The Officers of the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH), 24 January 2023

 January 24, 2023 

Martha E. Pollack, President, Cornell University 
Michael I. Kotlikoff, Provost, Cornell University 
J. Meejin Yoon, Dean, College of Architecture, Art and Planning, Cornell University 

Dear President Pollack, Provost Kotlikoff, and Dean Yoon: 

We write on behalf of the Society of Architectural Historians to express our deep concern about events at Cornell University’s Department of Architecture in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. These events have affected one of our board members, Dr. Samia Henni. 

Founded in 1940, the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) is a nonprofit membership organization that serves an international network of institutions and individuals who, by profession or interest, focus on the history of the built environment and its role in shaping contemporary life. The Society of Architectural Historians promotes the study, interpretation, and conservation of architecture, design, landscapes, and urbanism worldwide for the benefit of all. 

Prof. Samia Henni is a board member of the Society of Architectural Historians and an internationally-recognized scholar of architectural history whose work on marginalized and oppressed communities has been inspiring to many other scholars. 

In early September 2022, the university office of Assistant Professor Dr. Samia Henni was broken into and vandalized. During this incident, sensitive materials were stolen from Dr. Henni’s office. Despite conducting an investigation, the Cornell University Police Department has not shared the results with Dr. Henni. 

Moreover, this serious incident has not received swift public condemnation from Cornell University. 

This lack of transparency raises serious questions about safety, discrimination, and academic freedom, especially for minority scholars and those working on colonial histories. 

We call on Cornell University to properly investigate this violent incident, to condemn it, and to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of Dr. Henni and guarantee academic freedom across campus. 

Sincerely, 

The Officers of the Society of Architectural Historians 
Patricia Morton, President 
Carla Yanni, First Vice President 
Mohammad Gharipour, Second Vice President 
Lynne Horiuchi, Secretary 
Roberta Washington, Treasurer