Statement From Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley and SUNY Board of Trustees
May 15, 2022
“The mass shooting that took place Saturday at a supermarket in a largely Black Buffalo neighborhood was a racially motivated act of hate meant to inflict terror—not only on the innocent individuals who were directly impacted, but an entire community targeted at its heart. We cannot allow intentional acts of horrific violence to destroy our peace and divide us against each other. The entire SUNY family stands in solidarity with the City of Buffalo and with the victims of this despicable tragedy.
We join in offering our support and deepest condolences to the friends, family, and loved ones of the 10 victims who lost their lives, and the three others who were injured, all while undertaking a routine errand of shopping for groceries that inexplicably became a nightmare.
As more details emerge regarding the shooter’s motivation, New York must – and will, as Governor Hochul has pledged – address the scourge of white supremacy head-on. Such hate-filled rhetoric has no place in our state, which prides itself on being known as America’s melting pot, where individuals of all ethnicities, races, beliefs, orientations, and backgrounds, are welcomed and celebrated.
We assure our Western New York campus communities – Buffalo State College, University at Buffalo, Erie Community College, and Niagara County Community College – that we have doubled down on our efforts to ensure your safety and security. Anyone who might have information about the shooting should immediately share it with campus police, who are working in conjunction with local authorities.
We also recognize the significant emotional wound that has been inflicted, not only on the City of Buffalo, but on our entire state. We call on our entire SUNY community to band together, offer each other solace and support, and always demonstrate the values of humanity and respect we lift up every day. To anyone who feels overwhelmed or is experiencing fear or anxiety, know that you are not alone. People are ready to help, and resources are available to support you. Do not hesitate to reach out and seek assistance at https://www.suny.edu/mental-health/.”
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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