administration was made.[39][40]

21st century

[edit]

In 2007, Rutgers New Brunswick, Douglass, Livingston, and University Colleges, along with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences were merged into the new "School of Arts and Sciences" with one set of admissions criteria, curriculum, and graduation requirements. At this time, the liberal arts components of Cook College were absorbed into the School of Arts and Sciences as well, while the other aspects of that college remained, but as the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. These changes in 2007 ended the 241-year history of Rutgers College as a distinct institution.[41]

Students at the 2011 Rutgers tuition protests fought against rising education costs and diminished state subsidies. Campus groups (including the Rutgers Student Union, the Rutgers One Coalition, and the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA), supported by New Jersey United Students (NJUS), mobilized to keep the increase in annual student financial obligation to a minimum through marches, sit-ins, letters to administration officials and forums.[42][43]

In 2011, there was an attempt by then New Jersey governor Chris Christie and members of the legislature to merge Rutgers–Camden into Rowan University, it ultimately was rejected in part due to several on-campus protests and pushback from Camden faculty, students, and alumni.[44]

On June 20, 2012, the outgoing president of Rutgers University, Richard L. McCormick, announced that Rutgers will "integrate five acres along George Street between Seminary Place and Bishop Place into the College Avenue Campus."[45] Most of the block had been occupied by the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Rutgers agreed to rebuild the seminary in exchange for the land.[46]

In 2013, most of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was integrated with Rutgers University and, along with several existing Rutgers units, was reformed as Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.[47][48] This merger attached the New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to Rutgers University.[36]

The Rutgers Shield was released on its 250th year anniversary in 2015.

In 2013, Rutgers changed part of its alma mater, "On the Banks of the Old Raritan." Where the lyrics had stated, "My father sent me to old Rutgers, and resolved that I should be a man," now they state, "From far and near we came to Rutgers, and resolved to learn all that we can."[49] The song for the Camden campus "On the Banks of the Old Delaware" are lyrically similar aside from the river name.[50]

In 2016, Rutgers celebrated its 250th anniversary. On May 15, President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to speak at the university's commencement.[51][52] The university held a variety of celebrations, academic programs, and commemorative events which culminated on the 250th anniversary date, November 10, 2016.[53]

In November 2016, Rutgers released research findings that revealed: "an untold history of some of the institution's founders as slave owners and the displacement of the Native Americans who once occupied land that was later transferred to the college."[54][55][56]

In January 2020, Jonathan Holloway made history as the first African American and person of color to be named president of Rutgers.[57] On April 9, 2023, three unions voted to go on the first strike by academics in the university's 257-year history. Classes and research were suspended for a week.[58][59] Five months later, in September, the university's faculty senate voted "no confidence" in Holloway; in addition to issues related to the strikes, the motion also cited Halloway's decision to dismiss the chancellor of the university's Newark campus and his proposal to merge the university's two medical schools.[60]

Organization and administration

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University president

[edit]

Since 1785, twenty-two men have served as the institution's president, beginning with Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, a Dutch Reformed minister who was responsible for establishing the college.[61][62] Before 1930, most of the university's presidents were clergy affiliated with Christian denominations in the Reformed tradition.[62][63] Two presidents were alumni of Rutgers College—William H. S. Demarest (Class of 1883) and Philip Milledoler Brett (Class of 1892).[64][65]

The president serves in an ex officio capacity as a presiding officer within the university's 59-member board of trustees and its eleven-member board of governors,[66] and is appointed by these boards to oversee the day-to-day operations of the university across its campuses. He is charged with implementing "board policies with the help and advice of senior administrators and other members of the university community."[67] The president is responsible only to those two governing boards—there is no oversight by state officials.[68]

The current president is William F. Tate IV, who assumed the role on July 1, 2025. He succeeded the 21st president Jonathan Holloway who assumed office on July 1, 2020.[69]

Governing boards

[edit]

Governance at Rutgers University rests with a board of trustees consisting of 41 members, and a board of governors consisting of 15 voting members: eight are appointed by the Governor of New Jersey and seven chosen by and from among the board of trustees.[70][71][72] The trustees constitute chiefly an advisory body to the board of governors and are the fiduciary overseers of the property and assets of the university that existed before the institution became the State University of New Jersey in 1945. The initial reluctance of the trustees (still acting as a private corporate body) to cede control of certain business affairs to the state government for direction and oversight caused the state to establish the Board of governors in 1956.[73] Today, the board of governors maintains much of the corporate control of the university.[74]

The members of the board of trustees are voted upon by different constituencies or appointed. "Two faculty and two students are elected by the University Senate as nonvoting representatives. The 59 voting members are chosen in the following way as mandated by state law: 20 charter members (of whom at least three shall be women), 16 alumni members nominated by the nominating committee of the board of trustees, and five public members appointed by the governor of the state with confirmation by the New Jersey Senate.[75]

Affiliations

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Locations and divisions

[edit]

Rutgers University has three campuses in New Jersey. The New Brunswick Campus, located in New Brunswick and adjacent Piscataway, is the largest campus of the university. The Newark Campus in Newark and the Camden Campus in Camden are located in the northern and southern parts of the state, respectively.[76] Combined, these campuses comprise 33 degree-granting schools and colleges, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels of study.[76] The university is centrally administered from New Brunswick, although chancellors at the Newark and Camden campuses hold significant autonomy for some academic issues.[77]

Rutgers–New Brunswick

[edit]
The Honors College at Rutgers University–New Brunswick

The New Brunswick Campus (or Rutgers–New Brunswick) is the largest campus and the site of the original Rutgers College. Spread across six municipalities in Middlesex County, New Jersey, it lies chiefly in the City of New Brunswick and adjacent Piscataway and is composed of five smaller campuses and a few buildings in downtown New Brunswick. The historic College Avenue Campus is close to downtown New Brunswick and includes the seat of the university, Old Queens and other nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century buildings that constitute the Queens Campus and Voorhees Mall. Its proximity to New Brunswick's train station and numerous food vendors located downtown, in addition to a large amount of off-campus housing and fraternity and sorority houses, make this a popular weekend destination.

Across the city, Douglass Campus and Cook Campus are intertwined and often referred to as the Cook/Douglass Campus. Cook Campus has extensive farms and woods that reach North Brunswick and East Brunswick. Separated by the Raritan River is Busch Campus, in Piscataway, and Livingston Campus, also mainly in Piscataway but including remote sections of land extending into Edison and Highland Park. The Busch Campus is noted as the home of Rutgers' highly ranked Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, as well as the golf course and football stadium. The Livingston campus is home to Jersey Mike's Arena (formerly the Rutgers Athletic Center [RAC]), a trapezoidal building that is home to many sports teams, notably the men's basketball team. Additionally, this campus has undergone many renovations and is regarded as the most "modern" campus. The campus entrance is delineated by the all-glass Rutgers Business School building known as "100 Rock" (because of the building's Piscataway address, 100 Rockafeller Road). Rutgers Campus Buses transport students between the various campuses.[78]

As of 2010, the New Brunswick-Piscataway campuses include 19 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, including the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Communication and Information, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, the School of Engineering, the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, the Graduate School, the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, the Graduate School of Education, the School of Management and Labor Relations, Mason Gross School of the Arts, the College of Nursing, the Rutgers Business School and the School of Social Work. As of 2012, 40,434 students (31,593 undergraduates and 8,841 graduate students) were enrolled at the New Brunswick-Piscataway campus.[4] The New Brunswick-Piscataway campus includes a Business School building on the Livingston Campus.[79]

Rutgers–Newark

[edit]

The Newark Campus (or Rutgers–Newark) consists of eight undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, including Newark College of Arts and Sciences, University College, School of Criminal Justice, Graduate School, School of Nursing, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers Business School and the Newark location of the Rutgers Law School. As of 2012, 7,666 undergraduates and 4,345 graduate students (total 12,011) are enrolled at the Newark campus.[4] Originally the University of Newark, the campus was renamed and rebranded as Rutgers–Newark in 1945.

Rutgers–Camden

[edit]
Rutgers University–Camden's quad walk

The Camden Campus (or Rutgers–Camden) consists of six undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, including Camden College of Arts and Sciences, University College, Graduate School, Rutgers School of Business–Camden, Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden,[80] and the Camden location of the Rutgers Law School. The schools are located in the Cooper's Grant and Central Waterfront neighborhoods of Camden. As of 2012, 4,708 undergraduates and 1,635 graduate students (total 6,343) are enrolled at the Camden campus.[4]

The campus was founded as the College of South Jersey and South Jersey Law School in the 1920s, and became part of Rutgers in 1950.[81]

Rutgers Health

[edit]

Rutgers Health (formerly Rutgers Biomedcial and Health Sciences) is a division of the university that serves as an umbrella organization for schools, centers, and institutes from Rutgers University and the old University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The organization was incorporated into the university following the 2013 merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ.[82] While its various facilities are spread across several locations statewide, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences is considered a "campus" for certain organizational purposes, such as the appointment of a separate chancellor.[83][84][85][86] In July 2023, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences renamed to Rutgers Health.[87]

Rutgers Health comprises nine schools and other research centers and institutes including; Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, School of Nursing, School of Dental Medicine, School of Health Related Professions, the School of Public Health, Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Environmental and the Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Brain Health Institute, and the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research. The programs are offered at different location sites across New Jersey in New Brunswick, Newark, Blackwood, Stratford and Scotch Plains, New Jersey.[88]

Rutgers-Online

[edit]

As of 2015, Rutgers offered a total of 11 fully online degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.[89] Online degree programs at Rutgers must meet the same academic expectations, in terms of both teaching and learning outcomes, as traditional on-campus programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of courses were conducted through remote instruction.[90]

Off-campus

[edit]

Rutgers offers classes at several off-campus sites in affiliation with community colleges and other state colleges throughout New Jersey.[91] These partnerships are designed to enable students to achieve a seamless transfer to Rutgers and to take all of their Rutgers classes in a select number of the most popular majors at the community college campus. The collaborative effort provides access to Rutgers faculty teaching Rutgers courses, at a convenient location, but it is also one of the few programs that cater exclusively to the non-traditional student population. Rutgers' current partners include Atlantic Cape, Brookdale, Mercer, Morris, Camden, and Raritan Valley community colleges.[92][93]

Academics

[edit]

The university offers more than 100 distinct bachelor, 100 masters, and 80 doctoral and professional degree programs across 175 academic departments, 29 degree-granting schools, and colleges, 16 of which offer graduate programs of study.[94]

It is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (1921), and in 1989, became a member of the Association of American Universities, an organization of the 62 leading research universities in North America.[95] Rutgers–New Brunswick is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[96] Rutgers–Newark and Rutgers–Camden are classified by the same organization as "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".[97]

Admissions

[edit]

Undergraduate

[edit]
Undergraduate admissions statistics
2021 entering
class[98]Change vs.
2016

Admit rate68.2
(Neutral increase +11.3)
Yield rate24.2
(Decrease −6.8)
Test scores middle 50%[i]
SAT Total1240–1470
(among 45% of FTFs)
ACT Composite27–33
(among 7% of FTFs)
  1. Among students who chose to submit
  2. Among students whose school ranked

U.S. News & World Report considers the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University to be a "more selective" school in terms of the rigor of its admissions processes.[99] For the Class of 2025 (enrolling fall 2021), the New Brunswick campus received 43,161 applications and accepted 29,419 (68.2%).[98] The number enrolling was 7,105; the yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who enroll) was 24.2%.[98] The freshman retention rate is 94%, with 83.8% going on to graduate within six years.[98] Rutgers is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity," reflecting its extensive research output and doctoral programs.[100]


Of the 45% of the incoming freshman class who submitted SAT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite scores were 1240-1470.[98] Of the 7% of enrolled freshmen in 2021 who submitted ACT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 27 and 33.[98]

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored 21 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 29 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.[101]

