Statement of Commitment from Faculty and Staff of The New School
In the context of escalating material and systemic violence against black men, women and trans- people, and the demonstrated inadequacies of our existing legal structures in achieving justice for the murders of Michael Brown and Eric Garner (and so many more before them), we endorse the statement below from The New Black School. We are all – students, faculty and staff – negotiating a moment of crisis that is differently accentuated by histories of racialized, gendered, classed and sexualized trauma, and we need to acknowledge, respect and make space for that right now, and always. This includes caring for the ways that this current crisis is impacting our students’ capacity to complete their final assignments, and exercising flexibility with our deadlines and grading. Because these conditions and experiences of systemic racism are neither new nor isolated, we want to articulate our academic, intellectual, artistic and cultural commitments to:
- Recognizing and understanding the historical and contemporary realities of anti-black racism in the institutional and social fabric of the United States and elsewhere;
- Working with students, faculty and staff to develop the intellectual, artistic and cultural tools to dismantle white supremacist norms within our institution and beyond;
- Ensuring that our curricular, co-curricular and pedagogical practices are actively decentering whiteness and prioritizing the academic, activist, artistic and cultural works and lived experiences of people of color;
- Insisting that these practices be institutionally and structurally supported and valued in the university, rather than reproducing their marginality;
- Understanding the cultural, artistic, economic, scientific, social and political structures of power that link the murders of Brown and Garner to the various mundane and spectacular forms of violence mediated by race, gender, class, sexuality, ethnicity, ability, religion and nationality in our institution and beyond;
- Supporting student, faculty and staff in organizing towards social, economic and political justice within our institution and beyond, such as the attached New Black School’s Statement on Ferguson Decision.
Across our different areas of research, practice and expertise, we work to realize these commitments as integral to an education that “foster[s] critical thinking, social justice, and cross-cultural understanding” to “make the world a better and more just place.” Moreover, we hope this statement serves as a reminder that we must continually re-evaluate, reshape and change our strategies for meeting these commitments in communication with our students.
In mourning, rage and action,
- Judy Pryor-Ramirez, Director of Civic Engagement & Social Justice, DUS Ethnicity & Race Minor, Civic Engagement & Social Justice / Ethnicity & Race, Lang
- Laura Y. Liu, Chair & Associate Professor, Urban Studies, Lang
- Jasmine Rault, Assistant Prof, Culture & Media, Eugene Lang
- Miriam Ticktin, Associate Prof, Anthropology, NSSR/Lang
- Doris Chang, Associate Prof, Psychology, NSSR/Lang
- T.L. Cowan, PT Faculty, Culture & Media, Eugene Lang/NSPE
- Nadia Williams, Director Parsons Scholars & Assistant Prof, SPACE, Parsons
- Rachel Sherman, Associate Prof, Sociology, NSSR/Lang
- Gail Drakes, Director Social Justice initiatives, The New School
- Alexandra Délano, Assistant Professor , Global Studies, Lang
- Scott Salmon, Associate Professor, Urban Studies, Lang/NSPE
- Jaskiran Dhillon, Assistant Professor, Global Studies, Lang/NSPE
- Elzbieta Matynia, Professor , sociology &liberal studies, NSSR
- Donatella Galella, Part-Time Lecturer, The Arts, Theater
- Cinzia Arruzza, Assistant Professor, Philosophy, NSSR and Lang
- Alexandra Chasin, Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Lang
- Julian Talamantez Brolaski, Adjunct, Lang First Year Writing, Lang
- Jacob Frias Koehler, Lecturer, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Eugene Lang College
- Banu Bargu, Associate Professor, Politics, NSSR & ELC
- Alexis Dianda, Teaching Fellow, Philosophy, Lang
