Dean of students: ‘We will be with you’

In the emotional aftermath of Tuesday’s presumed terrorist attacks, Dean of Students Alicia Chávez addressed about 1,100 campus community members and others at an interfaith gathering on Library Mall.

Here are her remarks, which began with this quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. :

“Our Scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
We have guided missiles and misguided men.
Our hope for creative living lies in our ability to reestablish
the spiritual needs of our lives in personal character and social justice.
Without this spiritual and moral reawakening
we shall destroy ourselves in the misuse of our own instruments.”

It is at tragic and frightening times such as we are faced with today, when we are called upon most clearly to rise to our highest character.

At times like this, we are faced with many emotions – anger, fear, helplessness, and sadness. We are faced with questions about how this could have happened and what are the right things to be done. We are faced as well, with the urge to do something – to express something, to respond or to act in some way.

I urge you to take time in the next few days to take care of yourselves and those around you; to reach out for assistance and support from friends and family, community members and professionals at our university; to talk to yourself and each other out of making assumptions, placing blame or jumping to retaliatory action and to find ways to turn your feelings toward positive actions.

As we each struggle with our response to this situation in our national community, consider turning to each other in empathy and to look deeply within yourself to consider what is right for the long run and helpful to our learning community and our nation.

Please know that we as administrators, service providers, teachers and scholars are with you in heart and in spirit. We are hurting and confused and questioning as well and we will be turning our energy to assisting you and our community to cope during this difficult time.

“Human capacity is equal to human cruelty; and its up to us to tip the balance,” says the author, Alice Walker.

I hope that you will rise to your highest character and tip the balance. We will be with you along the way.