Dear members of the Brooklyn College community, A group of students acting on their own called for a rally tomorrow to be held on our campus. That rally has now been moved off campus to the sidewalks of Bedford Ave., a public space that Brooklyn College does not control. As CUNY Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez stated: “We want to be clear that we don’t condone the activities of any internal organizations that are sponsoring rallies to celebrate or support Hamas’ cowardly actions. Such efforts do not in any way represent the University and its campuses.” On Monday, I issued a statement, “We mourn innocent lives lost across the region and the suffering that so many are now experiencing, as civilians will bear the brunt of the violence. Our hearts go out particularly to those on our own campus whose families and friends are in danger.” I want to assure everyone that we are taking proactive steps to increase campus security. I also want to emphasize that all activity on our campus must be peaceful and may not disrupt the academic work of the College. Additionally, no student will be penalized for making a decision not to come to campus on Thursday, October 12, and we urge faculty to make appropriate academic accommodations for those students. Students may access support services on our Personal Counseling webpage and on the CUNY Mental Health Services webpage. Faculty and staff seeking alternative accommodations should speak with their supervisors. Here, and around the world, we pray that peace prevails. Yours truly, Michelle J. Anderson President, Brooklyn College