- Genevieve Yue, Assistant Professor, Culture and Media, Eugene Lang College
- Michael Alan Cohen, Professor of International Affairs, GPIA, NSPE
- Christopher Christian, Assistant Professor, Clinical Psychology, NSSR
- Juan E De Castro, Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Lang
- Orit HALPERN, assistant professor, History, nssr/ lang
- Soyoung Yoon, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Visual Studies, Arts, Lang
- Jonathan Bach, Associate Professor, Global Studies, NSPE
- Robert Sember, PT Faculty, Art, Eugene Lang
- Wendy S. Walters, Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Writing, Eugene Lang
- Siddhartha Deb, Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Eugene Lang
- Carolyn Berman, Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Lang
- Lisa Servon, Professor, Urban Policy, NSPE
- Jeremy Varon, Associate Professor, History, ELC/NSSR
- Stephanie Browner, Dean, Eugene Lang College, Dean’s Office, Eugene Lang
- Mark Greif, Assistant Professor, Literary Studies, ELC
- Angela Carr, PT faculty, Literary Studies – Writing, Eugene Lang College
- Kate Eichhorn, Assistant Professor, Culture and Media Studies, Lang
- Elaine Savory, Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Eugene Lang
- Alan McGowan, Associate Professor, Chair, Environmental Studies, NSPE
- Alice Crary, Associate Professor, Philosophy , NSSR
- Julie Napolin, Assistant Professor , Literary Studies, Lang
- Dmitri Nikulin, Professor, Philosophy, NSSR
- Mark Larrimore, Associate Professor, Religious Studies, Lang
- Nicholas Allanach, Director of Academic Operations, Dean’s Office, NSPE
- Jennifer Firestone, Assistant Professor, Literary Studies, Eugene Lang College
- Lara Penin, Asst Professor of Transdisciplinary Design, School of Design Strategies, Parsons
- Tamara Oyola-Santiago, Asst Director, Wellness and Health Promotion, Student Health Services, Student Services
- Tanya Linn Frable, Program Administrator, Parsons Scholars Program, Parsons
- Jose Dejesus-Gil, Senior Office Assistant, SPACE, Parsons
- Darrick Hamilton, Associate Professor, Urban Policy , Milano
- Katherine Kurs, Assistant Professor, Religious Studies, Eugene Lang College
- Evan Rapport, Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology, Arts / Music, Lang / Jazz
- Mykolas Gudelis, Teaching Fellow, Politics, NSSR
- Danielle Goldman, Assistant Professor, Arts/Dance, Lang
- Radhika Subramaniam, Asst Professor + Dir/Chief Curator, SJDC, School of Art & Design History & Theory, Parsons
- Julia Ott, Associate Professor, History, ELC & NSSR
- Rachel Knopf Shey, Assistant Director, Wellness and Health Promotion, Student Health Services, Student Services
- Mark Statman , Associate Professor, Literary Studies, Eugene Lang College
- Jessica Cannon, Assistant Professor, SPACE, First Year, Art & Design History & Theory, Parsons
- Felicia DaCosta, Associate professor , Fashion design, Parsons school of Fashion
- Jurgen von Mahs, Associate Professor, Urban Studies, Lang & NSPE
- Niberca Polo, Associate Professor, SDS, Parsons
- Elaine Abelson, Associate Professor, History, Lang and NSSR
- David Lopato, faculty, jazz and contemporary music, New School for the Performing Arts
- William Groth, Psychotherapist, Student Health Services, Student Health Services
- Mallory Everett, Clinical Coordinator, Student Support and Crisis Management, Student Services
- Christine Jackman, Senior Office Assistant, Student Health Services, Student Services
- Rachel Heiman, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Liberal Arts, NSPE
- Brita Servaes, Librarian, The New School Libraries & Archives, Central Administration
- Jennifer Wilson, Associate Professor, Natural Science and Mathematics, Lang
- William Somerville, Teaching Fellow, Psychology, NSSR
- Cynthia Lawson, Associate Provost and Associate Professor, Distributed & Global Education and School of Design Strategies, Provost Office and Parsons
- Tracy Robin, AVP for Student Health and Support Services, Student Health and Support Services, Student Services
- James W. Fuerst, Adjunct Professor, Literary Studies – Writing, Eugene Lang
