°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾

Dear °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ Community,

The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and others across the country have evoked unbearable pain and understandable outrage about racism and violence against Black Americans.  We mourn their loss and emphasize that there is no room nor tolerance for hate, racism or violence. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion makes us stronger and helps prepare our students to lead in a complex, global society.  It is our responsibility to help every member of our community feel safe and respected. 

Unfortunately, racial inequality still exists in the world.  Together, we can and must affect meaningful change in our communities and our broader society.  As members of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ community, we discourage violence and vandalism as seen in cities across the country, and encourage you to engage in actions that promote justice, healing and growth. 

As a designated state leadership institution, we share a dedication to serving others and building strong communities. Our °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ community is built upon the core values of excellence, student-focus, integrity, engagement, and service.  Over the next several weeks, we will be facilitating dialogue in a variety of formats to understand these issues better and create meaningful approaches to equality and unity.  As one example, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ Police Chief Justin Gaines, who leads a team of outstanding officers and who wants to be part of the solution, is planning a virtual town hall-style meeting with students to answer questions about current events and public safety.

We stand together with and are committed to the members of our °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ family and those in our communities who are angry, frustrated and hurting at this pivotal time in history. We encourage anyone who may need support to reach out to Student Counseling or other support services.  Together, we pledge to combat acts of racism in all its forms and ensure that °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ is a strong, united and inclusive community.

Sincerely,

Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D.
President 

Jamie Mitchem, Ph.D.
Chair, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ Faculty Senate 

Kasi Ives
Chair, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ Staff Council 

Jelma Flores-Mota
SGA President, Gainesville Campus 

Kylee Howlin
SGA President, Cumming Campus

*°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ students voted to consolidate the university’s Student Government Associations, and the presidencies of the other campus SGA groups are vacant until new elections are held in the fall.