Dear colleagues,
As we head into the weekend, I want to thank you for the work you have done to be present for our students and for one another as we navigated the events of this week. The lead-up to the election, along with its results, has led to a wide range of reactions from all corners of our community. Even as we continue to manage our own responses, I am grateful for your intentional efforts to create learning environments that invite dialogue across a diversity of perspectives and political viewpoints. This can be exhausting work, but it is vital to the intellectual life of the university.
This weekend I hope you are able to find time for activities that energize you and deepen your sense of connection. For me, that will involve spending time with my family and enjoying a walk with our dog, Darcy, among the beautiful trees of Oregon.
There are not many places in our culture like a university, and we have an ethical and legal obligation to ensure that here, at least, we have created an open and inclusive learning environment in which students, faculty, and staff are free to debate, discuss, and explore a wide diversity of ideas, values, and beliefs.
The world needs more dialogue, not less, and I feel fortunate to work among a community of scholars who aspire to foster understanding and critical discernment, to push the boundaries of what is known, and to draw insights from the past to create a brighter future. Your dedication to this effort helps our students discover who they are and how they will contribute to the world we share.
Wishing you a restful and restorative weekend,
Christopher P. Long
Provost and Senior Vice President