Message from the Dean
Message from the dean
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Yes, Chicken Little, the sky is falling, at least it feels that way! Just as clocks were turned back the first weekend in November to denote the end of daylight savings time, the clock is being turned back on life in the U.S.A. as we knew it only a few months ago.
Diversity and equity, once considered positive attributes of a company and certainly a university, have been redefined as discriminatory and misguided at best, and programs seeking to address real discrimination have been declared illegal. Long established protocols for detaining individuals thought to be in the country without proper documentation are being disregarded without impunity. Views not in sync with persons in authority are not tolerated, a fact seen in the firings and forced resignations of university leaders and outspoken faculty. The health and wellbeing of families and children who are poor, which might ordinarily be considered a priority in a prosperous country, are hardly a concern as programs designed to help are being rolled back and deemed unnecessary. These are but of the few of the changes we are witnessing.
In the midst of these occurrences that strike at the heart of the College and UIC mission, we are still trying to make a positive difference that matters. This issue of Affirmations does not adequately convey how we are dealing daily with the issues that confront us and threaten that mission. It does, however, provide a brief look at different ways faculty, staff, and students engage in work and actions to keep that mission alive. I hope that message comes through clearly.
Thank you very much for your interest and ongoing support. It would be good to hear from you during these very different times.
Sincerely,
Creasie Finney Hairston, PhD
Dean