November 20, 2023
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
As we enter the November break, I want to acknowledge that our sense of community has been challenged by the range of emotions and perspectives we have felt in response to the continuing violence and profound suffering in the Middle East.
I am going to repeat some of what I have said previously about our principles at Amherst College because they are the absolute foundation of what we do and who we are, and because the tenor and rhetoric of some recent online posts and comments directed at students have violated these principles.
At Amherst, we engage in respectful dialogue with one another and fully embrace and defend the free expression of a wide variety of points of view; however, acts of intimidation and threatening language, including the online harassment of individuals, have no place in the Amherst community.
We are a community of learners in which respect and responsibility are conjoined. We can recognize and even honor differences of perspective and experience – that is one way that we demonstrate respect. At the same time, we should articulate our beliefs with thoughtfulness, verifiable facts, and consideration of the implications of that expression – that is the responsibility of each of us.
I wish every member of our community a restorative break this week.
Michael A. Elliott
President