Dear Campus Community, 

We are writing to you today with full hearts—mindful of the deep concerns, anxiety, and distress many of us are feeling about what is happening across our nation. It is clear that people are experiencing deep unease—from reports of inhumane acts connected to immigration enforcement and to broader questions about the role of the U.S. in world affairs and the erosion of the rule of law.

It is understandable that many of you—whether personally or through those you care about—are feeling vulnerable, unsettled, or uncertain about what these developments mean for our shared values.

At moments like this, it helps to anchor ourselves in the fundamental principles that guide us as a Jesuit University: freedom, democracy, human dignity, and the unwavering belief in the worth of every individual. These are not abstract ideals. They are lived commitments that shape how we teach, how we serve, and how we support one another. They stand as our perennial North Star, and they flow from our mission and identity, grounded in the tradition of Catholic Social Thought, and motivated by a constant concern for the common good.

Pope Leo XIV and other leaders have spoken from this tradition in calling for compassion and restraint, coupled with firm resolve for dignity, justice, and reconciliation. 

In considering national and global events, Pope Leo recently condemned the emerging reliance on force, rising nationalism, and the arms race, and called for a return to diplomacy and the protection of migrants. He warned that “a diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies.” He added that when “peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion,” it “gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence.” 

His words remind us that respect for human dignity must guide our actions and our responses to fear and conflict, and that engagement and peace-making are the foundation for lasting relationships. 

Community Conversations on Campus 

As a university, we seek to offer opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to come together, learn about the status and context of such current events, and consider how we as individuals can exercise our roles as educators, students, and citizens. The Inclusive Excellence Division held one such event yesterday, a Community Conversation centered on recent events involving immigration and the undocumented community. During the event, community members discussed their deeply felt fears and concerns, as well as ideas for ongoing community care. 

Next Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Division of Mission and Ministry will hold an event, “Leading with our Jesuit Values in Challenging Times,” from 3 to 4 p.m. in the St. Clare Room of the Learning Commons. 

This event will center on how our Jesuit, Catholic values speak to this moment, in which U.S. cardinals have noted decisions are being made that “condemn millions to lives trapped at the edge of existence,” and U.S. bishops have decried the “climate of fear and anxiety” among immigrants and affected communities. At the event, we will hear from faculty experts in constitutional law, religious studies, and international relations, and consider ways we as a university might serve in this moment, drawing upon our faculty knowledge, our nearly 500-year-old mission, and the needs within our own community. 

We also know that many of our students, faculty, and staff plan to attend rallies and events in the broader community, as well as possible activities here on campus, to engage in peaceful protest. We encourage people to make their voices heard, just as we urge caution while doing so. 

Next week, we will be sending a message about some supplemental campus security protocols to enhance the safety of our community members that the University will be implementing in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, a period in which we anticipate larger crowds in and around our campus.

Gratitude for Our Community

Within our own community, we want to express profound gratitude to all of you who are living the principles we hold dear, including those assisting others through education; offering advice and counsel; providing accompaniment; and creating spaces of care for colleagues and students alike. In the spirit of our Jesuit values, we are asking ourselves what each of us is called to do in response to the needs and challenges of this moment.

In the days ahead, we encourage each of you to reach out to others, and to listen deeply and offer care where you can. And let us remain in solidarity—with each other, with those whose voices may be overlooked, and with the mission and values that define who we are. 

Together, we will chart a path of support and caring through these times.

Sincerely, 

Julie Sullivan
President

James M. Glaser
Provost and Executive Vice President