October 11, 2023

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, and Families,

As classes resume after fall break, I am writing today to express my outrage and grief at Saturday’s brutal attack by Hamas on Israel and its people. This week, I have been appalled by the images and accounts of the violence and acts of terror against Jewish people and other Israelis. I am also anxious about the potential for further loss of life of Israelis and Palestinians in the coming days and weeks. I share the pain of so many members of the Amherst community, whether they are our faculty, staff, and students on campus—or our alumni and families at a distance.

These past few days, I have been reflecting on the seeming hopelessness of moments like these, when any action we might take or statement we might make can do little to alleviate the tremendous suffering of innocent people.

Here on campus, our first priority remains student wellbeing, and the Student Affairs team has been working closely with student organizations across campus to provide the resources they need to grapple with this violence. We will continue this work, and we will listen to our students about their needs.

As an educational institution, we are a community in which we learn from one another. Particularly at this fearful time—when misinformation and hatred run rampant—let us find both comfort and freedom in a community that is built on a foundation of mutual respect. We need to be resolute that forms of hatred have no place at Amherst. I am deeply concerned about disinformation and hateful comments circulating on social media from multiple perspectives, and I hope that we will all think twice before amplifying statements that are intended to outrage and offend. We have already heard from students about the dangers of anonymous social media posts that cross the line from advocacy to vitriol. At Amherst, we should be better than that.

At a time of grief, confusion, and sadness, I hope that members of our community can turn to one another for support. On this campus, we will keep working toward a vision of supporting all of our students, faculty, and staff as they seek to comprehend a world where such violence can occur—and to educate our students to be leaders of a world where it no longer does.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Elliott
President