To all members of the Northeastern University community:

As we reflect upon the guilty verdicts in George Floyd’s killing, it is clear that we have reached a rare and historical moment on the road to justice and accountability.

Yet, this is not a moment for celebration. Like all milestones, this one also serves as a reminder of how much further we have to travel. With this in mind, we should never stop asking ourselves what we can do—as individuals, as a university community, as a society—to elevate standards of fairness, decency, and human rights.

Northeastern is, first and foremost, an educational institution. Let us use this watershed moment as an opportunity for learning, engagement, and open dialogue. Our new Chief Inclusion Officer, Karl Reid, will join with the leaders of our cultural centers and announce a series of events that will illuminate this milestone—and chart a better path forward.

At the same time, the strategy we outlined in the fall to increase minority representation across the board, further support our students of color, add new cultural trainings for all, and address other urgent priorities, will continue and must now be amplified. I hope each of you will see yourselves as active participants in these important efforts. Building a better university—and indeed a better world—will require every member of this community working together and supporting one another.

Sincerely,

 

Joseph E. Aoun
President