As students return to classes for the spring semester today and our campuses continue to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of service this week, it is important to reflect on the opportunities that lie ahead. A new calendar year often brings with it a sense of renewal, a fresh start.
Whether you are in the practice of committing to annual resolutions, a word of the year, or simply looking at long-term goals differently, we at the U must be resolute in our pursuit of excellence. From improving the quality of care we offer patients to partnering with our communities to empowering our students with the knowledge they need to succeed, our task is simple, if not easy: continuous improvement—individually and as an institution.
There is unprecedented skepticism about the value of higher education and rising misinformation regarding many medical interventions. As a comprehensive research university with an academic health system, we have a duty to combat both.
I have noted that perhaps the biggest threat to our mission is an erosion of trust in the future. While prior generations had a realistic expectation that tomorrow would be better than yesterday, today’s youth—and their families—are not so certain. We must reaffirm the role of universities as indispensable and innovative drivers of equal opportunity and upward social mobility.
We have at our disposal the tools necessary to combat the generalized sense of anxiety stemming from economic uncertainty, global threats, and political polarization. Our role is to openly question, to seek truth, to engage in respectful debate, and to evaluate solutions—in science, in the arts, and in service to others. If we do this transparently and with an uncompromising commitment to accountability, the University of Miami will set itself apart.
In addition to reframing and accelerating execution of our strategic plan, we will take bold action to address the challenges facing our society. We will begin on our own campuses, helping our students restore trust in themselves and each other by giving them opportunities to use and leverage their diverse talents.
Nearly a century ago, our founders created a start-up. They had a clear vision about what the future could look like in the United States’ last geographic frontier—what some saw as an inhospitable environment, they saw as a place for dreamers and doers. In a little over two years, we will begin celebrating our centennial, which is ultimately a celebration of the staying power and the will to improve of a university endowed with a spirit of resilience and renewal from its earliest days.
Those who came before us have taught us that the future does not simply happen, it is built by people, based on the choices they make. Just as dozens of volunteers on our medical campus chose to spend yesterday at a beach clean-up of historic Virginia Key Beach Park and many on our Coral Gables and marine campuses will engage in a day of service this Saturday, let us all move into this calendar year choosing to build a future worthy of our calling.
Let us educate, ourselves and each other. Let us research, unflinchingly questioning and seeking answers. Let us serve others, valuing the presence and dignity of those who look, think, pray, and love in ways different than ours. Let us innovate, choosing to see things both as they are and as they could be. In short, let us walk the talk.
Just as dreamers and doers have built South Florida into a world class metropolis few could have imagined a century ago, together we can continue to build the University of Miami into an outlier of the best sort—an exception to the pretense that erodes trust in the future. |
