Fall 2022 End-of-Term Message

Published On

Tue, 12/06/2022 - 1:14 pm

Dear WWU Community,

As the end of fall quarter and the holiday season rapidly approaches, managing school commitments, upholding job responsibilities, and finding time to engage in self-care and community well-being can be difficult. This has been made especially difficult recently with the multiple acts of violence we have witnessed in the past few months in our local, national, and international communities, and at universities across the country. These acts remind us that although we share a common space, we experience it differently and that difference can sometimes cause conflict, grief, and anxiety.

At Western, we recognize this fact, and we want you to know that your safety and well-being is our utmost priority.  Acts of racism, hatred and violence have no place at our university. And, while we cannot control external events, we can certainly strengthen our collective commitment to shaping a culture at Western, and the broader communities we inhabit, that is caring, compassionate, and values the fundamental humanity of all its members. 

We have taken, and will continue to take, steps to shape our culture and strengthen our community.  Some of these steps include diversity training and development which has been ongoing across the campus community; capacity building activities to help us share our common spaces well; and periodic listening sessions to help us develop a common understanding of who we are collectively, just to name a few.  More information about these steps will be forthcoming.

Your online safety and security are also important and to that end we will implement mandatory multifactor authentication designed to reduce the likelihood of email and online breaches.  You will be hearing more about this effort from WWU’s Information Technology Services during the 2023 winter quarter. 

To improve personal safety, we encourage you to sign up for the free LiveSafe app that offers students and employees the ability to request help from local emergency services or university police, access campus resources and maps, and report suspicious activity or safety issues on campus – all within one app.

Finally, promoting a culture of safety on campus is everyone’s responsibility.  We encourage you to take seriously these recommendations and participate in ADEI training and community events and activities that are designed to build a healthy and safe environment for all of us.  We also encourage you to connect with campus resources that might be helpful including the Counseling & Wellness Center, Multicultural Student Services, and LGBTQ+ Care at WWU.

We wish you a safe and peaceful holiday season!

Sabah Randhawa, President                 

Jacqueline Hughes, Chief Diversity Officer