With the first few weeks of the academic year behind us, we hope you have now settled in and are well into the many exciting courses, activities and initiatives that are sure to make this an enriching and busy year.
Amidst the energy and promise of a new semester, it is important to take a moment to reflect on the value of working together as we face the academic and social demands of the coming year. After all, we are returning to campus against the backdrop of uncertain times and ongoing, far-reaching geo-political conflicts.
These conflicts are directly impacting many in our community and in some cases are creating divisions spurred by opposing views. Those opposing viewpoints will be present at events and activities on campus in the days and weeks to come; this weekend, for instance, a group of organizations, external to the University, is hosting The People’s Conference for Palestinian Solidarity, and we understand this event may present challenges for some members of our community.
Universities at their core are places for open dialogue and the free exchange of ideas and diverging opinions, even when these opinions may be deemed offensive by some of our community members.
At the University of Guelph, we believe our diversity is a core strength. Our university is a global community – made up of students, faculty and staff from more than 130 countries around the world. This diversity allows us to live out our mission including the pursuit of truth with a commitment to a global perspective.
But how can we improve life and achieve a truly global perspective without a robust exchange of ideas and views? It is central to our purpose and to the fulfillment of our mission that we remain committed to the principle of freedom of expression which encourages us to voice unique perspectives, challenge one another’s viewpoints, and ask tough questions in the pursuit of deeper understanding.
We can’t do this however, without also ensuring that the spaces where these debates take place are safe, inclusive, and free from harassment and hate of any kind. This is our collective responsibility to uphold the values of human rights, anti-discrimination and anti-racism as outlined in our policies and to maintain zero tolerance for hate in any form. As we navigate the year ahead, the university’s decisions and actions will be guided by these policies.
When you choose to be a member of the University of Guelph community, you choose to commit to and uphold our common values of mutual respect, civil discourse, and inclusion. This is the expectation of every student, faculty, and staff member.
We have a lot to be proud of with respect to the inclusive and caring community we have created here. The year ahead presents an opportunity to advance our efforts to promote acceptance and understanding and help strengthen our campus community. We remain committed to building upon supports, training and education, and continuing to engage with student representatives to inform enhanced services and supports.
As we do this, we will remain true to our mission as a university and continue to create the spaces needed to have difficult discussions that respect every student, faculty, and staff member in the pursuit of truth and understanding.
We all have a role to play in helping civil discourse flourish and ensuring everyone can spend their time at the University of Guelph with a deeper, more compassionate, and more informed world view.
Sincerely,
Indira Naidoo-Harris
Associate Vice-President, Diversity & Human Rights