Nov. 7, 2022

Dear UD Community,

Tomorrow is Election Day, when voters across the country make their voices heard and our nation chooses the leaders of tomorrow. For those of you who are eligible and have not already voted by mail or early balloting, I encourage you to vote at your local polling place. All University of Delaware offices are closed, and classes are suspended on General Election Day in even-numbered years to facilitate voting.

As we all know, recent political discourse in our nation has been troubling and sometimes deeply disturbing. We often struggle to find common ground in a landscape marred by anger, insults and even violence. Despite this distressing climate, we cannot lose hope. We — as individuals and as a society — have the power to pursue the path of respect and civil discourse, one that embraces our society’s diversity as a source of strength and resilience.

Voting is an excellent and vital step in this process of strengthening our democracy. I encourage you to also use Election Day as an opportunity to reach out to someone with perspectives and opinions that differ from your own. Ask them what they believe and why, and then truly listen to their answer. It is this kind of honest and respectful dialogue that our society desperately needs now more than ever.

I am confident that the University of Delaware community can and will continue to live out our institutional values of freedom, diversity and civility, not only on Election Day but every day.

Sincerely,

Dennis Assanis President