Sept. 16, 2024

Dear UD Community,
 
At the University of Delaware, we care about one another, as well as people around the world. We are committed advocates for equity, opportunity, justice and peace. We believe that education, research and community engagement are the keys to advancing these ideals. In our pursuit of this mission, the University has a powerful voice, and it is essential that we use this voice carefully and responsibly. 
 
Throughout my time as President, I have spoken with and listened to faculty, students, staff, trustees, alumni and other members of the UD community about when and how the University should speak as an institution on a wide variety of issues. Every day, we are confronted with news and images from around the world depicting violence, natural disasters, oppression, political conflict, wars and more. While we might feel compelled as individuals to express our perspectives on these events, it has become clear that the University should reserve comment for topics that pertain directly to our mission as an institution.

This approach reflects an evolution in our thinking about institutional statements. 

Over the past few years, institutional statements have grown in frequency and breadth, with each one establishing or expanding the expectation that the University would comment on a growing list of topics. However, speaking as an institution on an issue or event can unintentionally stifle inquiry or debate. It may also give the impression that the University lacks awareness, empathy, or understanding of other perspectives. Focusing on one group or viewpoint could make others feel overlooked or marginalized. Increasingly, the University is urged to pick a side in an ongoing debate and potentially silence dissenting opinions. Quite simply, this practice has become unsustainable and, more importantly, problematic for our community.

With that said, the University will continue to exercise its institutional voice when necessary moving forward. While this approach must remain flexible to accommodate the particular facts or nuances of a situation, the University will limit its communications to events or issues that:

• directly impact members of the UD community, particularly in matters related to physical safety or mental health; 
• disrupt the University’s operations or hinder its ability to fulfill its mission; and/or
• significantly affect the University and its community members to the extent that a leadership response is needed to reaffirm safety and uphold our shared values.

To be clear, national and world events still affect all of us deeply. As a diverse and international community, we encompass a broad range of races, ethnicities, faiths, cultures and identities, and we have family, friends and colleagues across the nation and around the world. When they hurt, we hurt. This is why UD provides an array of support services, and I encourage you to draw on these resources whenever needed.

As part of the University of Delaware, you each play an indispensable role in the betterment of society through your education, research and service to others. The University has compiled resource pages for our community to better understand freedom of expression at UD and institutional perspective on key issues. Together, we can ensure that UD remains a dynamic, thriving and engaged community for everyone.

Sincerely,

Dennis Assanis President