Office of the Chancellor

Our rise to the position of the number 1 regional comprehensive research university in the nation will depend on the security of our faculty, students and staff to ask hard questions of each other, investigate sensitive matters, and to debate the issues that shape our future. At the same time, we will fail in our responsibility to create a supportive community of learners if we allow the human dignity of any of our members to be denied or challenged. We seek to broaden our discussions, enable free inquiry, and encourage innovative thought while ensuring that discriminatory, bigoted or intolerant remarks are not part of our conversation.

We have in place, and will continue to support, a broad array of services and support systems that foster our environment of free, responsible discourse. At the same time, we must be vigilant to maintain our climate of respect for differences. To support our learning community, the following steps will be taken to foster an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect.

Universities have historically provided the safe haven for lively debate during times of national or international conflict. Our university will embrace that tradition. It is imperative that our faculty, staff and students demonstrate that inquiry linked to civility leads to an unsurpassed depth of understanding.

- Click to read the article "College remains an excellent investment" by Pam Shockley-Zalabak, Chancellor

Pam Shockley-Zalabak