Post Election Statement

Last night marked the end of a very long and often bitter presidential campaign. Candidates threatened and blustered. They accused and conjectured. Some pronouncements were completely implausible; many statements were utterly offensive. Many created fear and anxiety about security—from world peace to personal safety. Perhaps I am not the only one who lost sleep over this election and experienced more than a little foreboding over the course of the past few months.

It may be a while before a sense of peace and civility returns to our lives. But today I feel very strongly we must begin the process of healing as a nation. The peaceful transition of power is a core value of our democracy. While we never will agree on everything, we can agree to respect the office of the President of the United States and work together for the success of our country.

Today we also must begin the work of repairing our sense of community and security. CWU campuses always have and, under my leadership, always will place safety and security at the top of our priorities. University policy and state law protect the civil rights and personal safety of people, regardless of citizenship status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, veteran status, and ethnicity. The presidential election has not changed that.

President Obama today encouraged us all to move forward with faith in our fellow citizens and urged us all to hold on to our dreams. He pointed out that, “the path this country has taken has never been a straight line. We zig and zag.” Depending upon your political persuasion, we may be zigging or zagging. This may be the best day of the year, or the worst.

I ask you to remember that Central Washington University is above all a place of learning. We study, debate, and disagree—and learn from all of those things. Let’s look ahead. Let’s look together.

—President James L. Gaudino