Fall First-Time Freshman Statistics [98] [102] [103] [104] [105] [106]
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Applicants 43,161 41,263 41,286 41,348 38,384 36,677
Admits 29,419 27,618 25,277 24,854 22,186 20,884
Admit rate 68.2 66.9 61.2 60.1 57.8 56.9
Enrolled 7,105 6,551 7,315 7,036 6,268 6,466
Yield rate 24.2 23.7 28.9 28.3 28.3 31.0
ACT composite*
(out of 36)
27-33
(7%)
25-32
(18%)
25-32
(18%)
25-31
(25%)
SAT composite*
(out of 1600)
1240-1470
(45%)
1180-1410
(90%)
1210-1430
(90%)
1190-1410
(87%)
1190-1400
(81%)
* middle 50% range
percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit

Financial aid

[edit]

As a state university, Rutgers charges two separate rates for tuition and fees depending on an enrolled student's residency. The Office of Institutional Research and Academic Planning estimates that costs in-state students of attending Rutgers would amount to $25,566 for an undergraduate living on-campus and $30,069 for a graduate student. For an out-of-state student, the costs rise to $38,228 and $39,069 respectively.[4] As of the 2024–2025 academic school year, the estimated cost of tuition for in-state students is $14,222, $33,734 for out-of-state students, and $15,332 for Room and Board.[107]

In the 2010–2011 academic year, undergraduate students at Rutgers, through a combination of federal (53.5%), state (23.6%), university (18.1%), and private (4.8%) scholarships, loans, and grants, received $492,260,845 of financial aid. 81.4% of all undergraduates, or 34,473 students, received some form of financial aid. During the same period, graduate students, through a combination of federal (61.9%), state (1.8%), university (34.5%), and private (1.9%) scholarships, loans, and grants received $182,384,256 of financial aid. 81.5% of all graduate students, or 11,852 students received some form of financial aid.[4]

Alongside Pell and TAG grant which are well-known federal and state aids, Rutgers provides EOF grant, merit based scholarships such as SAS Excellence Award, Scarlet Guarantee, and many other forms of aid. Rutgers is an active participant of the EOF program giving financially or academically disadvantaged students resources to success. Furthermore, the Scarlet Guarantee covers any tuition cost for students whose aid might not if the student's household income is below a certain amount. Apart from need based aid, Rutgers University have a list of Scholarships which first-time or continuing students can apply to based upon GPA and/or extra-curriculum involvement. The University also offers multiple opportunities for students to earn while in college through Federal Work Study, on-campus employment, and internships.[108]

In 2007, the university's Office for Enrollment Management launched the Rutgers Future Scholars Program as an initiative to help 7th graders from low-income families achieve academic success and be the first in their families to go to college. The program targets students from the school systems of Rutgers's hometowns, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark, and Camden. Once admitted, the students receive mentoring and college prep courses each summer leading up to the year of their college applications. If admitted to the university, they are given a full tuition scholarship for four years of undergraduate study. The program has been very successful and currently admits as many as 200 new 7th graders each year with most of the original 200 now attending the university as undergraduates.[109]

Academic Support

[edit]

Rutgers University have a variety of resources to help students succeed academically. Rutgers offers academic counselling to help students plan a study schedule, plan a schedule for the semester, decide their major, and complete their major requirements in time. The Learning Centers at Rutgers provide Peer Tutoring and Study Groups where students can work with or receive help from others who are taking or have taken the same courses. Certain courses provide extra tutoring like the Computer Science program offer tutoring from RUCATS(Rutgers Computing Academic Tutoring for Students). Students can use resources such as the Penji app to find available academic support. Rutgers offers these academic support resources motioned above for free to its students.[110][111]

Rankings

[edit]
Academic rankings
National
Forbes[112]49
U.S. News & World Report[113]40
Washington Monthly[114]62
WSJ/College Pulse[115]136
Global
ARWU[116]101–150
QS[117]328
THE[118]201–250
U.S. News & World Report[119]143

In the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings of universities in the United States, the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers is tied for 41st among national universities overall and ranked tied for 15th among public universities.[120] U.S. News & World Report ranked the Camden campus 127th among national universities, and 18th in top performers for social mobility.[121] The same ranking placed Rutgers-New Brunswick in the top 25 among all U.S. universities for the following graduate school programs: Library Science (7th), English (15th), Fine Arts (23rd), History (21st) with the subspecialties of Women's History and African-American History both ranked 1st, Social Work (17th), and Mathematics (22nd).[122]

U.S. News ranked Rutgers-Camden 58th for graduate nursing programs, and 83rd among graduate public policy programs, and 49th for top public universities. Rutgers University-New Brunswick has consistently ranked 2nd for Philosophy according the QS World University Rankings[123][124] and the Philosophy Gourmet Report.[125] QS ranks Rutgers 42nd nationally.[126]

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) ranks Rutgers-New Brunswick 29th nationally and 50th globally as of 2020–2021.[127] QS Top Universities ranked Rutgers-New Brunswick 264 in the world in 2022.[128]

Rutgers Alumni House in Camden

U.S. News & World Report ranking placed Rutgers-New Brunswick 130th in Best Global Universities, 15th in public universities in the US (2025), 47th in Agricultural Sciences, 45th in Arts and Humanities (tie), 61st in Mathematics, 66th in Cell Biology, 63rd in Economics and Business, 99th in Computer Science, 37th in Pharmacology and Toxicology, and 23rd in Food Science and Technology.[129] The RBS Master of Quantitative Finance (M.Q.F.) program, and the Master of Mathematical Finance (M.S.M.F) program in the department of mathematics, are ranked 7th in the United States.[130]

Under the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act of 2012, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was dissolved. Most of its schools, including Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey Medical School, and New Jersey Dental School, were merged into the new Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, formed in 2013.[131]

Libraries

[edit]
The Quad Clock on College Avenue campus
New Jersey Hall on the New Brunswick College Avenue Campus, which was the home of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Biology, and Chemistry faculty, now houses the university's Department of Economics.
The Digital Studies Center and Johnson Park at Rutgers University–Camden
The Archibald S. Alexander Library is the main library at Rutgers University–New Brunswick.
The art library on the College Avenue campus

The Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) system consists of twenty-six libraries, centers and reading rooms located on the university's four campuses. Housing a collection that includes 4,383,848 volumes (print and electronic), 4,605,896 microforms, and an array of electronic indexes and abstracts, full-text electronic journals, and research guides, Rutgers University Libraries ranks among the nation's top research libraries.[132] The American Library Association ranks the Rutgers University Library system as the 44th-largest library in the United States in terms of volumes held.[133]

The Archibald S. Alexander Library in New Brunswick, known to many students as "Club Alex", is the oldest and the largest library of the university, and houses an extensive humanities and social science collection.[132][134] It also supports the work of faculty and staff at four professional schools: the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Social Work, and the School of Communication and Information. Alexander Library is also a Federal Depository Library, maintaining a large collection of government documents, which contains United States, New Jersey, foreign, and international government publications.[134] The Paul Robeson Library in Camden, serves Rutgers affiliates as well as the Camden campuses of Rowan University and Camden County College with a broad collection of volumes, and also houses an archive including the papers of poet Nick Virgilio.

The Dana Library is the main research library for the Newark campus and is also home to the Institute of Jazz Studies, one of the world's largest collections of jazz archives and research. The Library of Science and Medicine (LSM) on the Busch Campus in Piscataway houses the university's collection in behavioral, biological, earth, and pharmaceutical sciences and engineering. LSM also serves as a designated depository library for government publications regarding science, and owns a U.S. patent collection and patent search facility.[135] It was officially established as the Library of Science and Medicine in July 1964 although the beginning of the development of a library for science started in 1962. The current character of LSM is a university science library also serving a medical school.[136]

On the New Brunswick-Piscataway campus, in addition to Alexander Library, many individual disciplines have their libraries, including art history, Chemistry, mathematics, music and physics. Special Collections and University Archives houses the Sinclair New Jersey Collection, manuscript collection, and rare book collection, as well as the university archives. Although located in the Alexander Library building, special collections and University Archives comprises a distinct unit unto itself. Also located within the Alexander Library is the East Asian Library which holds a sizable collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean monographs and periodicals. There are nine major libraries at the Rutgers- New Brunswick location which are the Alexander Library, Art Library, Carr Library, Chang Library, Douglass Library, Library of Science and Medicine, Math and Physics Library, School of Management and Labor Relations Library, and Special Collections & University Archives Library.[137] Both the Newark and Camden campuses have law libraries.[138][139]

Museums and collections

[edit]
The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum on Hamilton Street in New Brunswick

Rutgers oversees several museums and collections that are open to the public.

Rutgers' facilities across the four campuses include a golf course, botanical gardens, working agricultural, horse, dairy, and sustainable farms, a creamery, an ecological preserve with multiple use trails, television and radio studios, theaters, museums, athletic facilities, helipads and a makerspace.[146][147][148] The New Jersey Museum of Agriculture, established in 1984 in a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) facility in North Brunswick, closed in 2011.[149]

Research

[edit]
Prof. Selman A. Waksman (B.Sc. 1915), who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for developing 22 antibiotics, including Streptomycin, in his Rutgers University laboratory
A Rutgers tomato growing at a New Jersey greenhouse

Rutgers is home to the Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science, also known as RUCCS. This research center hosts researchers in psychology, linguistics, computer science, philosophy, electrical engineering, and anthropology.[150]

It was at Rutgers that Selman Waksman discovered several antibiotics, including actinomycin, clavacin, streptothricin, grisein, neomycin, fradicin, candicidin, candidin, and others. Waksman, along with graduate student Albert Schatz, discovered streptomycin—a versatile antibiotic that was to be the first applied to cure tuberculosis. For this discovery, Waksman received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1952.[151]

Rutgers developed water-soluble sustained release polymers, tetraploids, robotic hands, artificial bovine insemination, and the ceramic tiles for the heat shield on the Space Shuttle. In health-related field, Rutgers has the Environmental & Occupational Health Science Institute (EOHSI).[152]

Rutgers is also home to the RCSB Protein Data bank,[153] 'an information portal to Biological Macromolecular Structures' cohosted with the San Diego Supercomputer Center. This database is the authoritative research tool for bioinformaticists using protein primary, secondary and tertiary structures worldwide.'[154]

Rutgers is home to the Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension office, which is run by the Agricultural and Experiment Station with the support of the local government. The institution provides research & education to the local farming and agro-industrial community in 19 of the 21 counties of the state and educational outreach programs offered through the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Office of Continuing Professional Education.[155]

The Life Sciences and Genetics Building

Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR) is the largest university-based repository in the world and has received awards worth more than $57.8 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). One will fund genetic studies of mental disorders and the other will support investigations into the causes of digestive, liver, and kidney diseases, and diabetes.[156]

Student life

[edit]

The student body at Rutgers University is highly diverse, with students representing over 100 countries and numerous cultural backgrounds.[157]

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023[158]
Race and ethnicity Total
White 31%
 
Asian 26%
 
Hispanic 18%
 
Black 10%
 
International student 9%
 
Two or more races 3%
 
Other 3%
 
Economic diversity[159]
Low-income[a] 28%
 
Affluent[b] 72%
 

Residential life

[edit]
The Voorhees Chapel is a notable landmark on the Douglass campus at Rutgers; Douglass was founded as an all-women's college in 1918, but now houses co-ed dormitories.
330 Cooper student housing on the Camden campus
Demarest Hall dormitory on the New Brunswick campus

Rutgers University offers a variety of housing options. On the New Brunswick-Piscataway campus, students are given the option of on-campus housing in both traditional dorms or apartments. Freshman students, however, are allowed only a dorm, while upperclassmen have a wider array of on-campus housing choices, like apartments, but must apply for on-campus housing through the Rutgers online lottery process. Most students seeking on-campus housing will be accommodated with a space and sophomores are guaranteed housing.[160] Many Rutgers students opt to rent apartments or houses off-campus within the city of New Brunswick.[161] Similar setups are to be found in Rutgers–Newark and Rutgers–Camden.

