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Like many of you, I watched with great sadness as injustice and outrage unfolded this week following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

This refrain unfortunately has played out time and time again in our country. It was only February when Ahmaud Arbery was murdered while jogging in my former state of Georgia. Even more recently, we have seen videos and read other explosive accounts of bigotry around the nation. They have occurred in less than six months, and they merely represent the instances of racism recorded and reported. It all must stop.

UW Oshkosh is a beacon for learning and transformation. Through education, we will continue to build understanding, tear down walls, shed light on racism, bias and hate, and work to be better human beings. We also commit to the never-ending work of making our campuses safer places in which to learn, live and serve. That requires personal reflection and responsibility. And it demands just, transparent and accountable systems, be they higher education or law enforcement. As imperfect individuals and institutions, let us recognize our progress and our failings and work together to be true champions of inclusion, not purveyors of division.

I encourage anyone who would like to share their thoughts on how we can improve or who needs support to contact Byron Adams at the Division of Academic Support of Inclusive Excellence, asie@uwosh.edu, (920) 424-3080; or Sandy Cox at the UWO Counseling Center, counselingcenter@uwosh.edu, (920) 424-2061.

 

This message was originally shared with the UW Oshkosh community via email on May 29, 2020.