In the aftermath of the election, many members of our community feel directly threatened by the president-elect’s campaign rhetoric, the individuals Mr. Trump has chosen to serve in his administration thus far, and the increase in hate crimes across the country directed toward African-Americans, Latinos, Jews, women, immigrants, Muslims, Native Americans, and members of the LGBTQ community.
Keene State College is committed to civility, diversity, and respect as well as social justice and equity in our community and in our curriculum. As faculty at Keene State, we are committed to a defense of these values.
Every member of our community – students, faculty, staff – is valued and respected. We will never stand by and permit anyone in our community to be devalued, belittled, threatened or silenced.
In 1933, professors at German universities too often stood by and did nothing to shield the vulnerable members of their communities from the onslaught of hatred and violence (and some, sadly, even aided the regime in the implementation of its policies). We may, perhaps, hope for the best from the new administration, but we are prepared to steadfastly resist any efforts to violate human rights and dignity. We, too, believe in the need for unity in our country, but a unity based on the recognition of and respect for inalienable human rights – not false “unity” grounded in racist, sexist, homophobic, and xenophobic nationalism. The cost of such false unity is the degradation of a wide range of people, including women, members of the LGBTQ community, and individuals of varied religions, races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds, and people with disabilities; it is paid for with the passive silence of people who enjoy privileged status in our society. This collective dehumanization has all too often been the precursor to crimes against humanity. As scholars we have a professional responsibility to point out the growth of these disturbing forces in our society, and as human beings we have a moral obligation to resist them.
Keene State College is also deeply committed to learning, cultural enrichment, and the free exchange of ideas. We have chosen our vocation because of our belief in the importance of free and open discourse and the unfettered pursuit of knowledge and understanding. The principle of academic freedom, for all members of our community, is both an expression of our commitment to civic freedom and equality and a guarantor of it. All voices deserve to be heard and respected, even those that say things with which we do not agree. It is our responsibility as scholars and educators to model and facilitate conversations that respectfully include diverse perspectives.
In order for learning to happen, all members of our community must have access to safe spaces where they feel challenged to think in new ways and are supported in their work. We will defend their right to these safe spaces and resist any efforts to encroach on them on our campus and in our wider communities.
We, the undersigned faculty at Keene State College, pledge to call out all forms of discrimination, bullying, and intimidation.
We are committed to maintaining a peaceful community that values diverse viewpoints, that encourages respectful dialogue, and that emboldens all of its citizens to thrive within a framework of openness and acceptance.
Melanie Adams, Assistant Professor of Human Performance and Movement Sciences
Brian Anderson, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Michael Antonucci, Associate Professor American Studies
Lynn Arnold, Lecturer – Health Science
Luke Baker, Lecturer – Music
Don Baldini, Resident Artist – Music
Dottie Bauer, Professor of Education
Stephen Bigaj, Professor of Education
Deborah Black, Professor of Education
Timothy Bollinger, Lecturer – Safety and Occupational Health Applied Sciences
Gary Bonitatibus, Professor of Psychology
Christopher Brehme, Associate Professor of Geography
Jeannie-Marie Brown, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance
Rebecca Brown, Associate Professor of Health Science
Christine Burke, Director of Center for Health and Wellness
Karen Cangiolosi, Professor of Biology
Brinda Charry, Professor of English
James Chesebrough, Associate Professor of Music
Deb Cotley, Assistant Director, Center for Health and Wellness
Karen Couture, Associate Professor of Psychology
Mar Crawford, Lecturer – Art
Matthew Crocker, Professor of History
Pru Cuper, Professor of Education
Sasha Davis, Assistant Professor of Geography
Amber Davisson, Assistant Professor of communication and Philosophy
Jo Dery, Assistant Professor of Film
Fitni Destani, Associate Professor of Human Performance and Movement Sciences
Lisa DiGiovanni, Assistant Professor of Modern Languages and Cultures/Women’s and Gender Studies
Patrick Dolenc, Professor of Economics
Deborah Doubleday, Lecturer – Communication and Philosophy
Betsy Dubois, Lecturer – Education
Becky Dunn, Professor of Health Science
Thomas Durnford, Professor of Modern Languages and Cultures
Nashla Feres, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Harlan Fichtenholtz, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Molly Fletcher, Lecturer – Art
Jeffrey Friedman, Contract Lecturer – English
Renate Gebauer, Professor of Environmental Studies
Glenn Geiser-Getz, Associate Provost
Nicholas Germana, Associate Professor of History
Saran Ghatak, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice
Rosemary Gianno, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice
