Dear students,
As many of you know, a group of tents and temporary structures was erected on the Andrew Harris Commons yesterday afternoon in violation of university policy. Before I share further thoughts, I want to underscore the university’s support for all our students. The conditions created by the Israel-Palestine conflict are enormously complex and deeply distressing; if you need individual assistance, please reach out to any of the campus resources listed below to support your wellbeing.
Last night, I had the opportunity, along with our Director of Student Life and our Chief Safety and Compliance Officer, to spend several hours listening directly to students on the commons about their concerns and perspectives on the complex issues facing our world today. I appreciate the ongoing collaboration with student leaders in facilitating these conversations and enabling me to hear the voices of students involved in the demonstration.
We discussed many issues and committed to ongoing conversations, particularly about making information about the university endowment’s financial investments more clearly available. We also discussed effective and constructive ways students might share their concerns about U.S. foreign policy.
I believe the students also heard me as I discussed the impact of their demonstration on their classmates and so many others on campus. It is my sincere hope that the demonstration will remain peaceful and that those participating will avoid further disruption to campus
Over the last several weeks I have also had the opportunity to meet with students who feel acutely the impact of the more strident political statements made during these times, to hear their perspectives and offer my support. I will continue these conversations with students through the remainder of the semester and ensure ongoing communication with our larger community.
Reflecting on last evening’s conversations it is clear to me that the demonstrators and the administration share many of the same interests—to ensure the safety and well-being of all
students, to value free expression, to create space for diverse opinions, to provide an inclusive environment for all identities, to honor the value of human life, and to mourn the loss of life. We don’t disagree on any of these key points.
Public universities were founded on principles of civil discourse and the debate and dialog necessary to explore complex issues; students are encouraged to speak up and speak out at ¶¶Òõ̽̽. With this comes the responsibility to do so within the law and university policy and procedures. We will follow our policies. Violations, including discrimination and harassment, will result in referral to the student conduct process.
As the semester is ending, I hope you will remain attentive to your studies, stay healthy, and perform well on your final exams and projects. The university has been and will continue to be a site of free expression, and we value our collaborative approach to providing a variety of mechanisms for the safe exercise of these values within university policies. I am hopeful that we remain in meaningful dialog as we consider the deep challenges of our times
Warmly,
Patty Prelock
Provost & Senior Vice President
Support for Students:
Vice Provost and Dean of Students Office: 802-656-3380 / studentaffairs@uvm.edu
Counseling and Psychiatry Services: 802-656-3340 Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: 802-656-8426 / diversity@uvm.edu
Office of International Education: 802-656-4296 / internationalstudents@uvm.edu
For reporting incidents of discrimination or harassment, or other concern, use the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ unified campus reporting portal: /dsc/report-concern-uvm-campus-reporting-portal
*Students may also reach out to the dean’s office of their school or college