Welcoming campuses
March 23, 2021 1:01 PM

Dear students, faculty and staff:

The tragic shootings last week in Atlanta and recent escalation of aggression toward Asians and Asian-Americans remind us all of one aspect of our bedrock land-grant mission: to provide a safe, welcoming place for education, opening doors to the opportunities that come with it, for people of every background.

The University of Illinois System reaffirms its commitment to provide this welcoming place for all of our students, faculty and staff, and that explicitly includes our Asian and Asian-American communities and families.

That idea that all are welcome at our three universities is embedded in our Guiding Principles:

“Diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enriches campus conversations in and out of the classroom, inspires our creative endeavors, and drives innovative solutions to the world’s problems. Our capacity to listen to and learn from each other is fundamental to our mission of excellence in teaching, research, and learning – and to the cause of the common good.”

Rooted in our commitment to that common good is our belief that we as a state and a nation are stronger because of our diversity, that the many faces, cultures, backgrounds and ideas brought together here are vital to our strength.

We condemn violence and hate in any form, and are committed to diverse campus communities that help prepare students for the increasingly global workplace that awaits when they begin their careers.

We also remind you that resources are always available at all three universities for anyone who needs assistance in difficult times. As one community spread across our three universities and several locales, we encourage you to be respectful of differences, to look out for each other, and to care for yourselves.

Sincerely,

Tim Killeen, President, University of Illinois System
Barb Wilson, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Illinois System
Avijit Ghosh, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, University of Illinois System
Jay Walsh, Interim Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation, University of Illinois System
Robert J. Jones, Chancellor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Michael Amiridis, Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago
Karen Whitney, Interim Chancellor, University of Illinois Springfield