Rutgers University's three campuses are in Newark, Camden, and New Brunswick.

In 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rutgers University–Newark the most diverse university campus in the United States.[162] Because the area of Rutgers' New Brunswick-Piscataway campus—which is composed of several constituent colleges and professional schools—is sprawled across six municipalities, the individual campuses are connected by an inter-campus bus system. The Rutgers bus system is the second-largest bus service in New Jersey, transporting six million passengers on an annual basis.[163]

Security and emergency services

[edit]

Services provided by the university include Rutgers Police, Emergency Medical Services, an emergency management office, bus and shuttle service, inter- and intra-campus mail, and occupational and environmental health and safety.[164][165][166]

Student organizations and activities

[edit]
Shrubbery at the College Avenue campus
Rutgers Law School on the Newark Campus

Rutgers University has a student government that controls funding to student groups. The student government is made up of campus councils and professional school councils. Those councils then send representatives to the student assembly as well as the university senate. An example of these campus councils is the University College Council, which represents adult, part-time, and military veteran students.[167]

Rutgers hosts over 700 student organizations; among the first student groups was the first college newspaper in the United States. The Political Intelligencer and New Jersey Adviser began publication at Queen's College in 1783, and ceased operation in 1785.[25] Continuing this tradition is the university's current college newspaper, The Daily Targum, established in 1869, which is the second-oldest college newspaper published in the United States, after The Dartmouth (1843). Both poet Joyce Kilmer and economist Milton Friedman served as editors. Also included are The Medium, a weekly satirical newspaper billed as Rutgers Entertainment Weekly, Rutgers Centurion, a conservative newspaper, the Rutgers University Glee Club, a male choral singing group established in 1872 (among the oldest in the country). Rutgers a cappella groups have routinely placed well in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, including in 2010 when The OrphanSporks placed second in the semifinals.[168] Governed by the Rutgers University Student Assembly and funded by student fees, students can organize groups for practically any political ideology or issue, ethnic or religious affiliation, academic subject, activity or hobby.[169]

Rutgers University is home to chapters of many Greek organizations, and a significant percentage of the undergraduate student body is active in Greek life. Several fraternities and sororities maintain houses for their chapters in the area of Union Street (known familiarly as "Frat Row") in New Brunswick, within blocks of Rutgers' College Avenue Campus. Chapters of Zeta Psi and Delta Phi were organized at Rutgers as early as 1845. The Alpha Rho chapter of Chi Psi fraternity, founded at Rutgers College in 1879, was the first fraternity at Rutgers to own a fraternity house, purchased in 1887 and still in use by the fraternity today. There are over fifty fraternities and sororities on the New Brunswick-Piscataway campus, ranging from traditional to historically African-American, Hispanic, Multicultural, and Asian interest organizations.[170] The New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University has a chapter of the only active co-ed pre-medical fraternity, Phi Delta Epsilon, as of 2008.[171] The Rutgers chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi was closed in October 2025 after a student was left unconscious by a hazing ritual.[172]

It is Rutgers's tradition for students to participate in one of the largest student-run philanthropic events in New Jersey, the Embrace Kids Foundation for children with cancer and blood disorders. The annual Dance Marathon involves hundreds of dancers and volunteers. In 2015, the marathon collected $692,046.[173][174]

Rutgers has five vocal ensembles: Voorhees Choir (the New Brunswick campus's women's ensemble), Kirkpatrick Choir (the university's most selective coed ensemble), Glee Club (New Brunswick's most esteemed tenor-bass ensemble),[175] University Choir (a larger mixed choir in New Brunswick), and the Rutgers Concert Choir (Camden's vocal ensemble of faculty and students).[176][177]

Traditions

[edit]

The Grease Trucks are a group of truck-based food vendors located at various locations on the New Brunswick campus. They serve traditional grill fare and Middle-Eastern specialties. Three Rutgers Grease Trucks remain on the College Avenue Campus, while the remaining two were moved to the Cook/Douglass Campus.[178]

The Dance Marathon is a student-run fundraisers. Hundreds of dancers pledge to raise funds and remain standing for 32 hours. Rutgers has held this tradition since 1999 and to date has raised more than $1.3 million for the Embrace Kids Foundation and for other charities. In the two decades starting in 1998, the event had raised $5.8 million for the Embrace Kids Foundation.[179]

Rutgers Day is an annual festival established in 1906.[180]

Mottos, colors and mascots

[edit]

Rutgers University's motto Sol iustitiae et occidentem illustra is a modification of Utrecht University's motto Sol iustitiae illustra nos gleaned from a literal Latin Bible translation of Malachi 4:2 and highlights the historic connection of these two universities.[181]

Rutgers University's only school color is scarlet. Students had sought to make orange the school color, citing Rutgers' Dutch heritage and about the Prince of Orange. The Rutgers student publication Targum (which would become the Daily Targum) proposed that scarlet be adopted in May 1869, claiming that it was a striking color and because the scarlet ribbon was easily obtained. During the first intercollegiate football game with Princeton on November 6, 1869, the players from Rutgers wore scarlet-colored turbans and handkerchiefs to distinguish them as a team from the Princeton players.[182][183] The board of trustees officially made scarlet the school color in 1900.[183]

In its early days, Rutgers athletes were known informally as "The Scarlet" after the school color, or as "Queensmen" after the institution's first name, Queen's College.[183] In 1925, the mascot was changed to Chanticleer, a fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renart) which was used by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales.[183] At the time, the student humor magazine at Rutgers was called Chanticleer, and one of its early arts editors, Ozzie Nelson (later of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet fame) was quarterback of the Rutgers team from 1924 to 1926.[184] The Chanticleer mascot was unveiled at a football game against Lafayette College, in which Lafayette was also introducing a new mascot, a leopard.[184] However, the choice of Chanticleer as a mascot was often the subject of ridicule because of its association with "being chicken."[185] In 1955, the mascot was changed to the Scarlet Knight after a campus-wide election, beating out other contenders such as "Queensmen," the "Scarlet," the "Red Lions," the "Redmen" and the "Flying Dutchmen."[183][186] Earlier proposed nicknames included "Pioneers" and "Cannoneers." When Harvey Harman, then coach of the football team was asked why he supported changing the Rutgers mascot, he was quoted as saying, "Awnish You can call it the Chanticleer, you can call it a fighting cock, you can call it any damn thing you want, but everybody knows it's a chicken."[187] Harman later is said to have bought the first "Scarlet Knight" mascot costume for the 1955 season, which was to be his final season as football coach at Rutgers.[188] Today, the Scarlet Knight costumed mascot appearing at Rutgers football and basketball games and other campus events is called "Sir Henry".[9]

In later years the Camden and Newark campuses adopted their mascots, the Scarlet Raptor (Camden) and the Scarlet Raider (Newark).[189]

Athletics

[edit]
The Rutgers "R" logo debuted in 1998 and has represented the school in athletics since.
The Rutgers college football team in 1882
The Rutgers-New Brunswick men's varsity eight rowing on the Raritan River
SHI Stadium, the home field of Scarlet Knights football

The Rutgers–Camden athletic teams are called the Scarlet Raptors. The Rutgers–Newark athletic teams are called the Scarlet Raiders. The Scarlet Raiders and the Scarlet Raptors both compete within NCAA Division III.[190]

Rutgers was among the first American institutions to engage in intercollegiate athletics, and participated in a small circle of schools that included Yale University, Columbia University, and long-time rival, Princeton University (then called the College of New Jersey). The four schools met at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in Manhattan on October 19, 1873, to establish a set of rules governing their intercollegiate competition, and particularly to codify the new game of football. Although invited, Harvard chose not to attend.[191] In the early years of intercollegiate athletics, the schools that participated in these athletic events were located solely in the American Northeast and by the turn of the 20th century, colleges and universities across the United States began to participate.[192]

Rutgers University is referred to as "the birthplace of college football" as the first intercollegiate football game was held on College Field between Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1869, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on a plot of ground behind where the present-day College Avenue Gymnasium now stands. Rutgers won the game, with a score of 6 runs to Princeton's 4.[25][183][193] A Rutgers-Princeton rivalry still exists today. According to Parke H. Davis, the 1869 Rutgers football team shared the national title with Princeton.[194] (This game is believed to have been closer to soccer than to modern American football.)[195]

In 1864, rowing became the first organized sport at Rutgers. Six-mile races were held on the Raritan River among six-oared boats. In 1870, Rutgers held its first intercollegiate competition, against the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard, the then top-ranked amateur crew of the time. Women's crew was added to the program in 1974. Financial support of the men's crew program was discontinued by the university in 2006, though the crew continues to compete (funded entirely by alumni and private support) at a high level in the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges conference.[196]

The first intercollegiate athletic event at Rutgers was a baseball game on May 2, 1866, against Princeton in which they suffered a 40–2 loss.[197]

Beginning in 1866, Rutgers was unaffiliated with any formal athletic conference and thus classified as "independent" for eighty years. From 1946 to 1951, the university was a member of the Middle Three Conference, and from 1958 to 1961, was a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference.[198] In 1978, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights became a member of the Atlantic 10 conference. In 1991, it joined the Big East Conference for football. All sports programs at Rutgers New Brunswick subsequently became affiliated with the Big East in 1995.[199]

The first intercollegiate competition in Ultimate Frisbee was held between students from Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1972, to mark the one hundred third anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game. Rutgers won 29–27.[200] The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's Basketball Team was among the "Final Four" and ended the 1976 season ranked fourth in the United States, after an 86–70 loss against the University of Michigan in the semifinals, and a 106–92 loss against UCLA in the consolation round of the 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.[201]

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are members of the Big Ten Conference, a collegiate athletic conference consisting of 14 colleges and universities from the Midwestern and East Coast regions of the United States. The Big Ten Conference is a member of the Bowl Championship Series. Rutgers currently fields 27 intercollegiate sports programs and is a Division I school as sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Rutgers fields thirty teams in NCAA Division I sanctioned sports, including football, baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving, wrestling, and volleyball.[202]

The Scarlet Knights have won five Big East Conference tournament titles: men's soccer (1997), men's track & field (2005), baseball (2000, 2007), and women's basketball (2007). Several other teams have won regular season titles but failed to win the conference's championship tournament.[203]

Although the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' football team had losing seasons in 2016 and 2015 (won-lost records of 2–10 and 4–8, respectively)[204] it achieved success previously, being invited to the Insight Bowl on December 27, 2005, in which they lost 45 to 40 against Arizona State University.[205] This was Rutgers' first bowl appearance since the December 16, 1978, loss against Arizona State, 34–18, at the Garden State Bowl. The 2006 football season also saw Rutgers being ranked within the Top 25 teams in major college football polls. After the November 9, 2006, victory over the 3rd ranked, undefeated Louisville Cardinals, Rutgers jumped up to seventh in the AP Poll, eighth in the USA Today/Coaches poll, seventh in the Harris Interactive Poll, and sixth in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. These were Rutgers' highest rankings in the football polls since they were ranked fifteenth in 1961. Rutgers ended the season 11–2 after winning the inaugural Texas Bowl on December 28, 2006, defeating the Wildcats of Kansas State University by a score of 37–10 and finishing the season ranked twelfth[206] in the final AP poll of sportswriters, the team's highest season-ending ranking.[207]

Under Head Coach C. Vivian Stringer, the women's basketball program is among the elite programs in the country as they remain consistently ranked in the Top 25, consistently making the NCAA Women's Championship Tournament, and sometimes winning the Big East regular season championship. In 2006–2007, the Scarlet Knights won their first-ever Big East Conference Tournament Championship. The program has been highly competitive since its inception, winning the 1982 AIAW National Championship, reaching the 2000 Final Four, and reaching the Final Four and national championship game in 2007.[208]

