Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
The College of Staten Island is committed to pluralism and diversity. Our College embraces academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas. Our campus serves as a hub of intellectual discourse, offering events and programs that explore serious topics in a climate of mutual respect, encouraging an inclusive and accepting campus through civil discourse.
As I often have stated, institutions of higher education should be the center for serious conversations on difficult topics. We have demonstrated our commitment to inclusion, open discourse, and these core principles over time in numerous ways.
Like many institutions across the country, CSI has been experiencing emotionally charged debates that we have addressed by communicating broadly with campus stakeholders and by providing space for the free expression of varying viewpoints.
As an academic community, we abhor and condemn acts of hatred and vandalism by any persons or groups, and this type of behavior is not tolerated. The College of Staten Island enforces to the fullest extent the University’s Policy on Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination. CSI has long-established processes for receiving and responding to complaints through the Office of Diversity and Compliance, which reports directly to the President.
The College will continue to promote civil discourse on all sides of these sensitive issues and will enforce the University’s Rules and Regulation for the Maintenance of Public Order (Henderson Rules), pursuant to Article 129-A of the Education Law.
As always, CSI will continue to provide a safe environment for the broad variety of groups that form our diverse community, encouraging the civil expression of ideas.
