Monday, Jun 1, 2020
Dear Rider Community,
We are living through a moment of deep national anguish — anguish that erupted this week in cities across the country in the aftermath of the unjust death of George Floyd.
Our collective experience of outrage, grief, anger, sorrow and anxiety is reflected in the protests taking place across the country. We are experiencing confusion and pain over how and why systemic racism can continue to be woven so deeply into the fabric of our society that these terrible incidents continue to occur in 2020.
The incidents that led to the protests make us more resolute than ever in our desire for broad, deep change. As an institution, Rider has striven in the past several years to play a greater role in creating change. Most importantly, last October we launched our Inclusive Excellence Plan to define opportunities and priorities so that we can intentionally advance the way we support each student and assure their success, while also promoting equity and inclusion on our campus and in the broader community.
We have also begun construction in what will be a new Center for Diversity and Inclusion that will open this fall. Positioned in the heart of our student center, this space will serve as a convening space to promote inclusion and signify our values.
While we have made meaningful progress, much work remains. The work of promoting social justice is not easy but it is imperative, and we are committed to achieving our goals.
This week, Rider's Center for Diversity and Inclusion, in partnership with the Student Government Association's Equity and Inclusion Committee, will host a virtual event that will allow members of our community to discuss the tragic death of George Floyd and other recent events. "Tension in America: An Open Discussion about Ahmaud Arbury, Christian Cooper and George Floyd" will take place on Wednesday, June 3, at 7 p.m. This will be one of many opportunities to continue to engage with members of the Rider community to enhance empathy and understanding, and stand arm in arm together in our humble effort to contribute toward important change.
It is only natural for each of us to long for justice, to hunger for it. Until we have justice, all of our successes will continue to be marked by the failure of injustice. Let us support each other and work together — peacefully — toward justice.
Sincerely,
Gregory G. Dell'Omo, Ph.D.
President
