President’s Statement on Chauvin Verdict

April 20, 2021

To the UConn Community:

As the world watched the trial of Derek Chauvin unfold in Minneapolis this month, culminating in today’s verdict, it was natural for concerned citizens, activists, and commentators to focus on the broader questions raised: police brutality, anti-Black racism, the long struggle for justice in the United States, and more.

But it’s important to recognize that a criminal trial is not a final reckoning with deep-rooted social forces. It is not a quest for larger truths. Criminal trials are, at heart, tests of imperfect evidence related to a specific set of circumstances. Ultimately, this trial told us little more than what 12 citizens of Minneapolis believe about the evidence they were permitted to see in court.

It is up to each and every one of us, and educational institutions like ours, to make sure the larger issues and concerns stemming from the killing of George Floyd are understood, not forgotten, and ultimately addressed.

First, and most importantly, that means a direct confrontation with America’s legacy of anti-Black racism, which continues to blight our society to this day. The truth is clear to anyone who watched the unbearable video from Minneapolis last spring and so many others. There can be no progress as a society until we address the systemic reasons behind it.

These and many related issues don’t have easy answers, and the discussions around them will be passionate, protracted, and difficult. But we must have them, at UConn and throughout society, if we are to make progress toward becoming the kind of society to which our highest ideals aspire.

To that end, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office are organizing a series of panel discussions with thought leaders and scholars from across a variety of fields over the coming days, and I invite you to participate.

The outcome of a criminal trial in Minneapolis doesn’t absolve us of the debt we owe to George Floyd, and to future generations. We may face setbacks. We may even fail. But justice – as opposed to the nuances of law – requires that we try.

Sincerely,
Tom
Thomas Katsouleas
President

ODI’s Statement on Chauvin Verdict

Today’s verdict provides a glimmer of hope in what continues to be a long-standing battle to end systemic racism in the United States and across the globe. However, there is still much work to be done. History has taught us all too well that we must pause, rest, and regroup because the struggle for racial justice continues. As we take solace in the justice delivered today, we remain committed to addressing hate and structural oppression. We want to remind you of some of the resources and spaces that are available to you in the continued struggle for racial justice:

Anti-Racism Resources
The Cultural Centers
Academic Institutes
Also, there will be several events in the coming weeks for us as a community to discuss the implications of this verdict as well as the steps we can take moving forward. In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., “there are some things in our world to which [people] of goodwill must be maladjusted” and that includes bigotry, systemic racism, and other forms of hate that deprive people of their humanity. We need to be “creatively maladjusted” to “courageously do battle for truth.”

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion

School of Medicine’s Statement on Chauvin Verdict

Dear School of Medicine Community,

There are so many names. So many names and so many lives ended by violence. So many lives ended by violence at the hands of those who have sworn to protect and serve; Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and so many others. As we await the jury deliberations in the death of George Floyd, we continue to witness the ongoing killing of Black and Brown men, women and children. Most recently, Adam Toledo, a thirteen year old Latino child, was shot and killed in an alley in Chicago by police as he stood with his hands raised, surrendering to police. At the same time, individuals of Asian descent live in fear of xenophobic violence related to being scapegoated for the coronavirus pandemic. Even if one is not a direct victim of violence, it is still difficult not to feel traumatized. The violence is epidemic and seems senseless. However, if one is familiar with the history of policing in this country, although the current situation is tragic and totally unacceptable, it does not seem senseless.

Modern policing has its roots in antebellum slave patrols which established state sanctioned violence. These patrols were abolished at the end of the civil war, but the legacy of oppressive policing without accountability continues, and can be seen currently in the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Amaud Arbery by neighborhood vigilantes. Being Black is still criminalized (e.g. national drug policy, laws such as “stop and frisk, discriminatory sentencing for non-violent crimes), and the violence continues.

