Message From the Chancellor (COVID-19 May 29, 2020 8:23 p.m.)

To go far, go together

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well, even as we grapple with the week’s difficult emotions—from George Floyd to the ongoing situation with COVID-19. I find encouragement in the following message Student Life sent to our students and want to share it with you now.

Dear Students,

Our campus and our communities have faced unprecedented challenges over the past three months and reactions to those challenges have varied widely. We have witnessed the extremes of humanity—good and bad, tenacious and yielding, compassionate and intolerant. There have been shared moments of healing and celebration and unfortunate, unspeakable acts of violence.

A sense of community runs deep at TWU. It is what attracted many of us here, and what keeps us going. Our sense of community is what has always been unique at TWU. That feeling of belonging—the sense that you're an integral part of a community where you're accepted and valued—is healing. It is associated with greater wellbeing, cognitive function and job satisfaction.

With the rise of concerns about COVID-19, there have been increasing incidents of xenophobia and racism targeting Chinese and other Asian people worldwide. Acts of exclusion, harassment, and hate speech simply impair our abilities to work together as a community at a crucial time.

The last few months have also proved difficult for many in our community as we watched the forcible return of at least 1,000 unaccompanied migrant children to northern Central America and Mexico. There have also been increased incidents of discrimination against DACA students. As a community who values inclusion, we continue to witness racism that should have no place in a civilized society.

Most recently, the death of George Floyd and the tragic events in Minnesota bear witness to the continued problem of historic racism and violence that simmers just beneath the surface of our nation. This incident as well as other recent events, including the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky are heartbreaking examples of what happens when long-standing bias and racial prejudice are not confronted.

Texas Woman’s stands against these acts and condemns racial violence and inequity. Students struggling with the impact of these events are encouraged to visit Counseling and Psychological Services for additional support. I also encourage you to contact the TWU Department of Public Safety any time you are concerned about physical safety, and you may use the incident report form to report any acts of intolerance.

While we try to look for the best, we are often confronted by the worst. Let us join together in our continued commitment to each other and our dedication to combating racism and ending racial violence.

Sincerely,

Monica Mendez-Grant, Ed.D.
VP for Student Life

I am grateful for the leaders among our faculty and staff at Texas Woman’s who have brought issues of racial injustice, privilege, and historical trauma into our collective consciousness through forums, films, workshops, guest panels, and the most difficult of all, classroom conversation. Recent events mentioned in the Student Life message may feel deflating to your efforts, but now is the time for more work, more leadership, and more conversations. As the African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.” The road to justice is long. We must go together.
With a pioneering spirit,

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.
Chancellor and President

P.S. For the latest information, check out the TWU COVID-19 webpage.

Page last updated 11:11 AM, September 13, 2024