We Stand Against Hate

Message to the Community from President Michelle J. Anderson

November 2, 2023

Dear Brooklyn College Community,

We are rightly proud of the great diversity on our campus community. With diversity across race, ethnicity, and religion also comes a diversity of political thought on issues of great public importance, including the tragic developments in Israel and Gaza.

As you know, members of the Brooklyn College community have close ties to the region. We are home to students of both Israeli and Palestinian background—Jews, Muslims, Christians, and others—who are suffering because their families and friends in the region have experienced or are now at risk of violence. People around the world are mourning the innocent Israeli, Palestinian, and American lives lost, and the suffering that remains in its wake.

Over the past few weeks, I have met with students to better understand what they are feeling and experiencing. Some have expressed concern that others make assumptions about their positions on the conflict simply because of their religion or ethnicity. These assumptions are dangerous: we must never assume a person’s political beliefs on the basis of their religious or ethnic identity.

We are an inclusive institution of higher education that values free speech and the opportunity to engage peacefully with one another. We hope that campus events will shed light on the deepening humanitarian crisis in the region and lead to respectful dialog amidst varying perspectives. For example, a group of faculty is hosting a panel next Tuesday as part of a series of campus conversations, and the Office of Student Affairs is working with Student Government to develop additional programming. As these events come together, they will be listed in the BC Brief and Bulldog Connection.

I deeply believe that everyone should have a home here at Brooklyn College. Every student should feel safe to express who they are. I promise I will do everything in my power to keep this campus a safe place for all our students. Providing a learning environment in which students have equal access to an excellent education is our top priority, and we are stepping up efforts on campus to ensure the safety and rights of all are protected.

I continue to learn from our students, and I appreciate the opportunity to dialog with them. I invite any student group to set up a meeting with me to discuss these issues. Additionally, anyone who believes they have been a victim of discrimination or retaliation should use the CUNY reporting portal.

As always, students who are experiencing distress can reach out to a wide variety of Student Support Services available at the College, including our Health Clinic, our Personal Counseling Services, and additional CUNY Mental Health Services. Faculty and staff can use the confidential employee assistance program by calling (800) 833 8707 or logging onto www.myccaonline.com with the code “CUNY.”

I want to remind everyone that, especially in trying times, it is important to remember the values that unite us as a campus. As an institution of higher education, we seek increased knowledge and understanding, and we strive to find common ground across our differences. Let us engage with one another with compassion and a deep respect for the human dignity of all.

Yours sincerely,

Michelle J. Anderson
President, Brooklyn College

Statement on Islamophobia

September 13, 2022

Dear Brooklyn College Community,

On September 8, 2022, more than a dozen Brooklyn College faculty members received an email from a sender outside of the CUNY system containing inflammatory rhetoric grossly mischaracterizing Islam and members of the Muslim community as inherently anti-American and a threat to national security. This type of message is antithetical to the college’s values and the college has taken appropriate action. While Brooklyn College encourages scholarly discourse and a robust exchange of divergent ideas, speech that incites hatred does nothing to advance that discourse or exchange of ideas.

Brooklyn College denounces Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred including, but not limited to, hate based on religion, national origin, race, and ethnicity. The college works hard to ensure that students, faculty, and staff enjoy a work and educational environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. If you have experienced an incident that you believe violates CUNY’s Nondiscrimination Policy, e-mail Diversity Officer Anthony Brown.

We Stand Against Anti-Semitism

January 3, 2022

Dear Brooklyn College Community,

In late December, a Brooklyn College student and a friend were beaten and called “dirty Jews” in an incident that is being investigated as a hate crime in Bay Ridge. The College denounces hatred and stands in solidarity with the student and members of the Jewish community, as well as any community that is subjected to acts of targeted hate. Antisemitism has no place at Brooklyn College. If you believe that you have been discriminated against on the basis of religion or any other protected identity with regards to a Brooklyn College program, please contact my office.

Thank you,

Anthony Brown, Esq.
Chief Diversity Officer and Special Assistant to the President
Office of Diversity and Equity Programs
Brooklyn College
718.951.4128
Anthony.Brown@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Students, staff at Brooklyn College discuss support for LGBTQ+ community on campus

With the Pride March less than a week away, staff and faculty at Brooklyn College ​spoke with News 12 about the support and resources they are making available to students and members of its LGBTQ+ community.