August 12, 2024 Statement in Response to Recent Letter

In a recent letter from a group of elected state officials, it was incorrectly suggested that Russell Sage College is eliminating courses that teach about the Holocaust and antisemitism from our curriculum. That is false.

Russell Sage College was founded over 100 years ago as a place for open dialogue and oppressed voices. In staying true to our mission, we’ve offered two courses on the Holocaust for years, History 234: Holocaust and Genocide and History 322: Final Solution and Genocide. At least one of these courses has been offered every year, often both, and we plan to continue making these courses available to students.

History 322: Final Solution and Genocide is being offered this fall, and students are already enrolled. History 234: Holocaust and Genocide is scheduled to be offered in the spring semester. 

We believe it is crucial for higher education institutions to foster an understanding of historical events and their impact on current global circumstances. We are committed to equipping our students with the knowledge and skills to navigate and contribute positively to today’s complex world.

In addition, Russell Sage College works to maintain an environment where all members of our community feel a sense of belonging, and discrimination and harassment are not tolerated. If any student or employee feels they have experienced discrimination, harassment, hate, or bias, we encourage them to utilize our reporting resources.