| Date: |
October 20, 2023
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| To: |
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| From: |
President Linda Mills
Interim Provost Georgina Dopico
Vice President for Global Campus Safety Fountain Walker
Allyson Green, Dean, Tisch School of the Arts
Angie Kamath, Dean, School of Professional Studies
Jack H. Knott, Dean, Steinhardt School
Jelena Kovačević, Dean, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Michael Lindsey, Dean, Silver School of Social Work
Antonio Merlo, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science
Julie Mostov, Dean, Liberal Studies
Victoria Rosner, Dean, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Angela Frederick Amar, Dean, Rory Meyers College of Nursing
Raghu Sundaram, Dean, Leonard N. Stern School of Business
Wendy Suzuki, Dean, College of Arts & Science
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| Re: |
Our Commitment to the Safety of Our Students and Campus Community
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We write to you today in response to the many emails and calls we have received from parents regarding concerns expressed by your students and their experiences on campus. We appreciate hearing from you and are actively supporting our students during this very difficult time.
We are wholly committed to our students’ safety. And while we are committed to community members having the right to peacefully demonstrate, or express their point of view; we are unequivocally committed to the principle that no one has the right to commit violence, intimidation, or harassment against other members of the community, nor will we allow a place in our community for hatred, bias, discrimination, Islamophobia, or anti-Semitism.
Since October 7, our Campus Safety Department’s personnel have been on a heightened state of alert, with additional personnel deployed and additional patrols in place. We are in routine contact with the City’s law enforcement and emergency management agencies; they have indicated no active or specific threats against the NYU community. The New York City Police Department is also on alert, and is mindful that campus communities deserve and require special attention.
We are aware that feelings on campus are intense and include fear, grief, and sadness. Our student affairs professionals in the schools and at the University are working around the clock to maintain dialogue with the student community, to “lower the temperature,” and to reaffirm our values of peaceful dialogue and the respectful, responsible exercise of free expression.
We know the trust you place in us by sending your students to be educated here; we take it extraordinarily seriously. If you have any questions, please email the Office of the Dean of Students at parents@nyu.edu. Below we want to share with you a letter we sent out to students today touching on many of the same topics, and sharing reminders of campus resources available to them.
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Dear Members of the NYU Student Community,
The loss of thousands of lives in the Middle East has profoundly affected our community. Working closely with a variety of student groups, we have been addressing a great deal of fear and grief.
Some tragedies unite us; others divide us. NYU can be home to many things, but it will not be a home for hatred, harassment, intimidation, Islamophobia, antisemitism, or violence of any type, regardless of your identity: Israeli, Palestinian or any other background—all students deserve to live and learn in peace.
Policies which govern student and club conduct are clearly articulated here. In the event that you experience a violation of these policies, you may contact the Bias Response Line. Individuals will be accountable to our long-standing, well-established processes for addressing such incidents. In accordance with federal law, no outcome of a disciplinary process will be disclosed publicly.
Please find attached a list of resources to help you navigate these trying times. Know that our team is always here for you. Do not hesitate to reach out to deanofstudents@nyu.edu.
Protest, Dissent, and Individual SafetyWe understand the heated discourse and expressions of advocacy this moment may ignite. All members of the community have the right to peacefully demonstrate, express dissent, or express their point of view; none have the right to commit violence, vandalism, intimidation, or harassment. Here are some guidelines and resources to keep in mind.
- Be mindful of how you engage and avoid escalation that may impact your personal safety or that of others.
- If you participate in protests or demonstrations, be mindful of your surroundings. If there is any hint that the event is becoming disorderly or violent, leave immediately.
- Be familiar with NYU’s policies and rules, including those on dissent and protest and posting of signs and banners—expect them to be enforced.
Sharing personal and identifying information of another community member with the intent of, or which could reasonably lead to, intimidation, encouraging abuse or harassment, and/or threatening the safety of that person can be a violation of NYU policy. - Promptly report such acts or any threats (whether over social media or other means) and violence to the NYPD (9-1-1) and to Campus Safety (212.998.2222).
Free Speech Activity Request - During heavy times, it is important to gather your club in community, especially if you are an impacted population. We want to make you aware that, according to the SAB Club Office Handbook, Free Speech Activities allow the standard 10 business day deadline usually imposed on SAB clubs when submitting event requests to be waived. This activity includes rallies, protests, demonstrations, and tabling in support of free speech and assembly rights.
- If the nature of the event may require additional Campus Safety presence, please notify your club advisor, who will work with the organization and the Department of Campus Safety to request additional staffing through NYU ServiceLink.
Addressing Privacy Concerns- Clubs looking to update or modify privacy settings in Engage can refer to this Help Article. If users opt to display their organization membership, it will only be visible to NYU Engage logged-in users (current students, staff, faculty).
- In NYU Engage, all organizations have a primary contact, which can be updated via the club's roster. The primary contact must be a member, but staff advisors of SAB organizations can also be designated as the primary contact if students prefer not to be visible.
- A reminder that managing members on NYU Engage involves a two-step process. Users can join an organization by either requesting membership and getting approval from an officer or by accepting an invitation. No member can be force-added to a roster.
- Students can choose to communicate with their members via an email alias. Here are instructions for creating a club email alias.
Campus Safety and Support- If you feel scared to travel home alone after an event that runs into the evening, please utilize NYU’s free Campus Shuttles, operating until midnight each night. The shuttle offers 7 routes with stops near all residence halls.
- Starting at 11 p.m., the free, on-demand Safe Ride service provides transportation between more than 50 designated NYU facilities in Manhattan and Brooklyn and select MTA stops during overnight hours. Download the SafeNYU App today.
- If you or a fellow student experience harassment or harassing behavior, please reach out to Campus Safety’s Victim Services Unit, which assists students with navigating a variety of on- and off-campus resources, including Wellness, law enforcement, and the justice system.
- In an emergency, call 24/7 Campus Safety's hotline: 212.998.6848.
Academic Support- Students needing academic assistance should contact their faculty directly.
- If a student requires additional support navigating their academics, do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of the Dean of Students at deanofstudents@nyu.edu, and they will connect you with the appropriate academic advisor for your school.
Community Care
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