We share the country’s feelings of profound grief and revulsion at the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and too many others before them.
With a heavy heart, and in collaboration with the CHES committee for Diversity and Inclusivity (CDI) please know that our college is strongly committed to a culture of inclusion and equity but we can do more to ensure that our actions match our words. In addition to continuing to provide programs that strive to increase cultural awareness and sensitivity, the committee is at work collecting new resources that our faculty and students can use for personal enrichment, classes, and community outreach. As a human sciences unit within an institution of higher education, we have the power to change lives and instill within our students a sense of courage, respect, and dedication towards a more equitable society.
For many years, our college has tried to live by the creed of “improving lives” but in order to do this we must first come closer together as a community to create a safe and welcome environment. We also recognize that people of color may be especially traumatized by the retelling of such racialized experiences. Please take care of yourself and let us know how we can help. We encourage everyone to utilize the resources provided by the UA’s Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion to learn how to be an effective ally. If you feel you may need support do not hesitate to contact any of these UA resources: the UA Title IX office, University Counseling Center, Women and Gender Resource Center or the Employee Assistance Program.
These are certainly sad and concerning times for our country, and it is our great hope that we can heal from this and become a just and equitable world in which we all want to live. We can make a difference but only if we do so together.
Stuart Usdan
Dean