I write to you today to condemn the growing violence against those of Asian and Pacific Islander descent that we are seeing in this country. I want to reassure both the College and the Staten Island community, that the College of Staten Island does not tolerate hate speech, hate crimes, or any form of discrimination on this campus.
The College of Staten Island has always welcomed students and scholars from every religion, race, sexual orientation, and national origin to pursue their educational interests. We believe an educational institution should be a place where one can engage in difficult conversations through respectful discourse. We categorically reject anyone seeking to promote hatred and bigotry – it has no place on our campus.
Anyone who experiences or becomes aware of any acts motivated by bias should report such incidents to Catherine Ferrara, Interim Chief Diversity Officer at catherine.ferrara@csi.cuny.edu.
Please know that confidential counseling services are available for members of our community who need additional support during this time:
- Students may contact the CSI Counseling Center (24 hours/seven days a week) via telephone at 718.982.2391. More information is available online.
- Employees may contact our free and confidential Employee Assistance Program, CCA@YourService to speak with a licensed mental health counselor at 800.833.8707 (24-hours/seven days a week) by logging on to their Website.
By William J. Fritz
