Greetings, my fellow Leopards,

As we follow the news and bear witness to the recent tragic events that have taken place in the United States coupled with the numerous and ongoing reactions to them both here and abroad, the ugly and too often deadly injustices perpetrated against our Black community members become impossible to ignore. Whether your personal experience with racially motivated hostility is firsthand or vicarious, building and maintaining a more just society in which no one is above the law and each of us is treated with dignity is a responsibility we all share. I believe this, just as I believe that the power of knowledge can change the world, and that science and medicine can eradicate disease, and the arts and humanities can illuminate the human condition.

During this stressful and tumultuous time, I call upon you to voice your thoughts and ideas on how we might create a space for productive and respectful campus dialogue on the issues we are confronting in our neighborhood, in this country, and in the world at large. Toward this end, I invite you to submit your responses to this survey by June 30. My heart is truly heavy, but I’m optimistic about the positive impact we can make if we commit to working together.

Thank you for your participation and your support,

Robert M. Young ’14
Director of Intercultural Development