The German Department recognizes the critical need of NYU for increased space for its instructional and research mission. We also recognize importance of efficient and carefully considered use of the land it does own, in relation to the complexities and cost of expansion on land it does not own.

Nonetheless, on July 9, 2012, the German Department faculty voted unanimously to express our concerns regarding the NYU 2031 plan for expansion on the "superblocks" between West 3rd and Houston Streets for the reasons given below. As responsible citizens and discerning scholars, we make the following points that need to be addressed with continued respect and thoughtful vigilance:

• There has not been adequate or genuine consultation with the faculty regarding the rationale for the plan, the logic of expansion, its location and design, and the health and environmental consequences of an anticipated twenty years of construction.
• There has been no transparency regarding the budgeting for an extremely costly building campaign in a time of longstanding fiscal uncertainty. The costs of other far more modest construction projects such as the Kimmel Center have resulted in the freezing of faculty salaries, an unacceptable outcome. Alternatively, NYU students, already among the most indebted in the nation and subject to high tuition costs, are likely to have to absorb the costs of expansion in the form of higher tuition. Offsetting the expense of expansion by increased student enrollment would certainly have a negative impact on the quality of education.
• The disruption caused by construction in Washington Square Village or Silver Towers will have serious adverse effects on the retention and recruitment of high quality faculty, which is at the heart of our academic mission.
• The execution of the 2031 plan may result in an irreparable rift with our community neighbors given the plan's anticipated rezoning for commercial development and the reduction of public greenspace in this high-density residential area.