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Rutgers–Newark Kicks Off 80th Anniversary Celebration with Focus on Legacy, Opportunity

University President William F. Tate IV, Rutgers University–Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson, Rutgers University Board of Governors Chair Amy L. Towers, and Rutgers University–Newark alumnus Richard Roper
John O'Boyle

May 1, 2026

Rutgers University–Newark celebrated its 80th anniversary at an event that honored its role as a gateway to opportunity and a bedrock of the city and state’s economic and cultural life.

On April 30, 1946, a law signed by the governor of New Jersey merged Rutgers University with the University of Newark, RU-N’s predecessor, creating the institution that exists today.

With 88 percent of its student body from New Jersey, Rutgers–Newark has evolved to produce internationally regarded, real-world research, often in collaboration with city residents and grassroots organizations. It helps fuel New Jersey’s economy and nurtures its artistic life.

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Reposted from Rutgers–Newark