The Scarlet Knights maintain athletic rivalries with other collegiate institutions. The university has historic rivalries with Princeton University, Columbia University (formerly King's College), Lafayette College, Lehigh University, and New York University originating from the early days of college football. While they maintain this rivalry in other sports, neither of them has met in football since 1980. Rutgers has a basketball rivalry with Seton Hall University.[209] Penn State and the University of Maryland are the two schools with which Rutgers was developing rivalries within the Big Ten.[210]

In the fall of 2007, six Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway NCAA Division I sports were discontinued by the university, including men's swimming and diving, men's heavyweight and lightweight crew, men's tennis, and men's and women's fencing. Some continued as club teams, while some were disbanded completely. The university claims this change was due to budget cuts, while others claim it was a politically motivated move designed to protest state funding changes.[211]

In November 2012, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, along with Louisville, Connecticut, and Cincinnati left the Big East to form the American Athletic Conference. Syracuse and Pittsburgh have decided to enter the Atlantic Coast Conference, while West Virginia entered the Big 12 Conference, taking effect as of the 2012–2013 season. Rutgers decided to leave American for the Big Ten Conference, effective July 1, 2014. Rutgers surpassed Penn State as the Big Ten's easternmost school.[212]

On March 23, 2019, Nick Suriano and Anthony Ashnault won national titles for Rutgers Wrestling and provided Rutgers with their first 2 NCAA wrestling championships.[213]

In 2021, the Rutgers men's basketball team was selected to participate in the NCAA tournament. This marked the program's first appearance in the tournament since 1991 and ending a 30-year-long streak that made the school the longest to have been excluded among major collegiate basketball programs.[214]

In 2022, Rutgers men's lacrosse team was selected to participate in the NCAA Division I tournament. They defeated Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania to reach their first-ever Final Four. Their season ended with a 17–10 loss to Cornell.[215] In 2025, the women's rowing eight won the Island Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.[216]

Notable people

[edit]

Alumni

[edit]
Milton Friedman received his B.A. from Rutgers-New Brunswick in 1932.
James Gandolfini, star of HBO's The Sopranos received his B.A. from Rutgers-New Brunswick in 1983.
Senator Elizabeth Warren received her JD from Rutgers Law School in 1976.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served as a law professor at Rutgers Law School from 1963-1972.

At Queen's College's first commencement in 1774, one graduate, Matthew Leydt, received his baccalaureate degree in a brief ceremony.[217]: p.66 

Rutgers alumni have been influential in many fields. Singer, athlete, attorney, and Civil Rights Movement activist Paul Robeson graduated in 1919 and is the namesake of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center on the Busch Campus, the Paul Robeson Library on the Camden Campus, and the Campus Center on the Newark Campus.[218] Among the first students enrolled at Rutgers (when it was Queen's College), Simeon De Witt (A.B. 1776) became the Surveyor-General for the Continental Army (1776–1783) during the American Revolution[217]: p.67  and classmate James Schureman (A.B. 1775), served in the Continental Congress and as a United States senator.[217]: p.66  Two alumni have been awarded Nobel prizes — Milton Friedman (A.B. 1932) in economics, and Selman A. Waksman (B.Sc. 1915, M.Sc.1916) in Medicine.[217]: p.300, 422  Poet Robert Pinsky (B.A. 1962) was appointed the nation's poet laureate[219] and novelist Junot Díaz (B.A. 1992) awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2008.[220]

Seven alumni have served as New Jersey governor;[c] two as president of Rutgers;[d] Garret A. Hobart (A.B. 1863) as Vice President of the United States;[217]: p.137  Louis Freeh (B.A. 1971, J.D. 1974) as director of the FBI;[221] Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (A.B. 1836) served a U.S. Senator and as U.S. Secretary of State.[217]: p.88 [222] Alumnus Joseph P. Bradley (A.B. 1836) served for two decades as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States[217]: p.87  and cast the tie-breaking vote on the bipartisan commission that decided the contested American presidential election in 1876. Diplomat Maria Fernanda Espinosa served as President of the United Nations General Assembly.[223] Senators Elizabeth Warren (JD 1976) and Bob Menendez (JD 1979) both attended Rutgers Law School.[224] Some alumni became activists such as Jack Babuscio (MHist.).[225]

In business, alumni include: Bernard Marcus (B.S. 1951), founder of hardware retail company Home Depot; Bill Rasmussen (MBA 1960), founder of ESPN; Rana Kapoor (founder of Yes Bank); Dev Ittycheria (B.S 1990) CEO of MongoDB Inc.; Greg Brown, CEO of Motorola Solutions; and Duncan MacMillan (B.S. 1966), co-founder of financial data and media company Bloomberg L.P. In science and technology, alumni include: Peter C. Schultz (B.S. 1967), co-inventor of fiber optics; molecular geneticist Angela Christiano (Ph.D. 1991); geneticist Stanley N. Cohen (B.Sc. 1956) who pioneered in the field of gene splicing; physician Howard Krein; and Louis Gluck (B.S. 1948) the "father of neonatology".[226]

Alumni prominent in entertainment include actor James Gandolfini (B.A. 1983) (The Sopranos); chef Mario Batali (B.A. 1982); David Stern (B.A. 1963), former commissioner of the National Basketball Association; Henry Selick, film director (Disney's The Nightmare Before Christmas); actor Michael Sorvino; Holly Black; actor Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier); cartoon character Mr Magoo; actress Jessica Darrow (Encanto); voice actor John DiMaggio (Futurama, Adventure Time); guitarist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), actor Roy Scheider (Jaws); and actress Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal).

Faculty

[edit]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg served as a professor at Rutgers Law School for 9 years from 1963-1972 and later went on to serve as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. During his 20-year tenure at Rutgers, David Levering Lewis, a former history professor, was twice awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography (1994 and 2001) for both volumes of his biography of W. E. B. Du Bois (1868–1963) and was also the winner of the Bancroft Prize and the Francis Parkman Prize. Poet Gregory Pardlo won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, he is both an alumnus and faculty member at the Camden campus. Michael R. Douglas, a prominent string theorist and the director of the New High Energy Theory Center and winner of the Sackler Prize in theoretical physics in 2000. Family Research Council director Jennifer Bauwens taught in the Rutgers School of Social Work. Avery Brooks, a Rutgers graduate, taught at Mason Gross School of the Arts. Former professor Ruth Chang is an expert in decision-making and a fellow at Oxford. Literature scholar Ankhi Mukherjee now at University of Oxford won the Rose Mary Crawshay prize. Former English professor at Rutgers-Newark Jayne Anne Phillips won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2024. Jerry Fodor, Zenon Pylyshyn, Stephen Stich and Frances Egan were awarded the Jean Nicod Prize in philosophy and cognitive science. Endre Szemerédi was awarded the Abel Prize in 2012.[227] Mario Szegedy was awarded the Gödel Prize twice, in 2001 and 2005.[228]

Many other members of the faculty have received the highest awards in their fields, including Guggenheim and MacArthur "Genius Award" fellowships, Pulitzer Prize winners, National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology recipients, a National Endowment for the Arts "Jazz Master," amongst others.[5] As of 2013, 37 science, engineering, and medical faculty are members of the four "National Academies"—the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council.[5][229]

See also

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References

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Bibliography

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is the flagship public of , operating campuses in , Newark, and Camden. With over 71,000 students enrolled from all 50 states and 135 countries in fall 2025, it serves as the state's largest higher education institution and the most diverse public in its region. As a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university, Rutgers emphasizes applied addressing challenges in , marine science, , and , supported by nearly $1 billion in grants for fiscal year 2025 across 300 centers and institutes. Founded more than 250 years ago as one of the nation's oldest higher education institutions, Rutgers traces its roots to the colonial era and achieved membership in the Association of American Universities in 1989, signifying its status among elite research universities. The university ranks as the top public institution in New Jersey and leads the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area in public university standings, while maintaining the state's largest academic health system through partnerships like Rutgers Health and RWJBarnabas Health. Its alumni network exceeds 600,000, including Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize recipients, underscoring contributions to science, arts, and public service. Rutgers has garnered national attention for controversies involving and free expression, with incidents including faculty petitions to disband conservative student organizations like and defenses of politically extreme views prompting safety threats and relocations. These events, alongside external pressures such as congressional inquiries into events, highlight ongoing tensions over viewpoint diversity in an academic environment where heterodox perspectives often face institutional resistance. In response, leadership has reaffirmed commitments to open debate while launching reviews to balance safety and scholarly liberty.

History

Colonial Founding and Early Years (1766–1800s)

Queen's College was chartered on November 10, 1766, by New Jersey's royal governor as the eighth institution of higher education established in the American colonies prior to the Revolution, named in honor of Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. Founded by ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church in New Brunswick to train clergy and provide a classical liberal arts education rooted in Protestant theology, the college reflected the denominational efforts to counter perceived Anglican dominance in colonial higher education. Its charter emphasized instruction in languages, divinity, and sciences, aligning with the era's emphasis on preparing leaders for civil and ecclesiastical roles. Classes commenced in November 1771 at the Sign of the Red Lion tavern in , initially serving a small cohort including one and several freshmen under a single tutor, Frederick Frelinghuysen, amid delays caused by disputes over location and funding. The first commencement occurred in 1774, but operations remained modest, with enrollment fluctuating due to the impending conflict. The profoundly disrupted the college: facilities were requisitioned as a , instruction suspended intermittently, and both students and faculty enlisted in the Patriot cause, contributing to battles against British forces despite the institution's nominal to in its naming. Notably, alumnus De Witt served as Surveyor General of the Continental Army, mapping terrain that facilitated the 1781 Yorktown victory. Queen's College uniquely maintained annual graduating classes from 1771 onward, even through wartime exigencies, underscoring its resilience. Postwar financial woes and enrollment declines plagued the institution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, exacerbated by internal governance disputes with the Dutch Reformed Church's General Synod. Undergraduate programs suspended in 1816, prompting appeals for benefactors; Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Henry Rutgers, a trustee from 1816, provided critical support, including a $5,000 bond in 1826 whose interest sustained operations and a bronze bell for the nascent campus edifice. This aid enabled reopening, culminating in the state legislature's renaming of the college to Rutgers College on November 30, 1825, in recognition of his patronage and wartime service.

19th-Century Growth and Challenges

Queen's College, facing severe financial distress in the aftermath of the economic depression, suspended instruction in 1816 after trustees considered selling its building due to mounting debts and internal disputes over funding control with the Dutch Reformed Synod. The institution reopened in 1825 as Rutgers College, renamed to honor Colonel Henry Rutgers, a Revolutionary War veteran whose donation of $5,000 along with purchased bonds restored financial stability and enabled resumption of classes. This revival marked initial growth, but the college continued to grapple with modest enrollment and resource limitations characteristic of small denominational institutions in the early . Mid-century challenges intensified during the Civil War, with enrollment plummeting from 124 students in 1861 to 64 in 1864 as young men enlisted or faced disruptions. A pivotal advancement came in 1864 when New Jersey designated Rutgers as its land-grant college under the Morrill Act, establishing the Rutgers Scientific School to promote practical education in and mechanical arts. The school commenced operations in 1865 with two three-year programs in /mechanics and chemistry/, enrolling just seven students initially and featuring a encompassing , physics, chemistry, , languages, , , and military drill. This expansion diversified offerings beyond classical liberal arts, adding faculty and initiating graduate-level work by 1876, though courses saw slow uptake. Persistent hurdles included constrained state funding of approximately $5,800 annually for the Scientific School and overall low student numbers, hindering broader development. Infrastructure progress emerged with the construction of in 1872 for scientific instruction and Winants Hall in 1890 as the first , overcoming 19th-century administrative prejudices against residential that favored commuter models. By century's end, curriculum adjustments, such as extensions for broader access in 1891, signaled incremental growth amid enduring fiscal and enrollment constraints.

