Office of the Provost

Our Dearest Huskies:

The last eight weeks have been very hard for all of us. Earlier today, President Maric shared a message with the community in regard to the conflict in the Middle East. The violence in Israel and Gaza continues to have a devastating impact on members of the Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian communities, as well as others, including disturbing acts of violence that have occurred on other campuses and in communities throughout the country.  We are mindful, understanding, and supportive of how this situation has affected many of you, your families, and friends.  Over these past eight weeks, we have been having conversations with our Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian students. These conversations have been difficult but also helpful, and we are proud of the efforts that UConn students have made to support each other and maintain dialogue at such a difficult time.

A common theme emerging from these discussions has been that some students do not feel safe on our campuses. We want to remind you that UConn is committed to ensuring the safety of our students, our faculty and staff, and any other visitors to our campuses. It is important to us that you proudly wear your hijabs, star of David, or any other aspect of your cultural, faith, and religious identity.

We condemn Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination. These racist and discriminatory acts are against our student code of conduct and do not have a place at UConn. You have the right to report these acts of discrimination without threat or retaliation. Please use Bias Reporting | Dean of Students Office (uconn.edu).

We recognize that each of you may be experiencing this conflict in your own way. In these challenging times, we must show empathy and compassion for one another and find ways to thrive together.  As you are supporting others, please do ensure that you are getting the care and support you need.  Be mindful of your limits, engage in activities that help to ground you, and seek out opportunities to enhance your understanding of this crisis.

To this end, we want to remind you of the resources available to you:

• Dean of Students
• Cultural Centers and Cultural Programs
• Student Health and Wellness (SHaW)
• UConn Recreation Center
• UConn Faith
• University Safety

We are here to support all of our UConn students throughout your educational experience and especially in times of crisis. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us if you feel you need resources that are not identified here, or with any thoughts, concerns, or suggestions.

Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D.

Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Fany DeJesus Hannon, Ed.D.

Interim Dean of Students

Frank Tuitt, Ed.D.

Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer