Dear Members of our Campus Community,

With the announcement of the Derek Chauvin verdict, please remember there are spaces set up for you to react and process the trial’s outcome. In addition to the resources we shared yesterday:

• Drop-in meetings for students will be held in-person (socially distanced), and virtually, beginning at 7pm tonight, and they will continue over the coming days. View a schedule of events for students here.

• Open forums for faculty and staff will be facilitated this week by the Inclusive Excellence Team. View a schedule of events for faculty and staff here.

The discussions and emotions associated with this trial can bring us together as a community. We encourage everyone to act with the dignity and respect that these issues call for, and that our campus community expects from one another. We value the importance and power of your voices - please do not let them be obscured by conduct that will undermine your message.

Let’s work to support the members of our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), whose leadership we appreciate, but who should not be expected to teach or help their friends and colleagues manage their own response to the trial’s outcome. We all want to live in a world where justice is real, where justice truly is for all, and where diversity, equity and inclusion are valued and not divisive.

While the outcome of this trial is indeed important to the social fabric of our nation, our work remains unchanged. We will continue to prioritize inclusive excellence on our campus, and we will continue our work to effect real and meaningful change so every member of our community is welcomed and valued.

Sheri Everts, Chancellor
Willie Fleming, Chief Diversity Officer
Heather Hulburt Norris, Interim Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor
JJ Brown, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Hank Foreman, Vice Chancellor for External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives/Chief of Staff
Paul Forte, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs
Jane Barghothi, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
Mark Bachmeier, Director of Human Resources
Lee Ball, Chief Sustainability Officer
Paul Meggett, General Counsel
Matthew Dockham, Director of External Affairs & Community Relations
Doug Gillin, Director of Athletics
Megan Hayes, Chief Communications Officer
Tom Van Gilder, Interim Chief Information Officer