‘Ville Bulletin | August 18, 2017
ALERTS FOR MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS
As I look forward to welcoming new and returning faculty, students and staff to the beginning of a new semester, I am also painfully aware of recent events around the country and particularly in Charlottesville, Virginia.
I want to be clear that violence motivated by hate, bigotry, or racism is never acceptable. Such actions do not align with Millersville University’s EPPIC values – Exploration, Professionalism, Public Mission, Integrity, Compassion. These values influence how we respond to current events.
Exploration – MU strives to create an environment where we can explore what it means to be a diverse community. Faculty, students, staff and administrators began meeting last semester to brainstorm ways in which the campus community can have meaningful and impactful dialogue about who we are and how we will create a safe community for everyone.
Professionalism- We treat each other with dignity and respect as MU community members. We expect professionalism to infuse our interactions because it is possible to disagree strongly without engaging in hateful rhetoric or violent behavior. That is the essence of being a professional.
Public Mission- As a public institution, we serve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by educating students and hiring employees who come from all walks of life. We fulfill our mission by embracing that diversity.
Integrity – MU community members are expected to interact with each other and the global community with integrity, honor and respect. The old saying, “Charity begins at home,” is equally true for integrity.
Compassion – Perhaps the most important of all our EPPIC values for without compassion our exploration, professionalism, commitment to our public mission, and integrity lack the humanness that gives our values meaning. It is not enough to have empathy for victims of violence; we must have the compassion to know that all of us are affected by acts of violence and it is, therefore, incumbent upon us to work together for social justice and equality.
This is a defining moment in history. Let us commit ourselves to creating on our campus and in our communities – a climate of respect and inclusion, a culture of acceptance that affirms our similarities and differences, an environment where each member of society is valued for his/her/their uniqueness. There will be a number of opportunities around campus this semester for us to engage in dialogue, to practice empathy, and to treat others with dignity and respect. I challenge each of us to take advantage of those opportunities.
Thank you,
John M. Anderson, Ph.D.
President