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Presidential Blog

Category: Presidential messages

Reflections on the tragedy of Charlottesville

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This weekend was a difficult and painful one for all of us committed to a more equitable and inclusive society — to those of us who believe in justice and equity. There should be no question whatsoever that those white supremacists who marched across the University of Virginia campus and gathered across Charlottesville hold views that are anathema to our values, and that their actions were beneath contempt.

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The pain, and yes anger, evoked by what happened is intensified for those of us who live, work or study on college campuses. It is no coincidence that they chose a campus for their march, for they know that universities are diverse, vibrant communities, which are striving to become even more inclusive and are committed to building a better world for all humanity.

My own reactions are impossible to fully describe, for they are very personal. The images of the Klan, Nazis and neo-Nazis brought me back to the horror of almost 40 years ago to another Saturday morning when people from these same groups murdered my own brother, Cesar, then 25. My heart aches at the loss of the young woman, Heather Heyer, who was killed and the two state police offers, H. Jay Cullen and Berke M.M. Bates, who died in the line of duty, as well as for their families and loved ones and the many who were injured. This will be with them forever and I can only hope that together with the pain, they find strength and inspiration.

I recall a late night conversation with my brother, in which he talked about “the struggle.” He did not view justice as an endpoint, or a goal with a clear finish line. Justice, he said, was a constant work-in-progress. You pushed the boulder up the hill, it would slide back, and you would have to push again. You needed to stay vigilant.

We are at a time in our country’s history where we must put our shoulder to that boulder, for it is sliding back down with a momentum many of us thought was impossible in this day and age. We must recommit to equity and inclusion — for all. But even in our grief and anger, it is important to remember the words of Martin Luther King, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

I do not have a road map forward, but I do know that we must find that way together. When our hearts are heavy, we find comfort in the collective embrace of community.

A message to alumni: Proud of our community of shared values

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As we conclude another successful academic year, some 15,000 or so new graduates will go forth from the University of Washington and begin to carve their post-college paths. Among them are visionaries who dream of interplanetary travel and asteroid-mining, newly minted Ph.D.s with expertise in everything from classics to bioengineering, and Washington students who were the first in their families to enroll in college and will leave the UW with a diploma and untold opportunities. Each graduate’s story is unique and powerful.

Supporting our international scholars and students (updated)

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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.

Standing together

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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.

Pursuing the ideals of a more perfect union

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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.

A safe and welcoming place for all

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In the week since the presidential election, many in our university have come together to engage in peaceful gatherings, public forums and other forms of community engagement within residence halls, departments and other groupings across campus. Participation in difficult discussions as well as celebrations of our shared humanity represent the best of who we are, the ideals of our democracy, and demonstrate how, by working together, we can continue to build a better future — the heart of our institutional mission.

A message to faculty & staff: You make the UW what it is

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Today, Jerry and I were very pleased to take an opportunity to send a message to all the dedicated faculty and staff of the UW about just how important they are to the University, to our students’ success and to the impact – near and far – that we have as an institution. Below is our message which we think is worth sharing as widely as possible.

We are all accountable for justice and equity

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As interim president, I spoke to our university about racism, equity and the need for each of us to take personal responsibility for addressing our own biases and improving our University culture. We committed to deepen the work of more systematically combating racism and inequities, both individual and institutional, which persist here and throughout our society.