November 19, 2015
Dear Members of the IUPUI Community:
Recent events in our nation and across the globe remind us of the cruelty of bigotry and intolerance and its impact on individuals and communities. The IUPUI campus is committed to creating an environment in which all of our students, staff, and faculty are valued and can succeed – an environment in which they belong, are seen, and are heard. Whether assembling to engage in dialogue about matters important to members of our community or gathering to show compassion for lives lost, we must strive to foster a climate of acceptance and mutual respect where our collective voices express the value we place on the free expression of ideas, experiences, and beliefs.
Especially at times like this, it is important that we engage with each other with empathy and concern and that we are willing to have conversations that are sometimes difficult. It is equally important that we listen to one another and that we truly hear. I was very encouraged by our students who attended the “Pass the Mic” event held in the Campus Center yesterday. The event reaffirmed for me that this is a campus where people are willing to voice their opinions and learn from each other.
To provide additional opportunities for dialogue, our campus will be convening town hall meetings in the near future. The forums, offered in coordination with our Division of Student Affairs and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will ensure a space and platform for diverse, tolerant, and open dialogue that can move us as individuals and as a scholarly community toward healing and toward action that is just and improves the human condition.
Sincerely,
Nasser H. Paydar
Chancellor