The Program in Religious Studies unanimously passed the following resolution:

We, the undersigned faculty of the Program in Religious Studies, do not support the 2031 expansion plan.

40% of NYU faculty live in the superblocks. We are concerned that the disruption caused by construction in Washington Square Village or Silver Towers will have serious adverse ffects on the retention and recruitment of excellent faculty, seriously undermining the academic mission of the University. This is an issue of concern even to faculty who do not themselves reside in the superblocks.

Even beyond our concerns about the negative impact the proposed expansion will have on the tenants of those buildings, however, we have these broader reasons for opposing the expansion:

• We are not persuaded that the declared rationale for the plan --- NYU students need more space --- presents sufficient grounds for launching a costly building campaign in a time of chronic economic uncertainty.
• We are concerned that NYU students, already among the most indebted in the nation, will almost certainly bear the burden of footing the xpansion bill in the form of increased tuition and other fees.
• We believe that the execution of the 2031 plan will result in an rreparable rift with our community neighbors, and that their right to shape the destiny of Greenwich Village should be respected.