Care and kindness for colleagues and students

December 7, 2021

To: FAS Faculty
Cc: FAS Steering; FAS Dean’s Office; GSAS Dean’s Office; Yale College Dean’s Office; FAS Chair’s Assistants, Lead Administrators, and Operations Managers; President’s Office; Provost’s Office
Dear colleagues,

We write today to acknowledge the strain many people in our community are feeling.

The ongoing pandemic and the numerous losses we have experienced within and beyond our community have made the stresses that often come with the end of term feel all the more acute. We have heard from faculty, staff, and students alike how difficult this semester has been, both because of the suffering caused by events across the country and around the world and due to the challenges you are facing closer to home.

To those of you striving to support colleagues and students who may be experiencing grief and anxiety: thank you. Your empathy and care sustain this community.

We urge all of you to extend extra compassion and care to your colleagues and students in the coming weeks: be patient, be kind, and understand that many are in pain or are still feeling the strain of the pandemic. We hope you’ll extend that same compassion to yourselves, and that you will find solace in the company of friends and loved ones and in pastimes that bring you comfort.

Thank you for taking care of yourselves and one another.

With warmest wishes,

Tamar Szabó Gendler
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Marvin Chun
Dean of Yale College

Lynn Cooley
Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences