To the 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska Community:
Seven months ago today, I was humbled and honored to join the 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska as president.
I wasn鈥檛 born here. But it didn鈥檛 take long for Nebraska to feel like home. That鈥檚 because all of you 鈥 and people across this state 鈥 have welcomed me, my wife and our children as though we were family.
And truly, that鈥檚 what we are. There are upwards of 65,000 of us 鈥 students, faculty and staff from all walks of life, each of us with a different story. But we have the 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska in common. That means we鈥檙e family. It means we have a responsibility to take care of each other. It means that when one of us is mistreated, we all suffer.
Events like those that have occurred recently at other higher education institutions around the country are an important reminder that even within a family, bad things can happen. I have seen news media accounts of the experiences of members of the 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska community. I am disheartened at the thought that some of our own have been treated this way.
鈥淥ur campuses must be diverse, inclusive places where all students and employees feel valued and respected, and where their concerns are not just heard but addressed.鈥
These accounts 鈥 however rare 鈥 aren鈥檛 who we are. They aren鈥檛 what we represent. They have no place at the 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska.
Our campuses must be diverse, inclusive places where all students and employees feel valued and respected, and where their concerns are not just heard but addressed. As family, we should expect no less. We are taking steps in the right direction, although we can always do more.
I hope each of us will spend time asking ourselves what more we can do to make sure basic values like dignity and respect are reflected across the university. Sometimes, that might mean having difficult conversations. For family, it鈥檚 worth it.
I am listening to you, and I look forward to working together to build a 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska that all of us can be even more proud of.
Sincerely,
Hank Bounds
President, 葫芦娃视频of Nebraska
@hankbounds