CWU News

Dear CWU Community:

Traditionally, in the month of February, we gather together to celebrate Black History Month.  But as you know, the first day of Black History Month began with serious threats of violence at several Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country. On Tuesday, for the second day in a row, bomb threats were sent to a number of these institutions, causing members of the Black community to feel unwelcome and unsafe, even in their own communities.

In light of these ongoing threats, the Central Washington University community must remember and reinforce our commitment to respect, inclusion, and belonging. Without the combination of diversity and inclusion that celebrates our various cultures, identities, and backgrounds, we are a diminished people. We believe it is our moral responsibility to prepare students to succeed in a world where diversity is the norm.

The urgency for us to proclaim our solidarity presented itself yesterday when threats of violence disrupted the lives of thousands of people at several HBCUs nationwide. CWU denounces these actions which threaten the security of all those who were targeted.

As an institution of higher education, we must stand with our colleagues across the country who condemn this violation of community and personal safety. We recognize that we have a great deal of work to do ourselves at CWU in order to demonstrate our commitment to equity, inclusive excellence, and student success.

Given what has happened this week, during what should be the beginning of a celebratory month, we must work even harder to create a secure space where students and employees feel welcome physically, intellectually, and emotionally.

Sincerely,