President Pinto: Our Nation Needs Us

Dear UC Community,

I want to condemn last week’s assault on truth, democracy, dignity, peace and the orderly transition of power. It was illegal and unacceptable. Images of the violent mob desecrating our majestic Capitol were a horrifying reminder we can never take our democracy or our decency for granted. We must insist our leaders bring out the best in us, not the worst. And we must hold ourselves accountable for holding them accountable when they betray our unity and our humanity. Because no less than the soul of this great nation is at stake.

More than ever, our country must invest in the power of higher education to make things markedly better. Critical thinking. Diverse perspectives. Deep curiosity. Meaningful dialogue. Social responsibility. Cultural competency. Lifelong learning. These are the hallmarks of a holistic education. And nothing has proven more effective in transforming hearts, minds and communities. In short, our nation will falter, if not fail, until we make a whole-person education more available to all.

As our Spring Semester begins today, in relation to the continuing health crisis, our priority will continue to be the health and safety of our campus community. Glimmers of hope have begun to shine as our nation began administering its first COVID-19 vaccinations in mid-December, including the first in the region right here at UC Health. Even so, thwarting the virus will remain part of our daily lives. The protocols of masking, hand washing, cleaning, distancing and testing will continue to be our primary modes of protection and management.

As a reminder, classes will be conducted online for our first two weeks. On January 25, we will resume our original mix of virtual, hybrid, HyFlex and in-person classes. Based on the preliminary data being gathered in our students’ return-to-campus testing now underway, the turnout for testing has been strong and we are cautiously optimistic about the results. We are pleased to provide faculty and staff more opportunities for testing this semester.

I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to each of you for your unwavering commitment to UC and to the values of dignity, respect, equity, inclusion and care we hold so dear. The challenges of the past year have been unimaginable. And yet your courage has been even more remarkable. Our institution owes you a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Best wishes for a great semester,

Neville G. Pinto
President

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