From President Frank H. Wu:

We have all seen the profoundly horrifying videos on television or via social media of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee by several police officers. Our prayers and deepest condolences are extended to the family and friends of a beloved young man who suffered beyond comprehension in heart-breaking circumstances that defy explanation.

I have asked our Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity Jerima DeWese to work with the Offices of Student Affairs and the College Provost to assure the availability of counseling services for those who wish to avail themselves, to offer community engagement and outreach as appropriate to such a traumatic occurrence, and to work with faculty on programs to address continuing issues of racial discrimination. These actions, even if beyond our own campus, have consequences within higher education and to the well-being of our greater society.

Incidents of brutality have continued to occur and it is imperative to be candid in describing them. The victims are disproportionately Black, a disparity that betrays our ideals. Although all of us can be and are affected, those who identify with and are seen by others as most similar to the individuals and communities which are targeted, suffer more.

Those of us entrusted with leadership roles are duty bound to call for tangible change. We owe it to people such as our faculty, staff and especially students to use our influence in this regard.

So many of us understandably have had a mixture of strong emotions as we witness these recurring incidents. It is up to us now to make the changes to society that are needed. The upcoming Black History Month celebrations are as much about the future as the past. On a final note, we are planning our inaugural "Diversity Week" program for April 17-21, 2023. Throughout the week, we will address the marked increase in hate and bias crimes throughout the nation and the design of an action-oriented bias response plan.