To Our University of Miami Students, Faculty, and Staff,
Late last week, I met with student leaders representing various organizations at the University for a productive discussion about societal issues in which the LGBTQ+ community is particularly interested. I felt it was important to share with our entire University community the substance of that conversation.
I want to begin by making clear that the University of Miami supports the LGBTQ+ community. Our objective is to ensure that our students, faculty, and staff feel heard, respected, safe, and included, which is especially important for the LGBTQ+ community now. The measure of our success in that regard is in results and actions, not just words.
One of the very first meetings I had upon my arrival at the University of Miami was with a group of representatives who presented the 2015 report prepared by our LGBTQ Task Force. A key outcome of that meeting was the development of the University’s LGBTQ Student Center, which will be renovated and expanded this summer, and the hire of its first director in 2016. Seven years later, we have made palpable progress, including a four-star rating, out of five, in the Campus Pride Index, which is a national listing of LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. But there is still work to be done.
I recognize that when events happen with which we do not agree, there is an initial sense of helplessness. Part of the value of a university education is the realization that we are not helpless. As individuals, advocates, and allies, we have both the right and the opportunity to speak out.
As an institution, we have a unique responsibility to use the tools at our disposal to empower people to make informed decisions. Those tools include research and scholarship, education, and the respectful exchange of ideas.
To that end, there are three actionable outcomes from last week’s meeting with student leaders. The first is to plan an event in the fall around issues of identity, empowerment, and the way public policy affects our sense of belonging. For nearly two years, through a pandemic, economic challenges, and social crises, we at the U have collaborated to address pressing issues through a series called Courageous Conversations. Conceived as a dialogue, we view this series as a means of encouraging students, faculty, and staff to add their voice to complex topics of importance to the University community. At our next Courageous Conversation, when we will pivot to an in-person format, we look forward to bringing together people with diverse perspectives on controversial policy questions to listen
to and learn from one another.
The second outcome is a pledge to promote a U-LINK initiative to fund LGBTQ-related research, starting with an accelerated call for proposals. U-LINK, an initiative of the University’s Roadmap to Our New Century, supports teams of scholars from multiple disciplines in collaborative, problem-based inquiry to address the complex challenges society faces. Through research and scholarship, we provide objective evidence for reasoned judgments and useful studies. The outcomes provide the powerful examples we can share with society and a means by which we effect change.
The third outcome is a reiterated commitment by senior leaders at the University to continue to show visible support for the LGBTQ+ community. I have already made plans to visit with students in the University’s Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community, which aims to promote student success by establishing a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and their allies on campus while developing their gender and sexual identity awareness, academics, and leadership skills.
’Canes care for ’Canes. Today, we reenergize our ongoing commitment to providing a safe community for self-discovery and inclusivity where people of all genders, orientations, and expressions are valued, respected, and engaged. Please visit the LGBTQ Student Center website for additional information related to all the facets of the University of Miami that realize our aspiration to be a truly nurturing community, where a culture of belonging can flourish. |
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