20th-Century Transformation and Expansion

In the early , Rutgers College, leveraging its land-grant designation, intensified agricultural and scientific research initiatives, including the establishment of experiment stations that advanced crop breeding and amid New Jersey's growing agricultural economy. During , the institution contributed to national efforts by training military officers and developing wartime agricultural techniques to bolster food production. By 1918, the founding of the New Jersey College for Women—later Douglass College—introduced dedicated women's education, expanding access while maintaining separate facilities from the all-male Rutgers College. Rutgers transitioned to university status in 1924 with the formal introduction of graduate programs and professional schools, reflecting broadened academic scope beyond undergraduate liberal arts. further catalyzed institutional involvement, as Rutgers hosted advanced training for over 20,000 military personnel and supported research in areas like and . A pivotal shift occurred in 1945 when the designated Rutgers as the state university, enabling increased public funding and oversight in exchange for expanded service to state educational needs. This status was reaffirmed in 1956 through additional legislation that solidified Rutgers' role as New Jersey's public flagship institution. Postwar expansion was dramatic, fueled by the , which drew thousands of veterans and propelled enrollment from approximately 6,000 students in 1945 to over 16,000 by 1948, necessitating rapid infrastructure development including new dormitories and laboratories across the campus. Research prominence surged with microbiologist Selman Waksman's 1943 discovery of —the first effective antibiotic against —earning him the 1952 in Physiology or Medicine and establishing Rutgers as a hub for biomedical innovation. The 1960s and 1970s saw further transformation: Livingston College opened in 1969 to promote interdisciplinary studies and urban engagement, while in 1972 Rutgers College admitted women, fully integrating coeducation and boosting overall enrollment to nearly 30,000 by the late 1970s. Physical and programmatic growth included the development of the Busch Campus in Piscataway during the for and facilities, alongside expansions at Newark and Camden branches to accommodate rising demand for professional degrees in , , and . State appropriations, which constituted a growing share of the —rising from minimal pre-1945 levels to substantial commitments—underwrote these initiatives, though fiscal constraints in the prompted efficiencies amid enrollment stabilization. By century's end, Rutgers had evolved from a modest denominational into a comprehensive , with diversified faculties and a statewide footprint serving diverse demographics.

Late 20th and 21st-Century Developments

In the late and , Rutgers University expanded its research infrastructure and academic programs amid increasing state support and federal funding. The university's internal Research Council budget grew from approximately $400,000 by 1980 to support broader initiatives, including multimillion-dollar federal grants that advanced its role as a major public research institution. Construction projects, such as new residence halls and commons facilities at the Newark campus in the , accommodated rising enrollment and efforts. Student activism persisted, with incidents of bias prompting Jim Florio's 1990 commencement address calling for intolerance's end, reflecting tensions over race and diversity on campus. The early 21st century brought significant structural changes through mergers and integrations. On July 1, 2013, Rutgers absorbed major components of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of (UMDNJ), creating Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) and incorporating nine schools and institutes in a merger described as the largest in U.S. higher education history. This added clinical and research capacity, boosting enrollment beyond 65,000 students and staff to 25,000, while elevating research expenditures—rising over $200 million in five years post-merger to $736.8 million by 2019. The integration incurred one-time costs up to $75 million but positioned Rutgers as 's primary academic health center. Research funding continued accelerating, reaching $929 million in grants and sponsored programs by 2023 and $993 million by 2025, with federal sources comprising the majority and supporting over 4,290 awards annually. In 2023, Rutgers approved merging its and into a unified Rutgers of Medicine, aiming to streamline curricula and enhance recruitment despite faculty and senate concerns over impacts. Campus controversies highlighted ongoing challenges. The 2007 Don Imus remarks disparaging the Rutgers women's basketball team sparked national debate on race and media, leading to Imus's firing. In 2010, freshman Tyler Clementi's suicide after roommate webcam surveillance raised awareness of , influencing federal legislation. Protests forced Condoleezza Rice's 2014 commencement withdrawal. More recently, following October 7, 2023, events in , Rutgers reviewed 440 discrimination reports through June 2024—predominantly against Jewish students—amid active pro-Palestinian groups, culminating in a 2025 federal agreement to address antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents. Separate 2025 complaints alleged discrimination against white students in certain programs. These events underscore persistent debates over free speech, inclusion, and institutional neutrality.

Governance and Administration

University Leadership and Presidents

The president of Rutgers University serves as the , presiding over the institution as a single accredited entity that encompasses three regional campuses—New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden—and the Rutgers Health division. Chancellors lead each of these major units and report directly to the president, forming part of the executive that coordinates university-wide academic, administrative, and strategic initiatives. This structure ensures unified despite the distributed campuses, with the president accountable to the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees for overall policy and fiscal oversight. Rutgers has had 22 presidents since its early organizational phase, with the role evolving from clerical leadership in its Dutch Reformed Church origins to executive management of a large public research university. The following table lists all presidents and their terms:
No.NameTerm
1Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh1786–1790
2William Linn1791–1795
3Ira Condict1795–1810
4John Henry Livingston1810–1825
5Philip Milledoler1825–1840
6Abraham Bruyn Hasbrouck1840–1850
7Theodore Frelinghuysen1850–1862
8William Henry Campbell1862–1882
9Merrill Edward Gates1882–1890
10Austin Scott1891–1906
11William Henry Steele Demarest1906–1924
12John Martin Thomas1925–1930
13Philip M. Brett1930–1931
14Robert C. Clothier1932–1951
15Lewis Webster Jones1951–1958
16Mason W. Gross1959–1971
17Edward J. Bloustein1971–1989
18Francis L. Lawrence1990–2002
19Richard L. McCormick2002–2012
20Robert L. Barchi2012–2020
21Jonathan Holloway2020–2025
22William F. Tate IV2025–present
Notable presidencies include those of Edward J. Bloustein, who expanded academic programs and enrollment during a period of state university designation in 1956, and Robert L. Barchi, who integrated Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences following the 2013 merger with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The current president, , assumed office on July 1, 2025, succeeding Jonathan Holloway; Tate previously led the system, bringing expertise in research and public higher education administration.

Governing Boards and Oversight

The Board of Governors serves as the chief governing authority of Rutgers University, established by state law in 1956 to oversee the institution's government, control, conduct, management, and administration. It consists of 15 voting members, with eight appointed by the and confirmed by the State , and seven elected by the Board of Trustees from among its own members. The university president serves as an ex officio nonvoting member, alongside three nonvoting representatives from the University . Terms align with the , running from July 1 to June 30. As of June 2025, Amy L. Towers holds the position of chair, with James F. Dougherty as vice chair. The Board of Trustees, Rutgers's original dating to the university's chartering in 1766, now functions in an advisory capacity to the Board of Governors while retaining oversight of assets predating 1956. It comprises 41 voting members, reduced from 59 through state legislation in amid negotiations to balance university autonomy with public accountability. The Board of Trustees elects seven of the Board of Governors' voting members and advises on strategic matters, with the university president again serving ex officio as a nonvoting participant. As New Jersey's state university, Rutgers operates under broader oversight from entities, including gubernatorial appointments to the Board of Governors and legislative interventions in reforms, such as the 1956 act creating the dual-board system and the 2014 restructuring of the Board of Trustees. This structure reflects a compromise between institutional and public accountability, with the state exerting influence through funding dependencies and confirmatory processes for appointments. Specialized entities, like the –Rutgers Camden Board of Governors for health sciences collaboration, provide targeted oversight in joint programs.

Financial Structure and Budgeting

Rutgers University, as New Jersey's state university, operates on a decentralized financial model incorporating responsibility center management, where academic units generate and manage their own revenues and expenses to promote and efficiency. The university's annual operating is approved by the Board of Governors, serving as the primary financial blueprint; for 2026 (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026), this totals $5.9 billion, reflecting revenues from diverse public and private sources including tuition, state appropriations, and external . Revenue diversification mitigates reliance on any single source, with tuition and fees constituting the largest share at 27.7%, followed by patient care services from Rutgers Health at 20.4% and state appropriations at 18%. Sponsored grants and contracts contribute 14.1%, while miscellaneous sources, including auxiliaries and endowment distributions, account for the remainder; the university's endowment stood at $2.058 billion as of 2024 end, generating that supports scholarships and operations but represents a modest portion of overall .
Revenue CategoryPercentage of Total Budget
Tuition and Fees27.7%
Patient Care Services20.4%
State Appropriations18.0%
Sponsored Research14.1%
Miscellaneous19.8%
Expenditures prioritize core academic and health missions, comprising 76% of the budget for instruction, research, public service, and patient care, including faculty and staff compensation; administrative operations and maintenance follow at 16%, with auxiliaries and athletics at 5% and 3%, respectively. This allocation underscores the university's emphasis on mission-driven spending amid pressures from enrollment growth, inflation, and fluctuating state support, which has historically hovered around 15-20% of revenues but faced proposed cuts restored in the New Jersey FY2026 state budget.
Expenditure CategoryPercentage of Total Budget
Core Missions76%
Administration/Ops/Maint16%
Auxiliary Enterprises5%
Athletics3%

Campuses and Organization

Rutgers–New Brunswick

Rutgers–New Brunswick serves as the flagship and largest campus of Rutgers University, encompassing the original site chartered as Queen's College on November 10, 1766, in . Spanning approximately 2,723 acres across and adjacent Piscataway, it functions as a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant institution with a focus on research and . The campus is organized into five interconnected areas—College Avenue, Busch, Livingston, Cook (also known as George H. Cook), and Douglass—linked by an extensive bus system facilitating movement between specialized facilities and academic units. In fall 2024, Rutgers–New Brunswick enrolled 37,985 undergraduate students, supported by a student-faculty ratio of 16:1, with total student population exceeding 50,000 including graduates. The College Avenue area anchors the historic core, housing administrative buildings like Old Queens and programs in liberal arts, , and . Busch Campus concentrates on natural sciences, , , and , featuring research-intensive labs and the Rutgers Cancer Institute of . Livingston Campus supports , , and through Rutgers Business School and related facilities. The Cook Campus specializes in , environmental sciences, and food systems via the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, including experimental farms and greenhouses. Douglass Campus, originally a , now emphasizes multidisciplinary studies in , , and with coeducational residential options. The campus hosts 19 schools and colleges offering over 100 undergraduate majors, alongside and professional programs in fields ranging from to . Key facilities include the for humanities and social sciences, the with its 65,000-piece collection, and extensive athletic venues supporting competitions. As a member of the since , it emphasizes research output, with annual expenditures surpassing $1 billion university-wide, much concentrated here. Residential life accommodates over 15,000 s across traditional dorms, suite-style housing, and themed communities, fostering a diverse student body drawn from all 50 states and 120 countries.

Rutgers–Newark

Rutgers University–Newark, one of three regional campuses of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, occupies an urban setting in Newark's University Heights neighborhood, spanning approximately 41 acres and serving both residential and commuter students via accessible public transit and roadways. Established as part of Rutgers' expansion to address postwar educational demands, the campus integrates with Newark's civic fabric as an anchor institution, emphasizing research, public engagement, and socioeconomic mobility. In recent rankings, it placed fifth nationally for social mobility in 2025 and 2026, reflecting strong outcomes for underrepresented students. The campus hosts seven degree-granting schools and colleges, including the School of Arts and Sciences–Newark, Rutgers Business School–Newark and , , , School of Public Affairs and Administration, and Graduate School–Newark. It offers over 40 undergraduate majors and more than 50 graduate and professional programs, with a student-faculty ratio of 14:1 and nearly all faculty holding terminal degrees. Enrollment for the 2023–2024 totaled 10,809 students, comprising 7,417 undergraduates and 3,392 graduate students, with 91.4% residents and a gender distribution of 51.9% women and 48.1% men. The student body is notably diverse, with 27.9% or Latino, 25.2% , 17.4% Asian, and 16.1% Black or African American enrollees. Facilities include five residence halls, the Golden Dome Athletic Center for sports and recreation, specialized labs for sciences and computing, moot courtrooms for legal training, and classrooms across disciplines. Core research infrastructure supports advanced work in areas like and , positioning the campus as a hub for urban-focused scholarship amid Newark's revitalization efforts.