- Leah Sweet , Faculty, ADHT, Parsons
- Melissa Kate McIntosh, Art Therapist, Advisor for CAH Program, Student Health Support Services and CAH, NPSY
- Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani, Associate Director, Civic Engagement Initiatives, Executive Dean’s Office, NSPE
- Scherezade Garcia-Vazquez, PT lecturer, SDS, Parsons
- Dean Reynolds, Part-time Lecturer, Arts / Music, Lang
- Anthony Anemone, Associate Professor, Humanities & Literary Studies, NSPE & Lang
- Lisa Lipscomb, Teaching Fellow, Lang First Year Writing, Eugene Lang College
- Joshua Klos, Youth Advocate, Parsons Scholars Program, ADT
- Anastasi Siotas, PT Faculty, Arts, Dance
- Drew Goldsmith, Member, Social Justice Committee, The New School
- Gail Bragg, psychotherapist, Student Health Services Center, Counseling
- Linta Varghese, Adjunct, Urban Studies, Eugene Lang
- Alaiyo Bradshaw, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, SDS-First Year Program, Parsons
- Rafi Youatt, Assisant Professor, Politics, NSSR/ELC
- Deva R. Woodly, Assistant Professor, Politics, NSSR
- simon critchley, professor of philosophy, philosophy, nssr
- Elaine Abelson, Associate Professor, History, Lang and NSSR
- Kali Handelman, Part Time Lecturer, Religious Studies, Lang
- Janna van Grunsven, Teaching Fellow, Philosophy, Lang/NSSR
- Andreas Kalyvas, Associate Professor, Politics, NSSR
- Geneviève Trudel, Senior Office Assistant, Student Health Services, Student Health Services
- Elizabeth Ziff, Teaching Fellow/Grad Student, Sociology, NSSR
- Jerry Finkelstein, Direcror of Counseling Services, Student Services, Student Health services
- Jayne Jordan-Levy, Director, Medical Services, SHS, Student Services
- Darren, Teaching Fellow, Philosophy, NSSR
- Rachel Cleary, Development Officer, Development & Alumni Relations, Central administration
- Caveh Zahedi, Assistant Professor, Culture and Media, Lang
- Jon White, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Student Affairs, Eugene Lang College
- Katayoun Chamany, Associate Professor of Biology, Natural Sciences and Math, Lang
- Eleni Beja, Asst. Dir., Academic Comm., Dean’s office, Lang
- Maureen Sheridan, Director, Student Support and Crisis Management, Student Health and Support Services, Student Services
- Jenifer Talley, Assistant Professor, Psychology, NSSR
- Jesse Correll, Data & Reporting Analyst, Dean’s Office, Lang
- Kendra Danowski, Program Coordinator, Civic Engagement & Social Justice, Lang
- Leah Weich, Director of Academic Advising, Academic Advising, Eugene Lang College
- Verna deLaMothe, Asst. Director, Budget, Lang
- Juliette Mapp, Adjunct Professor, Arts/Dance, Lang
- Peta Mni, Youth Advocate, SPACE, Parsons Scholars Program
- Albert Mobilio, Assistant Professor, Literary Studies, Eugene Lang
- Jackie Vimo, Teaching Fellow, Politics , Eugene Lang
- Alisa Bayes, Assistant Director, Student Housing and Residence Life , Student Services
- Katherine Delgado, Joint Academic Coordinator, Dean’s Office, Lang & NSSR
- Dechen Albero, Study Abroad Coordinator, Academic Advising, Eugene Lang College
- Susan Austin, Director, Student Initiatives, Deans Office, Parsons
- Neil Greenberg, Professor of Choreography, The Arts, Lang
- arien mack, Professor, Psychology, NSSR
- J. Ricky Price, TF, Writing, Lang
- Zisan Ugurlu, Associate Professor , Arts – Theater, Eugene Lang College
- Ivan Ramirez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health, Natural Science and Mathematics, Eugene Lang
- Lisa Rubin, Associate Professor, Psychology, NSSR & NSPE
- Wendy D’Andrea, Assistant Professor, Psychology, NSSR/Lang
- Haley A Hach, Adjunct Professor, Eugene Lang College, First Year Writing Program
- Nicole Bayard, Assistant Manager, Development, The New School
- Michael F. Pettinger, Assistant Professor/Director of Religious Studies, Literary Studies/Religious Studies, Lang
- Michael Schober, Professor, Psychology, NSSR
- Heather Gould, Assistant Professor, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Lang
- Muge Erol, Teaching Fellow, Psychology, NSSR
