Maintaining a climate of mutual respect

On Thursday, Vice President for Student Life Brian Hamluk and Dean of Students Tomás Aguirre shared the following message about maintaining a climate of mutual respect on campus in an email to all UB students:

To the UB Student Community,

Here at the University at Buffalo, we are committed to upholding our core values of diversity, inclusion and mutual respect—values that ensure all members of the UB community can study, teach, work and conduct research in an academic environment free from intolerance and discrimination.
 
The unimaginable tragedies in Israel and Gaza continue to impact UB students in different ways, leading to understandable feelings of unease, worry and sadness.

The Intercultural Diversity Center, Dean of Students Office and Office of Inclusive Excellence have been meeting regularly with individual students and student groups to provide support and will continue to do so in the days and weeks ahead. 

If you need support or want to talk to someone, please know UB Counseling Services is here for you. 
 
The war has sparked intense discussions across the globe and country, and on college and university campuses, including here at UB. As a university community, we all have a responsibility to maintain a climate of understanding and respect, even when we may disagree with others. 

To be clear, antisemitic or anti-Muslim harassment, or other harassing conduct targeting any individuals or groups, have no place in our community. UB strongly denounces this kind of harmful behavior. Bigotry, intolerance and discrimination run counter to all that we stand for at UB. Our Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion stands ready to assist any member of the university community who feels they may be impacted by discriminatory actions.

Please continue to support one another so every member of the UB community feels safe, respected and valued. 

Sincerely,

Brian Hamluk 
Vice President for Student Life 

Tomás Aguirre
Dean of Students 

Editor's note: UB faculty and staff who need support or want to talk to someone are encouraged to contact Employee Assistance (EAP) at 716-645-4461. Faculty and staff who feel they are the target of harassment should contact the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at 716-645-2266 or visit 406 Capen.