Rutgers–Camden

Rutgers University–Camden, located in , originated from the South Jersey Law School, established on March 21, 1926, and the College of South Jersey, both founded in the 1920s to serve the educational needs of southern residents. These institutions merged and affiliated with Rutgers University in 1950, forming the Camden College of Arts and Sciences and integrating professional programs, which expanded the campus's scope beyond its initial law-focused origins. The campus occupies 31 acres in an urban-suburban setting within the Philadelphia-Camden metropolitan area, facilitating access to regional professional opportunities while maintaining a compact, walkable layout. The campus hosts several academic units, including the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (encompassing the Camden College of Arts and Sciences), the Rutgers School of Business–Camden, the School of Nursing–Camden, , and the Graduate School–Camden. It offers 38 undergraduate majors and 29 graduate programs, emphasizing personalized instruction with a student-faculty ratio of 12:1. Enrollment for the 2023-2024 totaled 5,776 students, comprising 3,922 undergraduates and 1,854 graduate students, with undergraduates numbering 3,857 in fall 2024; approximately 60% of undergraduates are female. Key facilities include the Campus Center, which provides student spaces such as the Scarlet Lounge and Raptor Roost; the Library (formerly Cooper Library); and the Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, featuring the Stedman Art Gallery and Gordon Theater. The Athletic and Fitness Center supports recreational and varsity activities for Scarlet Raptors teams. Students benefit from access to all 26 Rutgers libraries system-wide, enhancing research resources across disciplines. Notable programs include strengths in , , and , with recent faculty achievements in areas like and , alongside student recognitions such as Gilman International Scholarships. In 2025, the campus received national recognition from as one of 25 best-in-class colleges for metrics including and research contributions.

Rutgers Health and Specialized Divisions

Rutgers Health, established in April 2016 by the Rutgers Board of Governors, serves as the university's integrated academic , encompassing clinical care, biomedical education, and research initiatives previously consolidated under Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences following the 2013 integration of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). This structure facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration across eight schools, including the , , School of Dental Medicine, School of Health Professions, School of Nursing, School of Public Health, and Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, which collectively train over 6,000 health professionals annually and deliver approximately 2.3 million patient visits each year through affiliated practices and University Hospital in Newark. The system's clinical arm operates Rutgers Health practices, employing more than 1,500 physicians and advanced providers who specialize in primary and specialty care, with a focus on evidence-based treatments integrated with outputs. University Hospital, a 519-bed tertiary care facility affiliated with Rutgers , handles over 100,000 emergency visits and 25,000 admissions annually, emphasizing trauma, stroke, and infectious disease management. Partnerships, such as with , extend reach to community hospitals while prioritizing academic missions like resident training and . Specialized divisions and institutes under Rutgers Health target high-impact areas, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute of , the state's sole (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center since 2002 (initial designation in 1997), which conducts over 450 clinical trials at any time and advances precision medicine, , and prevention strategies. Other key units include the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), focused on and ; the Brain Health Institute, addressing neurological disorders through and behavioral studies; and the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), which investigates toxin exposures and public health risks with EPA collaborations. The Rutgers Institute for Health comprises divisions in , policy, and , while Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC), a certified community behavioral health clinic, provides integrated services to over 40,000 individuals yearly, emphasizing coordinated care for substance use and psychiatric conditions. These entities leverage Rutgers' , generating innovations like discoveries historically tied to faculty such as , while maintaining fiscal accountability through state funding and grants exceeding $700 million annually in health-related expenditures.

Academics

Degree Programs and Enrollment

Rutgers University offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees, including (J.D.), (M.D.), and (Pharm.D.), across its campuses in , Newark, and Camden, as well as select online and off-campus options. The institution maintains more than 150 undergraduate majors in fields ranging from biological and life sciences to , , and fine arts. Graduate and professional education encompasses over 400 programs, delivered through specialized schools such as Rutgers Business School, the School of Engineering, and the . These offerings operate within 29 distinct schools and colleges, which collectively address disciplines including environmental sciences, , , , and public affairs. Undergraduate programs emphasize a core curriculum with options for majors, minors, and interdisciplinary studies, while graduate programs include research-intensive Ph.D. tracks and applied professional training. As of Fall 2025, Rutgers enrolls over 71,000 students university-wide, comprising more than 51,400 undergraduates and 19,400 graduate and professional students. Enrollment distribution by campus reflects the predominance of the flagship, as detailed below:
Campus/DivisionEnrollment (Fall 2025)
Rutgers–New Brunswick46,934
Rutgers–Newark11,667
Rutgers–Camden5,822
Rutgers Health7,073
New Jersey residents constitute 81% of the student body, with the balance drawn from out-of-state U.S. locations and international students from 135 countries. Women represent 54% of enrollees, and men 46%. Recent trends indicate modest growth in first-year and transfer cohorts, with over 15,000 new undergraduates admitted for Fall 2025 across campuses.

Admissions Selectivity and Demographics

Rutgers–New Brunswick, the flagship campus, maintains a moderately selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of approximately 65% for the fall incoming class. Admitted freshmen typically possess strong academic credentials, including middle 50% SAT scores ranging from 1270 to 1480 and ACT scores from 28 to 33 among test-submitters, alongside high school GPAs in the 3.7–4.0 range for the middle 50%. The university prioritizes rigorous high school coursework and GPA in evaluations, with test-optional policies in place but submitted scores correlating with higher competitiveness. The undergraduate enrollment at Rutgers–New Brunswick stood at 37,985 students in fall 2024. Gender distribution is nearly balanced, with approximately 51% female and 49% male undergraduates. Racial and ethnic demographics reflect significant diversity, particularly among Asian American students; system-wide undergraduate figures, representative of the New Brunswick campus, show Asian students at 27.7%, Hispanic or Latino at 18.0%, White at roughly 30%, African American at 9.3%, multiracial at 3.3%, and international students at 9.5%.
Demographic CategoryPercentage (Undergraduates, Approx.)
Asian27.7%
Hispanic/Latino18.0%
White30%
African American9.3%
International9.5%
Multiracial/Other5.5%
A substantial portion of undergraduates hail from , aligning with the university's land-grant mission, though out-of-state and international admissions have increased in recent years to enhance and diversity.

Rankings and Comparative Reputation

ranks 42nd among national universities and 16th among top public schools in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, reflecting strong performance in factors such as graduation rates, faculty resources, and . Rutgers–Newark ranks 75th nationally and 39th among public schools, while Rutgers–Camden ranks lower at 97th nationally and 46th among publics, with all campuses scoring highly in metrics that measure access and outcomes for lower-income students.
OrganizationCategoryRutgers–New Brunswick RankYearSource
National Universities#422026
Top Public Schools#162026
World University Rankings301–3502026
Overall#3282026
In global assessments, Rutgers–New Brunswick falls in the 301–350 range in the , which emphasize research impact, teaching quality, and international outlook, and 328th in the , where it performs notably in employer and citations per faculty but lags in academic relative to top-tier institutions. These positions place it among mid-tier global research universities, bolstered by its membership and Big Ten affiliation, yet behind leading publics like the (#23 QS) and (#12 QS). Comparatively, Rutgers maintains a solid reputation as a , particularly in applied sciences, , and , where specific programs rank in the global top 20–50 per QS subject evaluations. It outperforms many regional peers in output and value for in-state students but faces perceptions of lower prestige in due to high acceptance rates serving as a default option for strong local high school graduates, contrasting with more selective out-of-state publics. Nationally, its undergraduate focus is diluted by scale and commuter elements, yielding mixed employer views compared to elite peers, though graduate programs benefit from robust funding exceeding $1 billion annually.

Libraries, Museums, and Academic Resources

Rutgers University Libraries operate as a unified across its three regional campuses, comprising 26 distinct libraries and divisions that collectively hold more than 5 million volumes, thousands of digital resources, and access to hundreds of specialized databases, ranking among the nation's leading networks. The supports instruction, research, and public service through shared cataloging, interlibrary loans, and digital access tools, including the Rutgers Library for hours, reserves, and research assistance. In New Brunswick, the flagship campus hosts the Alexander Library as the primary research facility with extensive humanities and social sciences collections; the Douglass Library specializes in women's, gender, and sexuality studies alongside performing arts and media; and branch libraries cover subjects like art, chemistry, marine sciences, music, and physics. Newark's John Cotton Dana Library serves as the central hub with 600,000 books, microforms, and government documents, while Camden's Paul Robeson Library provides similar core services tailored to law, business, and health sciences. Rutgers maintains several museums that preserve and exhibit scientific and artistic collections integral to academic study. The Zimmerli Art Museum houses over 60,000 works spanning ancient to , with strengths in nineteenth-century , American works from the eighteenth century onward, and particularly the Norton and Nancy Collection of more than 20,000 pieces of , documenting artistic resistance under totalitarian regimes. The Rutgers Geology Museum, the oldest such institution in the United States dating to the nineteenth century, features exhibits on fossils, fluorescent minerals, and New Jersey's through public lectures and tours. Specialized science museums include the Entomological Museum with over 200,000 pinned insect specimens available for research by appointment, and the Waksman Museum commemorating Selman Waksman's 1952 Nobel Prize-winning discovery of , the first effective treatment, via displays on and development. Academic resources extend to Special Collections and University Archives, located in the Alexander Library, which preserve rare primary sources for and social sciences research, including the Sinclair Collection of 64,000 volumes on state history, manuscript collections, rare books, book arts, broadsides, maps, photographs, and Rutgers institutional . Access requires advance appointments, emphasizing preservation of unique materials like and genealogical that support empirical historical analysis over narrative-driven interpretations.

Research

Funding Sources and Expenditures

Rutgers University's research activities are predominantly supported by sponsored awards from external sources, including federal agencies, the state of , corporations, and private foundations. In 2024, the university secured $969.5 million in total sponsored award funding across 4,578 awards. Federal sources accounted for 58% of this total, or $560.1 million, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services providing the largest share at $371.0 million (66% of federal funding), followed by the at $68.7 million (12%), the Department of Defense at $22.8 million (4%), the Department of Energy at $10.8 million (2%), the Department of Education at $9.7 million (2%), and other federal entities at $77.2 million (14%). State funding from contributed $222.1 million (23% of total sponsored awards), reflecting Rutgers' status as the state's flagship public land-grant institution with significant investments in , , and applied . Corporate sponsorships added $130.7 million (13%), while associations and foundations provided $56.7 million (6%). These figures represent incoming awards; actual research expenditures, which include both sponsored and institutional funds, totaled $791.5 million in fiscal year 2023, supporting a portfolio of 4,225 active projects.
Funding SourceFY2024 Amount ($M)Percentage
Federal560.158%
State (NJ)222.123%
Corporations130.713%
Foundations/Associations56.76%
Total969.5100%
The university's participation in the National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey tracks these R&D expenditures by source and field, aligning with national trends where federal obligations dominate academic funding at approximately 55% across U.S. institutions. Rutgers' reliance on federal grants, particularly in health sciences via the (under HHS), underscores its strengths in biomedical and life sciences, though vulnerability to federal budget fluctuations has been noted in institutional reports. Overall revenues, including state appropriations and tuition, indirectly support infrastructure but constitute a smaller direct portion compared to competitive sponsored funding.

