Dear Parents and Guardians,

Leading by example and modeling the behaviors we hope our children will emulate is the most powerful form of teaching we as parents can provide. It is truly a lifelong gift to them. We thank you very much for your kindness and support.

The majority of parents and guardians have been respectful and appreciative of the extraordinary work that the Tufts staff and faculty are doing on behalf of students as our campus navigates the strong emotions that have been generated by the conflict in the Middle East. You have encouraged your young adult to work directly with us and given them the agency to advocate for themselves.

However, an increasing number of you have contacted our staff to express anger and frustration with the current Tufts campus climate, our support of students, or the enforcement of our student code of conduct.

While we do want to hear from you with questions or concerns, we are requesting you do not call with the specific intent of arguing about our policies or the current campus climate. It is counterproductive and time consuming and is having an impact on our ability to manage our daily work. You have the right to express your concerns about our approach and to disagree with it, but the tone is becoming increasingly uncivil, and the personal nature of some of the critiques has been striking and undeserved. This is unacceptable.

Please remember that staff and faculty are also managing the stressful impact every day on their own lives and on those of their families and friends. Please do not make assumptions about the life experiences, identities, or motivations of the staff or faculty you may be interacting with.

I can reassure you that we are working very hard to support our community. Much of our work goes unseen, and that is as it should be. In this moment of heightened emotions, there is a lot of misunderstanding and misperception that is clouding what circulates on social media and in the news. While we are doing everything we can on behalf of our students and community, the complexity of this moment means that no one can fully eradicate feelings of discomfort, fear, and sadness.

Know that when alleged violations of our code of conduct occur, we take action. Unauthorized posters are removed as quickly as possible. Incident reports have been filed with our Office of Equal Opportunity. Investigations are underway. Much of our work regarding student conduct is and must be done out of the public eye to protect students’ privacy. While you may not know the results of our work, do not assume that nothing is being done. This would be completely untrue.

We care deeply about our students and our community. We do this work because it brings us meaning and joy, even during these difficult times.

Thank you again for your understanding and support.

With gratitude,

Camille Lizarríbar, JD, PhD
Dean of Students and Chief Student Life Officer for AS&E