Police violence (and over-policing in general) is a threat both to public and individual health with regard to the manner in which it perpetuates negative stereotypes of minority populations, disrupts the social fabric of communities, and traumatizes and damages the physical and mental health of individuals. There are individuals in our community here at UConn Health who are already traumatized; who are concerned for their own safety; who have made significant changes in their personal and professional lives to decrease the probability of encountering police in the conduct of their personal lives. If this is happening in the environment that we inhabit, imagine the level of fear and anxiety that exists in less privileged settings.

Many among us are traumatized and emotionally exhausted by the relentless onslaught of violence. The trial outcome, either the verdict and/or the subsequent reaction will deepen preexisting trauma. This is not happening in a vacuum as evidenced by the many police killings since George Floyd’s death. We must be ready to support each other, as we find a way to collectively move forward. As racism is a public health threat, collectively and individually we must be part of the solution to the problem. We must stand together and support each other in collective anti-racist action. Mahatma Ghandi challenged us to be the change we wish to see. Therefore, we invite you to a conversation that will proceed over the coming days and weeks as the response to the verdict unfolds. The conversation will be devoted to how, as a community, we may be able to confront racism as an existential threat, and move the anti-racist needle forward.

This may be a good occasion to remind us all that direct support is provided in a number of venues by the institution for the benefit of anyone in need, namely:

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP https://health.uconn.edu/occupational-environmental/employee-assistance-program/); 860-679-2877
Student Behavioral Health (https://health.uconn.edu/student-wellness/psychological-wellness/individual-counseling/), and
The Ombuds Office (https://ombuds.uconn.edu/) 860-679-5061
UConn Health Ombuds – Donna Douglass Williams
Office of Multicultural & Community Affairs (OMCA@uchc.edu)
Assoc. Dean – Dr. David Henderson (Henderson@uchc.edu)
Director – Dr. Linda Barry (lbarry@uchc.edu)

Thank you,

Bruce T. Liang, MD, FACC

Dean, School of Medicine

David Henderson, MD

Associate Dean, Multicultural and Community Affairs

Linda Barry, MD, MPH, FACS

Director, Multicultural and Community Affairs

Melissa Held, M.D.

Associate Dean, Medical Student Affairs

Statement from School of Medicine

Dear School of Medicine Community,

There are so many names. So many names and so many lives ended by violence. So many lives ended by violence at the hands of those who have sworn to protect and serve; Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and so many others. As we await the jury deliberations in the death of George Floyd, we continue to witness the ongoing killing of Black and Brown men, women and children. Most recently, Adam Toledo, a thirteen year old Latino child, was shot and killed in an alley in Chicago by police as he stood with his hands raised, surrendering to police. At the same time, individuals of Asian descent live in fear of xenophobic violence related to being scapegoated for the coronavirus pandemic. Even if one is not a direct victim of violence, it is still difficult not to feel traumatized. The violence is epidemic and seems senseless. However, if one is familiar with the history of policing in this country, although the current situation is tragic and totally unacceptable, it does not seem senseless.

Modern policing has its roots in antebellum slave patrols which established state sanctioned violence. These patrols were abolished at the end of the civil war, but the legacy of oppressive policing without accountability continues, and can be seen currently in the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Amaud Arbery by neighborhood vigilantes. Being Black is still criminalized (e.g. national drug policy, laws such as “stop and frisk, discriminatory sentencing for non-violent crimes), and the violence continues.

Police violence (and over-policing in general) is a threat both to public and individual health with regard to the manner in which it perpetuates negative stereotypes of minority populations, disrupts the social fabric of communities, and traumatizes and damages the physical and mental health of individuals. There are individuals in our community here at UConn Health who are already traumatized; who are concerned for their own safety; who have made significant changes in their personal and professional lives to decrease the probability of encountering police in the conduct of their personal lives. If this is happening in the environment that we inhabit, imagine the level of fear and anxiety that exists in less privileged settings.

