The following message was sent to NDSU students, faculty and staff on June 2, 2020:
As a result of the events of the past week, we are writing to express support for all of us who may be struggling to understand and react and in particular our students and colleagues of color who may be experiencing pain and anguish.
North Dakota State University has clearly stated values in denouncing discrimination, harassment and retaliation as integral to our success as a student-focused, land-grant, research university.
What that means in difficult times is we support one another any way we can. We listen, we work to understand, we actively work together toward a more inclusive and accepting community for all of us.
More formally, we remind our community of support available through the following sources:
• Confidential resources to support students are available through the NDSU Counseling Center.
• Educational and reporting resources related to equity and inclusion may be found here.
• Confidential resources to support faculty and staff are available through the Employee Assistance Program.
• The University Ombuds is a resource for faculty members, graduate students and academic staff.
We also encourage us all to continue efforts to increase our understanding by reading, asking questions, listening and welcoming one another.
Margaret Fitzgerald
Interim Provost
Canan Bilen-Green
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Equity
Laura Oster-Aaland
Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management