Heather Gigliello, Lecturer – English
Heather Gilligan, Associate Professor of Music
Jonathan Gitelson, Associate Professor of Art
Elaine Broad Ginsberg, Lecturer – Music
Patricia Pedroza Gonzalez, Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies/American Studies
Peter Graboski, Lecturer – Modern Languages and Cultures
Ashley Greene, Assistant Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Barbara Hamel, Associate Registrar
Cynthia Hays, Associate Professor of Biology
Stephen Hawes, Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Cultures
Wayne Hartz, Associate Professor of Safety and Health Applied Sciences
Margaret Henning, Associate Professor of Health Science
Amanda Hickey, Instructor – Health Science
Roland Higgins, Professor of East Asian History and Global Studies
Jayme Hines, Assistant Professor of Education
Randall Hoyt, Associate Professor of Graphic Design
Sandra Howard, Associate Professor of Music
Taneem Husain, Assistant Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies
Jamie Ingalls, Assistant Clinical Professor of Safety and Occupational Health Applied Sciences
Kathleen Johnson, Associate Professor of Management
Ockle Johnson, Professor of Mathematics
Karrie Kalich, Dean of Professional and Graduate Studies
Elliot Kaplan, Lecturer – Chemistry
Carolyn Keller, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice
Hank Knight, Director of Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Gregory Knouff, Professor of History
Robert Kostick, Associate Professor of Art
Jim Kraly, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Rebecca Krause-Hardie, Lecturer – Music
Jamie Landau, Associate Professor of Communication and Philosophy
Lauren Launen, Professor of Biology
Timothy L’Ecuyer, Teaching Lecturer – Theatre and Dance
Richard Lebeaux, Professor of English and American Studies
Sander Lee, Professor of Communication and Philosophy
Matthew Leese, Lecturer – Music
Carol Leger, Lecturer – Geology
José Lezcano, Professor of Music
Craig Lindsay, Skills Application Teacher/Technical Director – Department of Theatre and Dance
Judy Lister, Professor of Education
Mark Long, Professor of English
Stephen Lucey, Associate Professor of Art
John Lund, Lecturer – History
Phylis Manning, Lecturer – Human Performance and Movement Sciences
Anne-Marie Mallon, Professor of English
Rodger Martin, Lecturer – Journalism, Multimedia and Public Relations
Michael McCarthy, Lecturer – Communication and Philosophy
Sarah McGregor, Assistant Professor of Physics
Paul McMullan, Associate Professor of Art
Susan Menees, Professor of Psychology
Deborah Merchant, Associate Professor of Education
William McColloch, Assistant Professor of Economics
Emily McGill-Rutherford, Assistant Professor of Communication and Philosophy
Cynthia McLaughlin, Contract Lecturer – Theatre and Dance
Niall Moran, Associate Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice
Ellen Moynihan, Lecturer – English
Allyson Mount, Associate Professor of Communication and Philosophy
Jo Beth Mullens, Professor of Geography
Patrick O’Brien, Associate Professor – Mason Library
Elizabeth Pacilio, Lecturer – English
Donna Paley, Professor of Architecture
Alison Pantesco, Contract Lecturer – Modern Languages and Cultures
Peggie Partello, Associate Professor of Communication and Philosophy
Nancy Farsted Peck, Assistant Professor of Education
Jason Pellettieri, Associate Professor of Biology
Celine Perron, Professor of Theatre and Dance
Edward Pokras, Lecturer – Geology and Physics
Rafael Ponce-Cordero, Assistant Professor of Modern Languages and Cultures
Emily Porschitz, Associate Professor of Management
Laura Premack, Assistant Professor of History
Daniel Prindle, Lecturer – Music
Celia Rabinowitz, Dean of Mason Library
Ann Rancourt, Clinical Professor of Education
Kristen Reilly, Lecturer – Health Science
John Roberts, Professor of Art
Katharina Rooney, Lecturer – Art
Marianne Salcetti, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Multimedia and Public Relations
Kirsti Sandy, Professor of English
Karen Seaver, Lecturer – Environmental Studies
Leaf Seligman, Lecturer – English
Kimberly Schmidl-Gagne, Program Manager for Diversity and Multiculturalism Initiatives
Tatian Schreiber, Lecturer – English
Anna Schur, Professor of English
Jonathan Schwartz, Associate Professor of Film
Emily Robins Sharpe, Assistant Professor of English
Ann Shelton, Lecturer – Art
Therese Seibert, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice
Margaret Smith, Professor of Health Science
Karen Stanish, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Scott Strong, Associate Professor of Biology
William Stroup, Professor of English
John Sturtz, Assistant Professor of Education
Marin Sullivan, Assistant Professor of Art
Craig Sylvern, Professor of Music
Robert Tiebout, Lecturer – Mathematics
Paul Vincent, Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Donna Viveiros, Professor of Psychology
Susan Wade, Associate Professor of History
Michael Wakefield, Lecturer – Journalism, Multimedia and Public Relations
Jim Waller, Cohen Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Margaret Walsh, Assistant Dean – School of Sciences and Social Sciences
Graham Warder, Associate Professor of History
Larry Welkowitz, Professor of Psychology
David White, Professor of Education
Ted White, Lecturer – Film
George Whittemore, Lecturer – Physics
Anne Wiley, Lecturer – Women’s and Gender Studies
Patricia Wilson, Lecturer – Theatre and Dance
Janet Youga, Professor of English