Dear Campus Community,

A number of posters, advertising a student-sponsored event, have appeared on campus using offensive language directed at members of the campus community. One such poster included the word “faggotry”. Homophobia as well as other forms of bias contradicts our campus’ enduring commitment to inclusive excellence. Let me be clear: bigotry has no place here or anywhere.

This type of incident should be a reminder about what connects us: UCI. Every member of our community chooses to come to UCI to learn and teach and to explore and create in an environment that is supportive and affirmative. By expecting equity, supporting diversity and practicing inclusion, each of us can do our part to fortify our collective sense of community.

This incident is all the more distressing as it occurred a day after the 3rd annual Anteater Equity Games (AEG). At noon on Wednesday, 4 May hundreds of staff, students and faculty turned out at Aldrich Park. The purpose of AEG is to bring people together to have fun while learning about and appreciating the richness of our campus diversity, including the Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Gay, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community.

One way to strengthen the bonds of community is to utilize the programming resources that the LGBT Resource Center sponsors. I myself benefitted from completing Safe Zone Training. There are now hundreds of staff and faculty who have completed this training. There is always room for more allies.

In the meantime, my office remains open to all members of the UCI community to further efforts to promote inclusive excellence.

Expect Equity, Support Diversity and Practice Inclusion!

Douglas M. Haynes

Vice Provost for Academic Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Office of Inclusive Excellence

inclusion.uci.edu

Professor of History