Spring 2005 Message from the President

Welcome back for the spring semester. I hope you enjoyed your time off with family and friends as much as I did.

The shadow in the recent past has of course been the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia. I am proud that the Queens College community responded swiftly to the unimaginable suffering caused by this act of nature. The Office of Student Life worked with a number of campus groups and relief organizations to coordinate money, food, and clothing collections. If you would like to help, please contact that office at 718-997-3970. Our Office of International Student Services is also offering support to students from these devastated areas. And anyone affected by this tragedy should speak to our staff in the Counseling and Advising Center.

The tsunami illustrates only too well how little we know about the natural world. I am happy to say that Queens College is now in a position to increase our knowledge as we are about to become the home of the Institute to Nurture New York’s Nature. Among its many goals, the institute will promote sound management of the city’s natural resources, conduct research on such pressing topics as our changing climate, and work closely with scientists and government officials to preserve our natural environment. Queens is the logical place for this new institute as we are already home to the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, founded by renowned environmentalist Dr. Barry Commoner.            

This recent tragedy also illustrated once again how small our world has become, with many nations reacting within hours to offer assistance to those in need. The world’s generosity on this occasion gives us hope that we can put aside some long-standing conflicts.

One on-campus project that is trying to accomplish this, and which has captured the attention of the national media, is history professor Mark Rosenblum’s course, “The Middle East and America: Clash of Civilizations or Meeting of the Minds.” What is remarkable about this class is that Jewish and Muslim students learn the opposing group’s history relative to the Middle East conflict and must support the opposing viewpoint. It’s a process Rosenblum calls “walking in the other’s shoes.” This is an extraordinary way for people to better understand the views of those they do not agree with and may even consider a deadly enemy. The January 8 “CBS Evening News” devoted a segment to this class, and you can view this clip by going to our homepage and clicking on the story under News and Announcements, or going directly to

CBS News Story

I hope you will continue to take advantage of all the college has to offer, including concerts, lectures, dance and theater performances, art exhibits, and sporting events. In February we celebrate Black History Month, and many particularly exciting events will take place on campus.

I wish you an enjoyable and successful semester.

President James Muyskens