From the Desk of the President

To the York College Community: 

Across our nation, we are witnessing citizens practicing their first amendment rights – the right of the people peaceably to assemble. It is hard to imagine that there is anyone who is not appalled by the images we have seen, most recently that of George Floyd being restrained with a knee to his neck and dying. Floyd is just one of many whose faces are those of our sons, brothers, fathers, loved ones, and friends. Those protesting have heard and are heeding the call to action – an urgent cry for change and justice. It is important that the message not be diluted or lost because of the actions of some. 

A basic tenet set forth with the founding of our nation is “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” We cannot fulfill this promise until we accept the truth that this is not the reality for all citizens, especially people of color. 

York College welcomes to its campus each year a diverse group of students. It is our obligation and commitment to ensure that they find our community – campus and local – a welcoming place to learn and live. We seek to prepare them to graduate and lead productive and purposeful lives, and to exemplify our motto Servire Est Vivere: to serve is to live. We do so in the hope that they will be catalysts for positive change in our communities. Our programs, especially those associated with the College’s Center for Community Engagement in downtown York, are intended to demonstrate to students their potential for social impact. 

During this time of great division and unrest in our nation, I ask that you join me in renewing a commitment to promote greater understanding and to truly listen to those who are pleading to be heard. 

Stay safe, take good care, and be kind to one another. 

Sincerely, 

Pamela Gunter-Smith, Ph.D.