Message to the Campus

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Message to the College Community

From: President
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Dear College Community,

 As best as I can determine from SubwayStats.com and new.mta.info, all trains are running with normal delays.  Our shuttle service is also back in service.  What I know will be difficult to restore, is our peace of mind when violence like this hits so close to home. If you need someone to talk to, please contact Mickie Driscoll, who can refer you to the Employee Assistance Program- EAP.   

As I shared with you in my last report to the campus, I recently reestablished a Directors meeting to serve as a forum for both the exchange of information and discussion of pertinent issues.  One such issue  identified by Dr. Keisha Thompson was that of the wellness of our faculty and staff.  We may never fully understand the wide and varying impact the pandemic has had, but as a college we can seek ways to support wellness.   I have asked Prof. Thompson, Alissa Levine, Althea Maduramente and Mickie Driscoll to provide me with recommendations on what we can do to provide support in this area. More information will be forthcoming.

Colleagues, we are all dealing with multiple stressors, I want to take this opportunity encourage you to show kindness and grace to yourself and others.   I also want to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Rick Repetti for his ongoing and weekly meditation sessions.  It is incredible what a few minutes of  ‘conscious napping’  can do for someone.  Thank you also to the faculty for your patience and understanding of student absences, to all those who reached out yesterday to provide names of students whose commutes were affected, to the Crisis Communication team (Marketing and Communications, IT and Student Affairs) and to our Public Safety department for their increased vigilance and providing me with regular updates through their connection with the 61st Precinct .  

I am grateful that our colleagues and students who were in the area or on the train are safe.  My prayers for healing and thoughts are with the victims of the shooting, but I am also thinking about what a great responsibility and opportunity we have as higher education professionals and faculty to  make a positive difference in the lives of so many. 

Thank you for all that you do.

Claudia V. Schrader, Ed.D.
President