Dear Lehman College Community,
As the number of fatalities continues to climb in the armed conflict between Hamas and Israel, the number of civilians, including children, caught in the crossfire is rising to horrifying levels.
Make no mistake, Lehman College stands steadfast against the violence being committed against innocent people in Gaza, Israel, the West Bank and other areas across the world. Israelis and Palestinians continue to suffer the wages of war and the death toll, lamentably, rises into the thousands.
We hope peacemaking efforts and a truly peaceful solution can lead to productive coexistence and, most importantly, can be found quickly. And while these events are happening half a world away, I know that many of you are directly impacted; through friends and family, as well as by personal identity and beliefs.
Meetings with various student groups as well as faculty and staff are now being scheduled and I want to be clear that I hear your concerns and we are aware of the criticisms (from both sides). Our goal is for Lehman College to always remain a safe place for our campus community, a place where learning, dialogue, and discovery are possible.
What’s paramount is that as we all bear witness to the unfolding events, we make sure Lehman offers you a safe space to process your feelings and emotions. It’s vital that everyone feels welcome when they come to campus and that we are all free to express ourselves honestly and respectfully.
I ask you to look to CUNY’s Manual of General Policy which stresses that our campuses are centers for academic freedom, where professors are free to teach, scholars to engage in the advancement of knowledge and students to learn and express their views. The guidelines go on to stress that, “These freedoms can flourish only in an atmosphere of mutual respect, civility, and trust among teachers and students, only when members of the University community are willing to accept self-restraint and reciprocity as the condition upon which they share in its intellectual autonomy.”
If you feel this standard is not being met, we urge you to let us know so we can work to correct the situation.
Please note, if you feel unsafe while on campus, for immediate assistance, please call Public Safety at 718-960-7777, dial 7777 from any campus phone, or you may speak with an officer in person at Gate 5. You can also submit a concern form via our Community Standards page, Student Concern Form (students only) and General Community Concern Form (faculty and staff).
In addition, students who wish to speak to a counseling professional may set up an appointment with a counselor at Lehman’s Counseling Center.
Faculty and staff who would like assistance may connect with a counselor through the Employee Assistance Program CCA@YourService.
Sincerely,
Fernando Delgado, PhD
President, Lehman College
