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Dear Members of the Sarah Lawrence Community,
We are living in a stunning and painful moment of history: in the aftermath of the shocking and unfathomable massacre in Israel by Hamas terrorists last Saturday, and bracing for the continued escalation of violence and further impact on those in Israel and in Gaza and beyond.
Some have asked why I have not made a statement denouncing this terrorism sooner. My strongly held view is that a single statement from a College president cannot begin to make sense of nor address a complex geopolitical conflict. My primary concern has been—and remains—the health, wellbeing, and safety of our students, those from the region and those presently studying there to whom we reached out immediately, as well as all of our students on campus and around the world.
It is from this frame and with the intent of affirming our values as a community that I write to you with a simple declaration: there is not, nor can there be, any place for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind on our campus.
As we head into October study days my hope is that all on our campus will remain unwavering in our fundamental commitment to mutual respect and to the care of each other. Our flag on campus flies at half mast as we mourn the victims of the terrorist attacks on Israel. It flies at half mast for the Palestinian civilians and children killed in this conflict. It flies at half mast as we mourn war, death, and destruction, and yearn for peace.
Yours,
Cristle Collins Judd
President
A reminder of community resources
The Health & Wellness Center’s Counseling and Psychological Services team has reached out to students to encourage them to avail themselves of counseling appointments either in person or via our 24/7 telehealth service. The Dean of Students and Student Life teams are engaging in and fostering direct and personal outreach with students to offer assistance, as is the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. And faculty and staff have been reminded of the support services available to them through the Employee Assistance Program.