A message to the BU family

Dear BU Family,

I am certain that I speak for all members in our community in expressing my deep dismay and sadness over last week’s tragic and seemingly inexplicable death of George Floyd in Minnesota. I strongly condemn the conduct of the police officers involved in this horrific incident. While there is some semblance of justice in knowing that one of the officers has been charged for this senseless murder, this news is of little comfort to the family of George Floyd. Nor is it of any comfort to the millions of people – including our students, colleagues, alumni, and friends – who may also have been the victim of discrimination or racial profiling.

Last week’s painful incident strikes a deeply personal chord for so many of you – as well as myself. Having been born in Syria, I, too, have been the unfortunate victim of discriminatory comments and behavior, and my heart yearns for a safe and more just world for all.

At Bloomsburg University, we have no tolerance for racism or discrimination. Though we are apart right now, we stand together in support of every member of the BU Family. We are strong because we embrace our diversity, and we will become stronger as we strive to be more diverse, more welcoming, and more inclusive.

The call for more diversity and inclusivity was proclaimed loudly and clearly by our students during their on-campus protest last fall. Amidst the news of demonstrations and protests currently taking place in cities across our country, I am reminded of how united we were last November at BU. Along with faculty and staff, I joined hands and walked with our students and the student leaders who planned and coordinated the well-organized event. Through that peaceful protest against racism and bigotry, we collectively expressed our unified commitment to be a better and safer BU community in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

Within our community, we must not lose sight of the fact that our greatest strength remains our ability to educate tomorrow’s leaders. Indeed, our power lies in education, and we must lead by being open-minded and being open to difficult conversations. There’s no better example on our campus of leading through peaceful and constructive dialogue than last fall’s student-led demonstration. As I said to the students that afternoon on the steps of Carver Hall, our voices unified in a peaceful way is critical to moving our institution and the world forward.

Today, I ask all of you to join me in reaffirming your belief in the power of education, your commitment to fostering peaceful and constructive dialogue, and your commitment to valuing the human dignity of all members within the BU community – particularly our underrepresented students and colleagues. Together, we will continue to learn from one another, and we will lead meaningful change together – for BU, for our region, and for our global community.

Thank you for all that you do for BU, and may you continue to stay safe during these challenging times.

Sincerely,

Bashar