Statement on Recent Events
May 31, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
Like you, I am deeply disturbed by the terrible and senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Our hearts go out to the Floyd family and friends, and to the African-American community as a whole. I know the entire university shares in this sentiment which was strongly expressed by Interim Chancellor Wente.
This is not an isolated occurrence and adds another tragedy to a too-long list of similar incidents this year alone. African-Americans are suffering disproportionately from the COVID-19 pandemic that is gripping the world and are now confronted with all too-familiar images of death at the hands of police officers.
We can no longer allow inequality and injustice to persist in our society, and we must learn from this horrific incident. We must work together as a community to confront the huge challenges we are facing. We need to dismantle barriers that prevent everyone from having opportunities to prosper and to live safely. It is the only way forward. I encourage all of you to consider how we can contribute to this effort, and I welcome your thoughts and ideas. I also encourage you to reach out to our African-American colleagues to support them during these extraordinarily difficult times.
Sincerely,
Larry Marnett
Dean, School of Medicine Basic Sciences