A Message from the Dean – August 5, 2019

Dear CUNY SPS Community: 

Our nation experienced two mass shootings over the weekend, just hours apart. That such events are not new only added to the horror. I felt shock, revulsion, anger, concern for our country, and a deep sadness and sympathy for the victims, their families and friends. I also was horrified by the complete absence of leadership at the highest level of our government.

These two horrible blows force a heightened awareness of the dangers we face. We keep hearing such tragedies can happen anywhere, to anyone, that no one is safe. Yet a tolerance of intolerance, especially of white nationalism, has made immigrants, people of color, Muslims, Jews, and others more vulnerable to such violence, more targeted by those fueled by hate. And the easy availability of guns helps that hate to erupt into violence.

While this is a time to support each other and the students we serve, it also is critical that we as a community think about how we can collectively address the hatred and intolerance that pervades our society. I am not certain how best to approach this, but do encourage all of you to talk within and across programs. At the same time, we will try to figure out how to come together as a community to address the current state of affairs. I would welcome suggestions as to how best to proceed.

Dean John Mogulescu

CUNY School of Professional Studies