Caring For Each Other During Times of Crisis

October 19, 2023

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Thank you for what you have done over the past several days to support Rutgers–New Brunswick students as they process complex grief, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty in response to the war between Israel and Hamas. I also appreciate the kindness and flexibility shown to our students, especially as you manage your emotional reactions and meet this moment with extraordinary sensitivity and thoughtfulness. As we continue to attend to our students, we must acknowledge that the community of those in need encompasses all of us—including faculty and staff. While we may feel compelled to put aside our needs to serve our students, we must remember to care for ourselves and each other.

My heart goes out to all members of our campus community who are struggling during this challenging time. I want to remind you that Rutgers–New Brunswick offers supportive resources for employees who may experience emotional and mental health concerns. These include self-guided stress management resiliency tools and telephone support, mental health support and coaching, and specific group peer-support programs. If you need help, I encourage you to utilize one or more resources listed here. If a colleague appears to need help and you feel comfortable speaking about it, please encourage them to do the same. You can also refer students to this student mental health and wellness resource directory.

At the beginning of the school year, I issued a compassion challenge to our community, and I want to remind you of some key points from that message.

Compassion has two components—one emotional and one cognitive. We can say it engages our "heart" through feelings of empathy and our "head" in contemplating ways to take positive action. And it can be both helpful and empowering to let our compassion guide us during times of crisis. Consider finding a way to help, perhaps through volunteering, donating, or offering support to a colleague. Our stress is reduced by developing a compassionate mindset and prosocial behaviors toward others.

My vision for Rutgers–New Brunswick is to build a supportive community where everyone feels valued, safe, and supported and, in turn, understands the value of looking out and caring for each other.

Our mission is noble—to benefit our students, communities, state, nation, and the world through excellence in education, research, and service. Each of us brings unique skills and experiences to our collective fulfillment of that mission. And each of us deserves access to the help we need to thrive while contributing to this community of excellence.

Sincerely,

Francine Conway, Ph.D.
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Rutgers University–New Brunswick