Many among us are traumatized and emotionally exhausted by the relentless onslaught of violence. The trial outcome, either the verdict and/or the subsequent reaction will deepen preexisting trauma. This is not happening in a vacuum as evidenced by the many police killings since George Floyd’s death. We must be ready to support each other, as we find a way to collectively move forward. As racism is a public health threat, collectively and individually we must be part of the solution to the problem. We must stand together and support each other in collective anti-racist action. Mahatma Ghandi challenged us to be the change we wish to see. Therefore, we invite you to a conversation that will proceed over the coming days and weeks as the response to the verdict unfolds. The conversation will be devoted to how, as a community, we may be able to confront racism as an existential threat, and move the anti-racist needle forward.

This may be a good occasion to remind us all that direct support is provided in a number of venues by the institution for the benefit of anyone in need, namely:

 

Thank you,

Bruce T. Liang, MD, FACC

Dean, School of Medicine

 

David Henderson, MD

Associate Dean, Multicultural and Community Affairs

 

Linda Barry, MD, MPH, FACS

Director, Multicultural and Community Affairs

 

Melissa Held, M.D.

Associate Dean, Medical Student Affairs

 

Dr. Esther Choo: “Racism as a Public Health Crisis” Talk

April 6, 2021

Dr. Esther Choo Talk

Asian American Cultural Center presents Dr. Esther Choo’s “Racism as a Public Health Crisis” talk. Dr. Choo, a practicing physician and popular health and science communicator, is the founding member of TIME’S UP Healthcare, which advocates for equity in the healthcare workforce. Dr. Choo is also the co-founder of Equity Quotient, which assesses organization culture to help create a culture of respect. Her commentary on the culture of healthcare institutions has led her to appear in numerous publications, including The New England Journal of Medicine and The Washington Post.

She is a regular guest on CNN and MSNBC, as well as an invited speaker for TED Talks. Her work on the COVID-19 pandemic has been featured in InStyle and People magazines. Using impactful data, infused with her signature wit and humor, she’ll discuss how to create gender and racial equity in the workplace based on her experience in healthcare. Key topics of her talk will include how to build organizational cultures and create a culture of equity. The discussion will be moderated by staff of the Asian American Cultural Center at UConn.

Date: April 6, 2021

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM

Format: Virtual

Asian American Cultural Center would like to thank the African American Cultural Center, Asian American Studies Institute, Center for Career Development, the Hartford Campus, the Stamford Campus, and the Women's Center for cohosting this event.

Chabad at UConn Condemns Recent Acts of Antisemitism on Campus

April 1, 2021

This week is Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrating our redemption from slavery in ancient Egypt. We would rather focus on the joy of the Holiday, but the events on campus need a response.

Over the first days of the Holiday of Passover, hateful graffiti was found on various campus buildings.

After the Seder at Chabad, a Jewish student was accosted while carrying a box of Matzah in his hands.

The UConn administration quickly put out a statement condemning these acts of bigotry.

Such displays of hate are not a reflection of our University culture. The UConn community is one of love, support, and mutual respect for one another.

Many students have asked, what should our response to such hateful acts be?

The answer lies in the Seder.

The Seder is not merely a reenactment of a redemption long ago, but rather a living ceremony that speaks of our ability to overcome any obstacle of darkness.

Acts of bigotry can never be ignored. When condemnable words go unanswered, it emboldens evil and leads to negative actions.

Our response however cannot just be vocal.

While these actions do not reflect the UConn campus community, actions such as these darken our campus somewhat and call for a renewed expression of light since this happened here. As such, we are asking everyone to do an extra good deed to bring more light to our community.

My personal mentor and the foremost leader of Judaism in the modern era, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson often taught that in a place of darkness a small amount of light has a great effect. Each of us can do an extra good deed to help someone in need or go out of our way for someone else, and in that way, bring increased light to our community.

When we are faced with opposition and antisemitism, we cannot back down. It is a time to add in Jewish pride and live more Jewishly. Show your Jewish pride and protect your home by adding a Mezuzah to your door, put on Tefilin, light Shabbat candles and do an extra Mitzvah.

Chabad will continue working with the UConn administration to address issues affecting the Jewish community. We will also continue our celebration of Passover and the celebration of freedom.

