As the dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, I’m grateful for all the energy and efforts of our faculty, staff and students to contribute in a meaningful way to help alleviate the pain and hurt in our society and communities. Recent events have once again shown me that this college is filled with deep-feeling and compassionate souls.

Last year, our college undertook an initiative to create a diversity and inclusion statement. It is a work in progress, headed up by associate deans Amy Jensen and Jeremy Grimshaw, and involves many from around the college. The College of Fine Arts and Communications Diversity and Inclusion Committee has been meeting weekly during Spring term and will continue working together during the 2020-2021 school year. Committee members are charged with working on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility goals established by college and department leaders.

I hope as a community we are committed to change, not just making statements. In a recent email, some of our colleagues in the Department of Art expressed much of what I have been feeling.