Major Research Areas and Outputs

Rutgers University pursues research across a broad spectrum of fields, with designated areas encompassing , and , clinical and translational science, , , life sciences, physical sciences, and research computing. In life sciences, efforts include molecular biosciences such as , , , and . Engineering research emphasizes advanced manufacturing, energy storage and conversion, infrastructure resilience, regenerative , cybersecurity, and unmanned aerial systems. Environmental and agricultural research leverages Rutgers's land-grant heritage, addressing topics like eco-friendly materials, , and climate-resilient . Research outputs at Rutgers include substantial and commercialization activity. In 2024, the university reported 162 new inventions, 123 patents, $12 million in licensing revenue, and 104 active startups, with 9 new companies launched that year. These metrics reflect ongoing through the Office of Research Commercialization, which handles patenting, licensing, and startup formation. Faculty and researchers contribute to a repository of scholarly outputs, including journal articles and book chapters, accessible via the Scholarly Open Access at Rutgers system. Notable achievements underscore the impact of Rutgers research. Selman Waksman, a Rutgers microbiologist, discovered streptomycin in 1943, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis, earning him the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. More recently, in 2025, chemist Kenneth J. Breslauer received recognition for foundational work in DNA and genetics research. In engineering and materials science, developments include sustainable building materials, while health sciences research advances cardiovascular medicine, women's health, and dental innovations through specialized institutes. These outputs have broader societal effects, including economic contributions via startups and licensing.

Notable Achievements and Impacts

Rutgers University researchers have made significant contributions to microbiology and medicine, most notably through the discovery of streptomycin in 1943 by graduate student Albert Schatz under the direction of professor Selman Waksman. This antibiotic, isolated from soil bacteria Streptomyces griseus, became the first effective treatment for tuberculosis, revolutionizing therapy for a disease that killed millions annually before its advent. Waksman's systematic approach to screening soil microorganisms led to the identification of over 15 antibiotics, earning him the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and establishing Rutgers as a pioneer in antibiotic research. As a land-grant institution since , Rutgers has driven agricultural advancements, including innovations in crop breeding, pest management, and sustainable farming practices that have bolstered New Jersey's agricultural economy and influenced global food production techniques. In recent years, the university's portfolio has expanded, with 2024 sponsored awards reaching nearly $1 billion, supporting breakthroughs in health sciences, , and . This funding has facilitated outputs such as 219 new inventions and 153 U.S. and global patents reported in 2025 metrics, contributing to economic impacts through $15 million in licensing revenue and over 100 active start-ups. Rutgers' research has also advanced genetics and biophysics, exemplified by Kenneth J. Breslauer's work on DNA stability and thermodynamics, which has informed drug design and molecular biology applications. The university ranked 68th worldwide in utility patents granted to inventors in 2025, reflecting sustained innovation in areas like forensic science and agriculture, where faculty received Edison Patent Awards. These efforts underscore Rutgers' role in translating basic research into practical solutions, from microbial therapies to modern biotechnologies, despite historical credit disputes in landmark discoveries like streptomycin.

Student Life

Residential Housing and Daily Campus Experience

Rutgers University–New Brunswick provides on-campus for over 16,000 students across approximately 140 buildings on its four primary sub-campuses in and Piscataway. options vary by sub-campus and include traditional residence halls with double rooms, suite-style living with shared common areas, and apartment-style units for upperclassmen and graduate students. First-year students are typically assigned to traditional halls or thematic communities tailored to academic or interest-based groups, such as honors or STEM-focused . On-campus costs for undergraduates average $13,402 annually, with housing alone around $8,170. While guaranteed for incoming first-years, upperclass is allocated via a lottery system, leading many to seek off-campus options in surrounding neighborhoods. Daily campus life at Rutgers–New Brunswick centers on a sprawling 2,685-acre multi-campus layout, requiring students to plan schedules around inter-campus travel via the free Rutgers Campus Bus system, which operates ADA-accessible routes connecting College Avenue, Busch, Livingston, and Cook/Douglass sub-campuses. Classes, labs, and facilities are distributed across these sites, with Busch hosting sciences, Cook/Douglass agriculture and life sciences, and College Avenue humanities and social sciences, necessitating bus rides of 10-20 minutes between locations during peak hours. Dining experiences feature all-you-can-eat halls like Busch Dining Hall, offering varied menus seven days a week, alongside retail options such as pizza, paninis, and coffee venues in student centers. The university's proximity to downtown New Brunswick provides access to local eateries and urban amenities, blending suburban campus greenery with city-like energy for students' routines.

Student Organizations and Extracurriculars

Rutgers University–New Brunswick hosts over 800 student clubs and organizations, encompassing academic, cultural, professional, recreational, and service-oriented groups, providing avenues for leadership development and community engagement. The Student Centers and Activities department oversees more than 500 registered organizations, facilitating annual recognition processes and resources such as the Student Organization Handbook to ensure compliance with university policies. Students can explore involvement through the annual Involvement Fair and platforms like getINVOLVED, which lists opportunities by interest, including , , faith-based, and environmental groups. The Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) serves as the primary undergraduate student government body, representing student interests across campuses and advocating on issues like funding allocation and policy changes. Complementing this, the Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA) organizes large-scale events, including concerts, lectures, and cultural programs, drawing thousands of participants annually to enhance campus life. Academic and pre-professional organizations, such as those affiliated with the School of Engineering or , offer networking, workshops, and career preparation, while cultural groups like those under the Multicultural Greek Council promote heritage preservation and intercultural dialogue. Greek life constitutes a significant extracurricular component, with over 80 recognized fraternities and sororities on the New Brunswick campus, governed by councils including the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, and National Pan-Hellenic Council. These organizations, dating back to 1845, emphasize brotherhood/sisterhood, philanthropy, and academic support, though chapters undergo periodic conduct reviews; for instance, as of October 2025, several face probation or cease-and-desist orders for violations of university standards. Beyond Greek life, intramural and club sports engage over 10,000 students in more than 100 activities, ranging from traditional team sports to niche pursuits like bass fishing or ultimate frisbee, fostering physical fitness and competitive spirit outside varsity athletics. At Rutgers–Newark and Rutgers–Camden, student organizations number over 100 each, mirroring the diversity of with emphases on urban-focused initiatives, pre-professional networks, and media outlets like student newspapers and radio stations. These extracurriculars collectively contribute to high student participation rates, with involvement linked to improved retention and skill-building, as tracked through university assessments.

Traditions, Symbols, and Campus Culture


The seal of Rutgers University features a sunburst emblem derived from the University of Utrecht, accompanied by the Latin motto Sol iustitiae et occidentem illustra, translating to "Sun of righteousness, shine upon the West also," symbolizing the spread of knowledge to the New World. In 2015, for the university's 250th anniversary, a new shield was introduced, divided into three sections representing New Jersey's regions and Rutgers' missions of teaching, research, and service; it includes the sunburst for enlightenment, a crown honoring the founding as Queen's College in 1766 for Queen Charlotte, three stars for New Jersey as the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and an open book for scholarship. Scarlet was adopted as the official school color in 1900 by the Board of Trustees, following student selection in 1869, making Rutgers one of the earliest U.S. institutions to formalize a school color, chosen partly for its bold visibility and ties to Dutch heritage. The mascot, the Scarlet Knight, was selected in 1955 through a campus-wide vote, replacing earlier symbols like the Chanticleer, and is embodied by Sir Henry, who appears at major athletic events.
Rutgers' traditional songs foster , with the "On the Banks of the Old Raritan" sung at commencements and gatherings, its chorus evoking the Raritan River's banks as a site of enduring loyalty. The "R-U Rah Rah" rallies crowds with chants like "Upstream ," originating from early football games. Athletic traditions include the Scarlet Walk, where football teams touch a statue commemorating Rutgers' first intercollegiate game before home matches; the ringing of the Old Queens bell to celebrate victories, as after the 2006-07 NCAA Finals appearance; and the historical "Cannon War," involving student pranks painting rival Princeton's scarlet, now memorialized by a . Student traditions emphasize community and involvement, beginning with New Student Convocation and Scarlet Carnivale to , followed by the Involvement Fair for exploring over 750 organizations. Signature events include King Neptune Night, a longstanding ; Homecoming bed races, where teams compete in decorated beds; the Rutgers University , the state's largest student-run raising over $1 million annually since 1999; and cultural celebrations like Culture Fest with performances and food trucks. Campus culture at Rutgers-New Brunswick reflects a large, diverse environment with over 50,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, supporting robust extracurricular through 750+ clubs and over 75 Greek chapters that emphasize and service. As a Big Ten member, it features high athletic spirit alongside programming, including museums and live events, in a multi-campus setting near urban centers like , fostering a mix of academic rigor and social vibrancy.

Safety, Security, and Emergency Response

The Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) provides 24/7 policing and security services across the , Newark, and Camden campuses, employing approximately 180 sworn officers with full authority and over 250 civilian staff to handle , investigations, and patrols. RUPD maintains dedicated divisions for each campus, collaborates with local , and utilizes advanced technologies such as surveillance systems for monitoring public areas. Under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, Rutgers publishes the annual "Safety Matters" report, compiling three years of verified data—including violent crimes, property crimes, and hate crimes—from on-campus locations, non-campus student housing, and surrounding . A daily and log, required by the , records all reported incidents within RUPD's jurisdiction and is publicly accessible online or at police stations for the prior 60 days. For instance, the campus reported 12 hate crimes in 2022, primarily acts of intimidation motivated by biases related to race, religion, or national origin. The Office of coordinates response protocols for threats including active threats, hazardous materials, and , emphasizing immediate reporting via 911 or campus extensions and adherence to "" strategies for armed intruders. Real-time alerts are disseminated through registered text messages, emails, and the Rutgers Emergency Information Portal, with building evacuations triggered by alarms and supported by Rutgers Services teams trained in fire suppression and medical response. Campus security infrastructure includes 24-hour emergency hotlines, student escort services, electronically controlled dormitory access, and emergency blue-light phone stations linked directly to dispatch. These measures address the elevated risks in urban settings like Newark and Camden, where proximity to higher-crime neighborhoods contributes to reported incidents such as robberies and assaults, though per-student rates remain comparable to similar institutions per Clery data. RUPD also conducts internal affairs reviews, with 2024 statistics showing minimal complaints against officers, indicating operational .

Controversies and Criticisms

Antisemitism and Post-October 7 Campus Climate

Following the , 2023, attacks by on , experienced a marked increase in reported incidents, including , threats, vandalism, and doxxing directed at Jewish students, faculty, and organizations such as (AEPi) and . Between July 2023 and June 2024, the university documented 293 complaints of discrimination targeting Jewish individuals, amid broader campus protests against 's response in Gaza. Specific events included a fall 2023 threat posted on the anonymous app YikYak targeting an Israeli student at the AEPi house, resulting in charges of bias intimidation and terroristic threats against the perpetrator; and an October 2024 protest by the (SJP) chapter outside a event, where participants chanted ", revolution." The SJP chapter, active in organizing anti-Israel encampments, sit-ins, and divestment demands, described the as "justified retaliation" in statements issued shortly after the event, contributing to perceptions of a hostile environment for Jewish students. Additional concerns arose from faculty and guest speakers; for instance, in December 2023, the university hosted figures such as and , whom critics including Congressman accused of promoting rhetoric. In August 2024, resident assistants walked out of a bystander intervention training session after a Jewish speaker addressed Hamas's , citing discomfort with the content. University President Jonathan Holloway issued a condemnation of the attacks in October 2023, and administrators responded by suspending the SJP chapter in late 2023 (later reinstating it before a second suspension in August 2024), establishing the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on and Jewish Life in January 2024, launching a Jewish Ally Zone program, providing counseling support groups, and mandating training for resident assistants ahead of the 2024–2025 academic year. Despite these measures, the U.S. Department of Education's (OCR) determined in a January 2, 2025, resolution agreement that Rutgers had failed in some cases to respond promptly or effectively to antisemitic , creating a hostile environment in violation of Title VI of the ; the agreement required policy reviews, enhanced complaint tracking, and additional training for campus police and staff. Criticism of the university's handling persisted, with the Anti-Defamation League assigning Rutgers a "D" grade in its 2025 Campus Antisemitism Report Card for deficient protections amid high conduct and climate concerns, despite praising Jewish life resources and some administrative actions. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in its October 2024 report and a March 2024 investigative letter, highlighted selective enforcement of conduct rules, including the disciplining of an Orthodox Jewish law student for protesting antisemitic harassment, and broader failures to curb pro-Hamas messaging and encampments that excluded Jewish students. During Holloway's testimony at a May 23, 2024, congressional hearing titled "Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos," he emphasized ongoing investigations into incidents and the need for civil discourse, but faced Republican lawmakers' accusations of tolerating chaos and uneven application of policies.