Any students who feel troubled or intimidated by these hateful actions, please reach out to us. We’re always here for you and we want to listen and help.

While we cannot ignore acts of darkness, we know darkness flees from forces of light and love. Let us add in light and love today and every day.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Shlomo & Shaindel Hecht

Chabad at UConn

USG Message on Anti-Semiticism at UConn

March 31, 2021

To: UConn Community

Huskies,

This week we learned about yet another reported act of antisemitism. Each of these has been a vile attack on the Jewish members of our community. One can only imagine what goes unreported. We must each condemn, reject, and denounce these attacks on our friends, our family, and our Pack.

This cannot continue. We each have a responsibility to each other to do our part to eliminate this behavior. That includes the faculty and staff who impart UConn’s values on us. That includes administrators who set the climate of this university. That includes us, the students, who are responsible for cultivating an inclusive campus culture each and every day. We all must stand against every form of antisemitism and hate.

Further, we all must recognize the struggles that our fellow students have been experiencing in the face of increasing hate and bias on campus. The university, its departments, and its divisions have been reactive. This is simply not enough; without a proactive approach, students will continue to be hurt. USG calls on the UConn administration to release a plan by Friday, April 9th, to deal with these acts of hate and prevent future incidents.

On Monday, April 5th, from 3:30-5:30, UConn Hillel will be hosting a gathering of solidarity for students to demonstrate their hurt, pain, and anger, and call for concrete actions from the UConn administration. On Tuesday the 6th, UConn Hillel will be hosting a Holocaust commemoration ceremony featuring a conversation with a Holocaust survivor. USG will continue to fight antisemitism on campus by working with UConn Hillel to provide educational opportunities and seek support from the UConn administration.

We wish our peers and the campus community safety and health during this time.

Damani R. Douglas

Chief Diversity Officer

Michael Christy

Chief Diversity Officer-Elect

USG Condemns Anti-Semitism at UConn

To: UConn Community

Huskies,

This week we learned about yet another reported act of antisemitism. Each of these has been a vile attack on the Jewish members of our community. One can only imagine what goes unreported. We must each condemn, reject, and denounce these attacks on our friends, our family, and our Pack.

This cannot continue. We each have a responsibility to each other to do our part to eliminate this behavior. That includes the faculty and staff who impart UConn’s values on us. That includes administrators who set the climate of this university. That includes us, the students, who are responsible for cultivating an inclusive campus culture each and every day. We all must stand against every form of antisemitism and hate.

Further, we all must recognize the struggles that our fellow students have been experiencing in the face of increasing hate and bias on campus. The university, its departments, and its divisions have been reactive. This is simply not enough; without a proactive approach, students will continue to be hurt. USG calls on the UConn administration to release a plan by Friday, April 9th, to deal with these acts of hate and prevent future incidents.

On Monday, April 5th, from 3:30-5:30, UConn Hillel will be hosting a gathering of solidarity for students to demonstrate their hurt, pain, and anger, and call for concrete actions from the UConn administration. On Tuesday the 6th, UConn Hillel will be hosting a Holocaust commemoration ceremony featuring a conversation with a Holocaust survivor. USG will continue to fight antisemitism on campus by working with UConn Hillel to provide educational opportunities and seek support from the UConn administration.

We wish our peers and the campus community safety and health during this time.

Damani R. Douglas

Chief Diversity Officer

Michael Christy

Chief Diversity Officer-Elect

Message to the UConn Community

March 30, 2021

To the UConn community,

In recent days, we have been made aware of several incidents of hateful conduct and speech directed at members of our community on the Storrs campus. This includes vile anti-Semitic graffiti on a building near Hillel and deeply offensive comments directed at members of the LGBTQ community, among others. Our disappointment is matched only by our concern: Any such attack on students, faculty, or staff members is totally unacceptable and has no place at this University.

We are taking these incidents very seriously, and any violations of the law or the Student Code of Conduct will be answered with disciplinary measures and law enforcement where appropriate. But these matters are not only formal violations of codes and statutes: They are directly counter to the spirit and purpose of education, and inimical to the life of a community of scholars and students.

