Letter from the Department of Chemistry

The faculty and staff in the Chemistry Department have been inspired by the courageous and moving testimony of our students during the events of Amherst Uprising. We are passionately committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment for every one of our students. We also understand that we have failed in this commitment in the past, and we promise to listen and respond to the concerns of every one of our students. We recommit ourselves to supporting the success of every one of our students, here at Amherst and beyond. We decry prejudice in any form, and we recommit ourselves to the ideals and full implementation of the Amherst College Statement on Respect for Persons, which reads:

Respect for the rights, dignity and integrity of others is essential for the well-being of a community. Actions by any person which do not reflect such respect for others are damaging to each member of the community and hence damaging to Amherst College. Each member of the community should be free from interference, intimidation or disparagement in the work place, the classroom and the social, recreational and residential environment.

In particular — and of particular relevance at the moment — we pledge that we will not tolerate disparagement or intimidation of any student or of any member of the staff or faculty in our classrooms, laboratories, offices and common spaces.

Richmond J. Ampiah-Bonney
Anthony C. Bishop
Joseph M. Boucher
Sandra L. Burkett
Dylan R. Donovan
Kristi Evenson-Ohr
David E. Hansen
Sheila S. Jaswal
Joseph N. Kushick
Helen O. Leung
Mark D. Marshall
Shelly A. Martin
Patricia B. O’Hara
Lauren M. Reutenauer
Kenneth S. Rotondi
Catherine A. Stillerman
Elizabeth R. Young