Dear CLAS Community,
I join Dr. Liz Tovar, our university’s executive director for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and Sarah Hansen, our vice president for student life, in commenting on the guilty verdicts in Derek Chauvin’s trial following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. See the UI's statement.
Today is one step in building a more inclusive society, as we saw justice for George Floyd and his family. This has been a painful year, a traumatizing year, as we once again were faced with our complex history of violence against communities of color in the United States. But let's not be naïve. One trial alone does not mean our society’s confrontation of systemic racism is over. We have seen, just during the course of this trial, that police violence toward our fellow citizens of color, especially our Black citizens, continues at a tragic pace.
Last week, I asked “Why?” It is time now not only to reflect on that question, but also to challenge ourselves to be change agents and part of the building-block process of creating a more just society for all.
We in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are engaged in the antidote to the poison of racism. No matter one’s politics, race, or ethnicity, it is through education that one learns to look critically at ourselves, our institutions, our communities, and our society. When we are exposed to people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives and experiences, we come to see their value and humanity. They are no longer the “other”—they are us.
I urge everyone in our community to keep asking themselves hard and uncomfortable questions about their own perspectives and biases around race and ethnicity. Each and every one of us has their own journey to walk, and CLAS and the UI is a place where we can travel that path together.
I leave you with these crucial assertions from Dr. Tovar and Dr. Hansen:
On our campus and within our community:
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- We will not tolerate anything but a safe and inclusive campus for people of all backgrounds regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, and associational preferences.
- We value the First Amendment and freedom of expression and believe civil discourse and the respectful exchange of ideas are the cornerstones of higher education and this great institution.
- We work to ensure everyone's safety in shared spaces.
These are core and unshakable values for our community, and we work to affirm them every day.
All the best,
Sara
Sara Sanders, PhD, MSW
Dean and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