- Jane McNamara, Asst. Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Dean’s Office, Eugene Lang College
- Oz Frankel, Associate Professor, History, Lang/NSSR
- Jeremy Safran, Professor, Psychology, NSSR
- Robert Aguilar, Music Professor, Music, Lang
- Cecilia Rubino, Professor, Theater, Lang
- Trebor Scholz, Associate Professor, Culture & Media, Eugene Lang College
- Ann-Louise Shapiro, Professor, History, Lang College
- Emanuele Castano, Professor, Psychology, NSSR
- Benjamin lee, Professor, NSSR
- Andrea Fortunato, Teaching Fellow, Psychology, NSSR
- Stefania de Kenessey, Professor of Music, The Arts, Lang/NSSR
- Anwar Shaikh, Professor and Chair, Economics, NSSR
- Victoria Abrash, Part Time Assistant Professor, Arts, Eugene Lang College
- Chiara Bottici, Associate Professor, Philosophy, NSSR
- Natasha Marie Llorens, Adjucnct Faculty, Visual Studies, Lang
- Virag Molnar, Assistant Professor, Sociology, NSSR
- Karen Abigail Williams, Director of Admissions, Admissions, Eugene Lang College
New Black School’s Statement on Ferguson Decision
On Saturday, August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an unarmed eighteen-year-old black student, was shot multiple times and killed by Police Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. On Monday, after more than three months of protests and marches demanding for justice, the St. Louis County Prosecutor announced that Wilson would not be indicted on any charges. We, the members of the New Black School, along with the many individuals and organizations that have supported us, write this statement in solidarity with the family of Michael Brown, the people of Ferguson, and all others who lost loved ones due to police brutality. The continual legitimization of police brutality, that disproportionately affects People of Color, particularly Black people, must come to an end. The university we call our academic home must stand with Black students who, every 28 hours, must mourn the state-sanctioned killing of someone who looks just like them.
- Respect Our Outrage
While media outlets across the country are making the outrage of unarmed protesters equal to the violence of militarized law enforcement, we demand more of The New School. A community has the right to express rage when a murderous police force is relentlessly dehumanizing and terrorizing them. There is no individual, organization, or university that is in a position to condemn the anger of Black people. We demand a statement in solidarity that does not question, judge, or invalidate the reasonable response of anger from Black students, the people of Ferguson, MO, and the nation, who are in a state of rebellion.
- Condemn Anti-Black Violence
The continual violence that does not allow our community to mourn after our loved ones are killed is a constant reminder of the value of our lives. Solidarity means recognizing and condemning the long history of state-sanctioned killings of Black bodies. We demand a statement from our administration that condemns the murders of Michael Brown, Tanesha Anderson, Eric Garner, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, and Shantel Davis. These are the people we raise in this demand, but in no way exhausts the long list of names or our pain.
- Support Student Organizing
Organizations that represent The New School’s Black community have continually been creating programming to raise awareness and increase direct action on the current crisis. The New School administration must reach out to our community and ask how they can support our efforts. The sound of rallies in Union Square echoed in our classrooms on the night of the indictment decision recalling The New School’s progressive tradition. This tradition can be realized when The New School formally stands behind the organizing efforts of its student leaders.
The New School has always chosen the side of social responsibility and true democracy in the face of its dissenters. We charge The New School to make a statement that continues this legacy and stands with Black communities battling state-sanctioned violence.
In Solidarity,
New Black School
NewBlackSchool@newschool.edu