Message from President Morton Schapiro

With the increasingly troubling events that have been occurring on many college and university campuses, it is critical that the Northwestern University community come together to ask difficult questions, identify and confront campus and societal injustices, and continue to try to make Northwestern a place where each of us is genuinely welcomed, supported and empowered.

Today (Friday, Nov. 13), from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lutkin Hall on the Evanston campus, the next in a growing list of opportunities to gather together and learn from one another will take place. Jabbar Bennett, Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, and Patricia Telles-Irvin, Vice President for Student Affairs, will lead a dialogue about the recent developments across the country affecting Black and often-marginalized students on college campuses.

Next week on Monday at noon in Norris University Center, and Friday at 5 p.m. in Guild Lounge of Scott Hall, there will be two more listening sessions regarding the Black House. Students and other members of the Northwestern community are encouraged to participate. The goal is to receive feedback from all interested parties and for Northwestern to be as inclusive and transparent as possible. After the listening sessions are concluded, the Black House Facility Review Committee will make recommendations based on this dialogue to Vice President Telles-Irvin.

The newly formed Task Force on the Black Student Experience, the extension of our Sustained Dialogue program, and the creation of the Student Enrichment Services office are but a few of the efforts we have been making to ensure that we provide the best experience possible for everyone.

While we have been addressing some of these concerns as well as other important national issues on our campus, it is clear that we have to do more. We will. We not only invite your input and suggestions on how we can best do that, but we need your ideas and we greatly value them. If we are to create the Northwestern we all deserve, it will be by working together.