Open Letter to Slavic community at UCD regarding Ukraine

Dear Slavic community at UCD,

The Russian Program at UCD stands with you in condemning Russia’s illegal and immoral attack on Ukraine. We offer our heartfelt sympathies to those of you who have familial and other ties to Ukraine. As a native of Ukraine myself, I am profoundly and personally affected by the horrific images we have all seen on our screens in the last days.

As instructors we pledge to continue creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance in all of our courses. We will not allow the richness of Russian language and culture, to which all of us have dedicated our professional lives, to be diminished by the abhorrent crimes of its government. 

If you feel that you would benefit from additional support during these anxious times, please take advantage of the mental health resources that UCD makes available to students. If you are having difficulty completing any of the assigned work for any of our courses as a result of recent events, please reach out to your instructor to discuss accommodations.

On a personal note, please know that my door is always open. I encourage any of you to reach out to me, if I may be helpful in any way.

Sincerely,

Jenny Kaminer
Professor of Russian
Chair, Department of German and Russian