As faculty and staff at DePauw, we need to express four things:
—Our shock and sadness at recently reported incidents of bias and intolerance on campus,
—Our sense of belonging to this diverse and evolving community, whose mission statement — "DePauw teaches its students values and habits of mind which serve them throughout their lives as each of them makes a positive difference as an active citizen of the world" — must first be fulfilled in how we live together and treat one another,
—Our gratitude toward staff members in the Office of Student Life and Public Safety who have worked tirelessly and sensitively, last week as always, to support students and affirm these values,
—Our intention to continue the work of building an inclusive campus with a climate welcoming to all students, in which students can learn and live free from intolerance and fear.
We urge colleagues and friends to stand together in support of these values during next week's No H8 events and in the weeks and years to come.
Meryl Altman, David Alvarez, Samuel Autman, Matthew Balensuela, Sandro Barros, Tamara Beauboeuf, Cheira Bellguellaoui, Dave Berque, Mona Bhan, Rebecca Bordt, Nicole Brockman, Julia Bruggemann, Angela Castaneda, Hiroko Chiba, Nancy Davis, Dana Dudle, Carla Edwards, Jennifer Everett, Gigi Fenlon, Melanie Finney, Catherine Fruhan, Debby Geis, David Gellman, Kelley Hall, Anne Harris, Mandy Henk, Tiffany Hodge, Christy Holmes, Amanda Hopson, Marnie McInnes, Kathryn Millis, Sherry Mou, Nafhat Nasr, Jonathan Nichols-Pethick, Keith Nightenhelser, Cindy O'Dell, Hilary Kelleher, Glen Kuecker, Brett O'Bannon, Kerry Pannell, Barbara Paré, Veronica Pejril, Jeanette Pope, Alejandro Puja, Valerie Rudolph, Rebecca Schindler, John Schlotterbeck, Rev. Kate Smanik, Caroline Smith, Maria Soledad Forcadell, Barbara Steinson, Alicia Suarez, Andrea Sununu, Michelle Villinski, Chris White, Barbara Whitehead and David Worthington