Greetings,

I am following up on the message President Wu sent to the Queens College community on Friday, January 7 regarding a symbol of hatred and the abbreviated name of a notorious racist organization written on a Delany Hall bulletin board.  

 

As your new Chief Diversity Officer/Dean of Diversity, I was hired to address issues such as this directly. Today, I am updating you personally.

 

I want to say emphatically that hatred and bigotry are antithetical to the shared values and principles of our community. On Friday morning, when we were informed about this matter, President Wu, cabinet members, and I met not only to begin an investigation but also to consider immediate remedial measures. These symbols and markings impose harm upon people who are understandably upset and deserve our strong support. Delany Hall is the headquarters for programs and offices that house, serve, and support our diverse populations. Although everyone can be threatened by symbols and words associated with violent movements, recent events have made all of us aware of the risks that many of us in particular face as we walk down the street and unfortunately, even on campus.

 

Yesterday, I held the first of a series of meetings in Queens College’s ongoing efforts to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the most meaningful and impactful sense. An investigation has been started. We have already made records of the abbreviation and symbol, and most importantly, we have removed them. In addition, the Public Safety Department and facilities/grounds departments have been instructed to change their procedures to ensure greater awareness of this type of occurrence.

 

Once again, I’d like to direct everyone to the appropriate offices to report or communicate concerns about similar issues. Incidents should be reported to Public Safety by calling 718 997-5912. Students who need support should contact Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Jennifer Jarvis by emailing [email protected] or calling 718 997-5500. Faculty and staff experiencing heightened levels of anxiety are encouraged to reach out to CUNY's Employee Assistance Plan Provider, CCA. CCA is available by phone 24/7 at (800) 833-8707 or by logging in to www.myccaonline.com (use company code “cuny”). CCA also provides telehealth options and other resources for those needing assistance.

 

On a final note, I reiterate that hatred, bigotry, discrimination, and bias are not acceptable and shall not be tolerated on our campus. Any person, group or entity found in violation of campus and CUNY policies shall be subject to discipline and face serious consequences.

 

I know that President Wu, who endorses this message, will have more to say during the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration this Sunday. The theme of this virtual program is how much more we have to do as a society to realize Dr. King’s dream. Please join me in watching the event and in continuing the work of the civil rights movement. Much remains to be done by all of us, here and now.

 

I’ll be communicating with you regularly. I encourage you to be in touch. You can reach me at [email protected].