The University of Washington is proud to be the home to students, staff and scholars from around the world. We stand with them and will provide them with support as needed. As Provost Baldasty and I emphasized to the community in November, we are fully committed to providing a safe, secure and welcoming environment that protects the privacy and human rights of all members of our community.
Presidential Blog
Transgender rights are human rights
Yesterday, the US Departments of Education and Justice rescinded protections for transgender and non-binary students under Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools. The University of Washington and our state laws unequivocally recognize that transgender people deserve to be free from discrimination on the basis of gender expression and identity, and we will stand by these bedrock principles of equity and inclusion.
Responding to those hateful flyers
You may be aware of recent instances of racist flyers appearing at or around the UW. We, of course, condemn expressions of hate as antithetical to not just our University’s and nation’s values, but to fundamental human values. When such flyers are put up in unauthorized or inappropriate places, like the sides of buildings, we take them down. If you see such posters, you can take them down as well, but your best course of action is to contact the UWPD to take them down. You can email uwpolice@uw.edu notifying them of the date, time and location of the posting/image and whether or not it was removed.
Sharing our expertise for the public good
We have not just an opportunity, but a responsibility to share the knowledge we develop with a wider world that is hungry for it. A full accounting of the knowledge and accumulated expertise at the UW would be impossible, but if we harness it together and as individuals, our collective power to inform truthfully and persuasively is formidable.
Standing together
No matter who you are, where you’re from, whom you love, where or whether you worship, or any other aspect of your identity, we welcome your contributions to helping the University of Washington maintain its commitment to access and excellence, to building a better and more equitable future, and creating a world of good.
Update on University response to Friday’s events (Updated)
On Friday night, our campus community was shocked and heartbroken when what was intended to be a peaceful protest was disrupted by violence that resulted in several assaults and a man being shot. Like all of you, I’m thankful that the victim is reported to be recovering. In the days since that incident, the University has received many inquiries from community members concerned about campus safety.
Another vote of confidence in your work to change lives
The measure of the University of Washington’s true worth comes in the impact we have on the world. Your impact is broad, emerging through disciplines ranging from poetry to physics, and is truly global, with projects and partnerships in more than 130 countries – and right here in Washington.
Violence has no place at our University and no role in our democracy
I want to say very clearly: Violence has no place at our University and in our communities. It is heartbreaking that a man was shot and others assaulted during what should have been peaceful demonstrations. The gunshot victim is currently hospitalized, and we fervently hope for his full recovery.
Statement from UW President Ana Mari Cauce on shooting incident during protest in Red Square
The following is a statement from University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce following an incident in which a man suffered a gunshot wound in the abdomen during a large protest in Red Square.
Pursuing the ideals of a more perfect union
This week begins and ends with two important days in the civic life of our nation: Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day. In many ways, these two days represent two sides of the same coin. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we celebrate the life of a man who used advocacy, peaceful protest and civil disobedience to advance the cause of human rights. And on Inauguration Day, we mark the peaceful transition of power as determined by the votes cast in our electoral system.