Pratt warns faculty and staff that FBI could be reaching out to them to build better relationships with the community. View Full Caption DNAinfo

CLINTON HILL — The FBI has been contacting art students at the Pratt Institute to "build better relationships with the community," according to an email the head of the college's security sent faculty and students.

William J. Schmitz, the director of security for the art school, sent an email blast to faculty, students and staff on March 2 alerting them to the bureau's effort to cozy up to their students.

"It has come to our attention that the FBI is reaching out to college students in an effort to build better relationships with the community," Schmitz wrote. "For your information you are in no way obligated to speak with them and should anyone contact you, you can reach out to Public Safety for assistance."

Neither the FBI nor Pratt would comment about the email.

Architecture graduate student Adriana Monsalve, 24, said that she had heard of three people in her class being called by someone saying they were with the bureau.

She reached out to the school's Office of International Affairs, but no one gave her more information about why the FBI was contacting Pratt students, she said.

"They just said it’s OK, but I was still worried because it’s like so weird," she said.

Other students who just got back from spring break last week also seemed bewildered by the note.

"I honestly couldn't tell you, I don't know anything about why they would want to contact us, why they would be here," Pratt sophomore Morgan Holub, 19, said. "It feels almost like a joke, but not really."

READ THE EMAIL:

Pratt Institute email by DNAinfoNewYork on Scribd