Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
On behalf of the leadership of UW-Milwaukee, I write to share our reflections on the guilty verdicts of Derek Chauvin. The former Minneapolis police officer was found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges in the killing of George Floyd last May. We are relieved to see this verdict and its impact on moving the pendulum toward greater justice in our nation. Our hearts go out to Mr. Floyd’s family.
This is a defining moment for our country. Across the nation, there is great hope that the verdict will begin to address serious fractures in our systems and institutions that perpetuate racial and social inequities. The verdict alone will not redress the inequities that Black, Latinx, Asian American, Indigenous and other communities have experienced for generations. However, it is an important corner to have turned, a beginning toward accountability, and we are grateful.
We know that this is a difficult time for many of our campus community members and we encourage everyone to share their perspectives and listen to each other. This is an important step toward healing. Anyone interested in processing together is welcome to join leaders in the Division of Global Inclusion and Engagement at 4 p.m. today. You may register here: https://tinyurl.com/29cwdvm7. An additional session will be on Friday, April 23 from 10-11 a.m. at https://tinyurl.com/rj77ykm5. Recognizing that the Derek Chauvin verdict will retraumatize many, I encourage members of our campus communities to use our mental health and support resources as needed. They are listed below.
This past year has been heart-wrenching in many ways, and it has helped us reflect on our campus community. We have made progress with our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts but we have a long way to go to get to where we need to be.
As we move forward, I ask for your continued commitment to stand firmly against injustice and inequity on our campuses and in our communities. You have my promise that I and members of my cabinet will continue to invest in future leaders who will fight for social, racial, political, and economic justice.
Best regards,
Mark A. Mone, PhD
Chancellor
Resources for Students:
Counseling services – https://uwm.edu/mentalhealth/ – are available through UWM’s Norris Health Center – https://uwm.edu/norris/ and 414-229-4716
Multicultural Student Services:
https://uwm.edu/global-inclusion/multicultural-student-centers/
For Branch Campus Students:
https://uwm.edu/washington/campus-life/campus-counseling-center/
https://uwm.edu/waukesha/campus-life/campus-counseling-center/
For Faculty and Staff:
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) online at https://uwm.edu/hr/eap/
or by calling (833) 539-7285 Please contact our HR Department at 414-229-4463 with questions about accessing EAP services.
For All Campus Community Members:
Mental health resources are available – https://uwm.edu/mentalhealth/