Dear Carlow University Campus Community,
Today, I am writing to you with a renewed hope in our democracy and an even greater assurance in our continued work to build an anti-racist culture at Carlow. Reflecting on the guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd, we should come together as a community with a restored faith in our Mercy values, social justice ideals for all and a renewed hope in moving forward along this critical path for change and the value of all human beings. This is a pivotal moment in our country now that we should not squander.
We know there is much work ahead of us. Our unwavering commitment to “identifying, describing and dismantling” systemic racism remains a University imperative. Through the collaborative efforts of the Carlow community, the Board and Presidential Anti-Racism Strategic Planning Task Force, the Social Justice Institutes, the President’s Council on Equity, Inclusion and Community and the Office of Equity and Inclusion, we remain focused on advancing Carlow’s Strategic Plan Goal to create collaborative environments and the University’s Goals to build on and prioritize the social justice goal of equity and inclusion.
At our core, the heritage and essence of the Carlow experience is to welcome and value all in our community and critique long-held beliefs that limit our ability to see truth. Together, we can collectively create a more just and merciful world.
Sincerely,
Suzanne K. Mellon, PhD
President
officeofthepresident@carlow.edu