The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for our University, our state, our country, and our world. Despite those hardships, many religious traditions observed this very week recognize the strength of faith and perseverance through the celebrations of Easter and Passover. Beyond these moments recognized by these specific traditions, there remains a true beacon for all of us of the importance of togetherness, compassion, and care displayed by the vast majority of UConn students, faculty, and staff members. We are emerging from a time of challenge as a stronger community, which is why these incidents are particularly hurtful and upsetting. We cannot – we will not – allow the hateful words and conduct of a few individuals damage the spirit of unity that animates this University.

We want to direct you to some of the resources available at UConn, which help strengthen our community by celebrating our diversity:

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion, which offers a wealth of resources and information, as well as the ability to report a bias incident.
The Office of Institutional Equity, which administers UConn’s non-discrimination policies and offers a suite of vital trainings.
The cultural centers on campus, which provide students with a truly remarkable range of programs, as well as offering supportive, sustaining environments for students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
The faith communities that serve UConn, offering spiritual support and direction to the rich variety of traditions in our community.
The Center for Students with Disabilities, which provides outstanding support and programming for our students.
It is also important to remember that if you are the victim of or witness to a crime, the UConn Police Department is here to protect each and every member of our community.

It is distressing to me that a letter like this one is necessary, but it is absolutely urgent for us to make clear to all of our students, faculty, and staff members that you are vital, valued members of the UConn community. For those who feel distressed or uncertain in the face of incidents of abhorrent conduct, let us be as clear as we can: Hate has no place here. Together, we will overcome this, as we can overcome any challenge when we face it as a united University.

Regards,

Tom Katsouleas

President

Carl Lejuez

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Frank Tuitt

Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

Eleanor “Elly” JB Daugherty

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Message from the Rainbow Center and ODI

March 29, 2021

Dear UConn students, staff, and faculty,

I am writing to you today to update you that this past month there were two separate reported bias incidents targeting the LGBTQIA+ community on UConn’s campus.

On March 16, an RA in Alumni Hall found images drawn on a dry-erase board in the lounge space. These images referenced the LGBTQIA+ community in a disparaging manner. The Residential Life staff communicated with and offered support to the complainant and other identified witnesses as well as wrote a community response which can be found here.

On March 20, it was reported that around 6:30pm a person in a car driving on North Eagleville Road yelled a derogatory term out the vehicle window. The Dean of Students Office and the Rainbow Center have reached out to the students targeted and offered support.

I would like to thank all of the individuals who reported the above bias incidents. University administration is following the bias response protocol. This protocol is designed to assure that there are designated places to report incidents and identify potential interventions to remedy harm done.

These acts of hate against the LGBTQIA+ community do not align with the University of Connecticut’s core values or the mission and values of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Rainbow Center. LGBTQIA+ individuals comprise UConn’s students, staff, and faculty and are to be celebrated and affirmed as integral members of our global and diverse campus community.

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Rainbow Center want to ensure that those affected by these particular bias incidents receive appropriate support. Below is a list of different resources available to students, staff, and faculty. Additionally, the Rainbow Center has designated 1:1 meetings hours held this Wednesday, March 31, and Friday, April 2, for anyone who would like to meet with Kelsey O’Neil to discuss this matter. Please email the Rainbow Center at rainbowcenter@uconn.edu to reserve your space. Furthermore, anyone wanting to learn more about queer theory/scholarship can also access the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department website.

A list of resources to consult:

InForm
Office for Diversity and Inclusion
Academic Institutes
African American Cultural Center
Asian American Cultural Center
Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center
Rainbow Center
Women’s Center
Queer BIPOC Faculty and Staff Affinity Group
Queer UConn Employees Affinity Group
Dean of Students
Office of Institutional Equity
Sincerely,

Kelsey O’Neil, Director, Rainbow Center

Dr. Frank Tuitt, Vice President/Chief Diversity Officer