Aug. 27: Living our values of inclusion and respect

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Dear Spartans,

This past weekend, our nation experienced an unwarranted and unnecessary shooting of a Black man, leading to continued Black Lives Matter national protests and dialogues on race and police brutality. In our own community, the discovery yesterday of graffiti painted near the Rock on campus is a reminder that we still have work to do around inclusion and the respect all members of our community deserve. 

The Spartan community sends our thoughts and prayers to Jacob Blake and his family, and the countless other families impacted by similar tragedies. 

With a new school year started, and an election season this fall, I want to remind all our students, faculty and staff of our values at MSU. We believe our differences are also our assets. We foster a community that respects and celebrates a broad range of backgrounds, viewpoints, and experiences. Inclusion happens when everyone in our community sees it as their responsibility to practice and uphold these values.

I’m calling on all of us to create the culture at MSU we can all be proud of – one of collaboration, support, mutual respect and a shared interest in each other’s growth. Our purpose in exchanging ideas is not to win but to learn from each other in the pursuit of better lives and a higher social order.

Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D.
President