Dear New York Tech Community,

June 19 (also known as Juneteenth) commemorates the start of a process that ended slavery and began a path to freedom following the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln. This historic date also reminds us of our collective need as a community, as a university, and as a nation to do much better than we have done...and to do so now, and not at some distant time in the future.

In the spirit of fostering a new level of understanding of and appreciation for the experiences of African-Americans in United States history, New York Institute of Technology will be closed on June 19 beginning at 12:30 p.m. in recognition of the ratification of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Beginning in 2021, June 19 will be a regular holiday for New York Tech in appreciation of the historical significance of Juneteenth. And while this is, in many ways, a symbolic action, our university will continue to seek solutions that combat racism, injustice, and inequity in our world.

Sincerely,

Hank Foley, Ph.D.
President, New York Institute of Technology