Political Bias, DEI Initiatives, and Free Speech

Rutgers University and affiliates have demonstrated a strong partisan skew in political contributions, with donations totaling $220,540 to Democrats compared to $10,048 to Republicans between 1989 and 2024, according to federal election records analyzed by for Responsive Politics. This pattern aligns with broader surveys of higher education faculty, where liberal-leaning self-identification predominates, though Rutgers-specific data on registration remains limited; a 2020 of public universities, including Rutgers, highlighted similar imbalances in affiliations and donations favoring Democrats by ratios exceeding 10:1 in many cases. Student perceptions reinforce this, with a 2023 Rutgers dissertation finding that undergraduates across samples viewed conservatives as facing disproportionate hostility in classroom and campus environments, potentially chilling conservative viewpoints. The university maintains extensive (DEI) programs, including the for Diversity, aimed at fostering inclusive environments through grants, training, and administrative roles. In 2024, Rutgers allocated approximately $10 million in payroll for 136 DEI-focused positions, equivalent to tuition for about 500 in-state undergraduates, per a payroll analysis by Open The Books. Earlier, fiscal year 2022 expenditures reached $2.88 million under the Senior for University Equity and Inclusion. These initiatives faced scrutiny in 2025, including cancellation of a planned DEI following a federal restricting such programs and an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education into a Rutgers-affiliated group providing diversity aid to graduate students, alleging potential civil rights violations. A 2024 study co-authored by Rutgers researchers further indicated that certain DEI efforts may exacerbate campus divisions and hostility rather than mitigate them, based on experimental data showing backlash against perceived ideological enforcement. On free speech, Rutgers earned an "Average" rating in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's () 2024 College Free Speech Rankings, scoring 47.11 out of 100 and placing 121st among 257 institutions, reflecting policies and incidents that permit expression but include restrictions like time-place-manner rules and protest disruptions. Notable controversies include the 2014 withdrawal of former U.S. as commencement speaker amid student and faculty protests labeling her views on as "war criminal," exemplifying a pattern where conservative or dissenting figures face disinvitation pressures; 's disinvitation database notes over 100 attempted campus speaker cancellations from 2000–2014, disproportionately targeting conservative perspectives. More recently, in 2025, the Rutgers chapter encountered a drive to disband it for alleged "," signed by faculty including antifa scholar Mark Bray, prompting counter-threats and a university safety review; student government resolutions demanded institutional defense of Bray's work while criticizing conservative activism, highlighting tensions over ideological advocacy. These events underscore challenges in balancing protest rights with uninterrupted discourse, consistent with 's observation of declining student support for free speech, particularly among self-identified conservatives.

Labor Disputes and Administrative Responses

In April 2023, Rutgers University experienced its first system-wide strike involving approximately 9,000 faculty members, adjunct instructors, and graduate student workers, organized by three unions: the Rutgers AAUP-AFT, AAUP-AFT Local 4001 (part-time lecturers), and the Rutgers Council of AAUP-AFT (graduate workers). The action began on April 10 after months of stalled contract negotiations, primarily over demands for salary increases to offset , improved healthcare affordability, paid , and job security for adjuncts, amid rising living costs in . Union representatives accused the administration of lowball offers and delaying tactics, while the university maintained that its proposals aligned with state fiscal constraints and prior agreements. The administration's initial response included declaring the strike illegal under New Jersey's public employee labor laws, which prohibit strikes by workers, and threatening legal action to compel workers to return to classrooms. Prior to the , Rutgers officials urged faculty and students to report any colleagues or peers participating in strike activities, a directive criticized by free speech advocates for potentially coercing speech and chilling protected labor expression. Despite these measures, the university kept campuses operational by relying on non-striking staff and administrative oversight, though disruptions affected thousands of classes across , Newark, and Camden campuses. New Jersey Governor personally intervened in negotiations to avert a injunction, facilitating a tentative by that suspended the strike after five days. The resulting contracts, ratified by union members in May 2023, provided a 14% salary increase over three years for full-time faculty, minimum pay floors and near-equalization with full-time rates for adjuncts, and stipends rises of up to 42% for graduate student workers, alongside enhanced and healthcare contributions. These gains were attributed by unions to the strike's leverage, though critics, including some state officials, argued the concessions strained Rutgers' budget amid broader public funding shortfalls. In March 2024, a Rutgers undergraduate student filed a against the striking unions, alleging , , and emotional distress from disrupted , seeking for what the described as a "selfish and illegal" action that prioritized union interests over student welfare. The unions countered in January 2025 by moving to dismiss the suit, asserting that the strike improved working conditions and educational quality long-term, and that no evidence supported claims of irreparable harm. The administration did not join the litigation but has since emphasized collaborative bargaining in subsequent union talks, including with non-academic staff unions representing over 20,000 total workers across the . No major strikes have occurred since 2023, though ongoing grievances under faculty contracts address issues like tenure pathways and workload disputes through internal procedures.

Athletics

Intercollegiate Programs and Conferences

Rutgers University–New Brunswick fields 23 varsity intercollegiate athletic teams as the Scarlet Knights, competing at the level primarily within the , which the university joined on July 1, 2014. The program encompasses 10 men's teams and 13 women's teams, supporting nearly 1,000 student-athletes across sports that emphasize competitive excellence in a conference known for its rigorous schedules and national prominence. Men's sports include , , cross country, football (FBS subdivision), , , soccer, and diving, , and wrestling, all affiliated with the . Women's sports consist of , cross country, , , , , , soccer, , and diving, , , and , likewise competing in the . Prior to 2014, most Rutgers teams participated in the American Athletic Conference following the dissolution of the in 2013, marking a shift from regional to national competition that increased travel demands and exposure. Rutgers–Newark and Rutgers–Camden maintain distinct intercollegiate programs at the level, focusing on student-athlete balance without athletic scholarships. Rutgers–Newark's Scarlet Raiders compete in the (NJAC) across 14 varsity sports, including , soccer, and . Rutgers–Camden's Scarlet Raptors also primarily affiliate with the NJAC for sports such as , soccer, and , with select competitions in conferences like the United East. These programs emphasize regional rivalries and integration with academic priorities, differing from the Division I model at .

Achievements, Facilities, and Traditions

Rutgers University's athletic program holds historical significance as the birthplace of intercollegiate football, hosting the first college football game on November 6, 1869, against Princeton University, which Rutgers won 6-4 under rules resembling modern soccer and rugby. The football team's longevity is marked by its 150th anniversary celebration in 2019, though it has achieved limited national success since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, with notable bowl appearances including the 2006 International Bowl and the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl. In men's basketball, the 1975-76 season stands out with 31 consecutive victories and an advance to the NCAA Final Four, where all five starters later received All-America honors. The program recorded a rare feat in 2021-22 by securing four straight wins against ranked opponents as an unranked team. Wrestling has been a consistent strength, contributing to Rutgers' six Big Ten team titles since 2014, alongside individual NCAA champions like Anthony Ashnault in 2019. Key athletic facilities include , which seats over 23,000 for football and opened in 1994 as Rutgers Stadium before corporate renaming in 2020, featuring and premium seating expansions. , formerly the Louis Brown Athletic Center, hosts with a capacity of 8,000 and underwent a $60 million renovation in 2019-2020 to add modern amenities like improved concessions and video boards. The Hale Center serves as the basketball practice facility, equipped with two full courts, weight rooms, and medical training areas, while the Athletic Performance Center provides strength and conditioning resources across sports, including pools and labs. Additional venues encompass the Bauer Complex for outdoor events and the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center, integrating study spaces with athletic support services. Athletic traditions emphasize Rutgers' pioneer status, with the Scarlet Walk ritual preceding home football games, where the team marches from the Busch Campus to amid student chants and band performances. The Scarlet Knights mascot, introduced in the 1950s as a knight on horseback, symbolizes chivalric spirit and appears at events riding a white charger. Fight songs like "The Bells Must Ring" prompt crowd responses of "RU Rah Rah," originating from early 20th-century compositions, while the marching band upholds customs such as pre-game field shows and post-victory serenades. Rivalries, particularly with Princeton dating to 1869 and in-state foes like Princeton and Temple, reinforce historical narratives, though fan engagement often highlights resilience over dominance given the program's competitive challenges in power conferences.

Notable People

Prominent Alumni and Their Contributions

Selman Abraham Waksman, who earned his B.S. in 1915 and M.S. in 1916 from Rutgers College of Agriculture, pioneered the field of soil microbiology and coined the term "antibiotics." His systematic screening of soil microorganisms led to the discovery of streptomycin in 1943 by his graduate student Albert Schatz, marking the first effective chemotherapeutic agent against tuberculosis. For this work, Waksman received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1952, and his research facilitated the development of over a dozen additional antibiotics. Milton Friedman, who obtained his B.A. in from Rutgers in 1932, advanced monetary and free-market economics through empirical of consumption patterns, money supply effects on , and critiques of . His book A Monetary History of the United States, 1867–1960 (co-authored with ) argued that policies exacerbated the , influencing central banking practices worldwide. Friedman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1976 for his contributions to consumption , monetary history, and economic stabilization . Paul Robeson, valedictorian of the Rutgers Class of 1919, excelled athletically in football, basketball, baseball, and track, earning 15 varsity letters despite facing racial discrimination. As an actor and bass-baritone singer, he starred in productions like Othello on Broadway and film, and performed Negro spirituals internationally, promoting African American culture. Robeson advocated for civil rights, labor unions, and anti-colonial causes, though his support for the Soviet Union led to U.S. government scrutiny and passport revocation from 1950 to 1958. James Gandolfini, who graduated with a B.A. in communications from Rutgers in 1983, portrayed complex antiheroes in film and television, most notably in (1999–2007), earning three for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. His performance revolutionized serialized drama by depicting psychological depth and moral ambiguity in a mob boss, influencing modern prestige television. Gandolfini also appeared in films such as (1993) and (2001), and supported Rutgers athletics as an alumnus.

Influential Faculty and Administrators

Selman Abraham , a of at Rutgers University from 1918 to 1958, received the in Physiology or Medicine in 1952 for his discovery of , the first effective antibiotic treatment for , and for developing systematic methods to isolate antibiotics from actinomycetes. His research at Rutgers contributed to over a dozen antibiotics discovered by his lab, including neomycin, and led to the founding of the Waksman Institute of Microbiology in 1950, which continues to advance microbial research. Among other distinguished faculty, Rutgers professors have earned accolades such as Guggenheim Fellowships for contributions in fields like climate science and ; for instance, Robert Kopp, a geophysicist, was named a 2023 Guggenheim Fellow for work on sea-level rise projections. achievements also include election to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, with five Rutgers professors inducted in 2024 for advancements in areas ranging from sciences to . Influential administrators include Richard L. McCormick, who served as the 19th president from 1990 to 2002, a who expanded Rutgers' research profile, increasing external funding from $200 million to over $300 million annually and enhancing diversity initiatives during his tenure. Edward J. Bloustein, president from 1971 to 1989, oversaw significant campus expansions and the elevation of Rutgers to university status in 1956 under prior leadership, but his era solidified its role as New Jersey's state university with doubled enrollment to over 50,000 students. Jonathan R. Holloway, the 21st president from 2020 to 2025, managed responses to the and faculty unionization efforts, though his administration faced criticism over campus climate issues. William F. Tate IV, inaugurated as the 22nd president in 2025, brings expertise in and prior leadership at , focusing on academic and athletic competitiveness.

References

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