<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-m_3464526707284914365gmail-docs-internal-guid-9f2d2676-7fff-85cf-7a3a-5bc24b8830bd"><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear Campus,</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Today, Governor Kathy Hochul </span><a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-suny-chosen-name-and-pronoun-policy-create-more-open-and-accepting" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">announced</span></a><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> that the SUNY Board of Trustees has directed all 64 SUNY campuses to update their policies regarding the use of a chosen name 
and pronouns. </span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, sans-serif">This comes as part of a statewide effort to ensure that all student identities are fully reflected and represented in campus systems. It is imperative that all students, faculty and staff are able to work, live, and study in an environment where they are safe and respected, and where they are able to express their personal identities. I am proud that SUNY Plattsburgh has already implemented many of today’s proposed policy changes to better acknowledge our diversity and make our campus as inclusive as possible.</font></span></p><font face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In 2016, the college implemented the</span><a href="https://www.plattsburgh.edu/about/offices-divisions/administration-finance/management-services/campus-handbook/section-ii-affirmative-action-equal-opportunity/chosen-name-policy.html" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Preferred First Name Policy</span></a><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, which “allows students and employees to officially notify the college of their chosen names and personal pronouns, and have this change reflected in on-campus communication systems.” This SUNY Plattsburgh policy applies to all students, faculty and staff who use a chosen name other than their legal/primary first name on a daily basis, it is consistent with current Title IX federal law protecting students and employees against discrimination based on gender identity and expression, and is a best practice for supporting transgender and gender non-conforming members of college communities.</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“This historic change by the SUNY system is a victory in our ongoing fight to ensure that New York is a place of love and belonging," said Governor Hochul, and I am personally grateful that she has directed this SUNY-wide policy change, to better align with current statewide demographics.</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, sans-serif">In order to truly prioritize equity and inclusion, we must fully recognize, and accurately and respectfully identify all on our campus as they wish to be identified. And we must acknowledge that, like gender and gender expression, those individual identities may evolve and change over time.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Most of all, we must accept that this is a basic human right.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Please join me in celebrating this bold decision during Pride month that brings us all one step closer to creating a truly equitable, inclusive world that not only recognizes, 
but fully embraces our diversity.</font></span></p></span><div><br></div><div>Thank you.</div><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:18px;margin:0px"><div style="font-size:14px;line-height:18px;margin:0px;font-weight:bold;text-transform:uppercase">ALEXANDER ENYEDI, President</div><div style="line-height:18px;margin:0px">(He, Him, His)</div><div style="line-height:18px;margin:0px"><br></div><div style="line-height:18px;margin:0px">159 Hawkins Hall</div><div style="line-height:18px;margin:0px">101 Broad Street<br>Plattsburgh, NY 12901</div><div style="line-height:18px;margin:0px"><span style="display:inline">(o) </span><a href="tel:+1-518-564-2010" title="Office Phone Number" style="color:rgb(200,16,46);background-color:transparent;line-height:18px;display:inline;margin:0px" target="_blank">518-564-2010</a></div><a href="https://www.plattsburgh.edu/" title="SUNY Plattsburgh Link" style="color:rgb(200,16,46);background-color:transparent;line-height:18px;display:block;margin:0px;font-weight:bold" target="_blank">plattsburgh.edu</a></div><img src="https://www.plattsburgh.edu/_images/about/suny-plattsburgh-email-logo.png" width="200" height="40" alt="SUNY Plattsburgh Logo" style="vertical-align:middle;border-style:none;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(33,37,41);font-family:lato,"helvetica neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;display:block"></div></div></div>