When Dr. Richard L. McCormick became president of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in 2002, he articulated a vision for a revitalized College Avenue Campus to serve as a magnet for top faculty and students and a source of pride for alumni and the citizens of New Jersey.

In early 2005, Rutgers began planning to transform its oldest and most historic campus. Using, as a guide, the principles outlined in its comprehensive, long-range physical master plan, “Rutgers: A Foundation for Excellence,” the university defined several goals for the College Avenue Campus initiative. They include:

• Establish clear and welcoming gateways to the campus.
• Integrate College Avenue aesthetically with the historic Old Queen’s and Voorhees campuses.
• Encourage pedestrian traffic, interaction among members of the community, and the use of public transportation.
• Forge stronger links between the university and the City of New Brunswick.
• Design an attractive campus that has strong connections to its immediate environs, attracts the best faculty and students, and becomes a destination point for New Jersey’s citizens.
• Enhance and expand academic and student service facilities.

The transformation of the College Avenue Campus is expected to take place over many years. As it takes shape, it will dramatically improve the quality of life on campus and in the city, contribute to the university’s growing academic reputation, and augment Rutgers’ identity as New Jersey’s premier public research university.