COSAM News Articles 2020 June Message from the Deans - May 31, 2020

Message from the Deans - May 31, 2020

Published: 06/02/2020

To the COSAM Family,

The past few months have been very difficult for all of us as we deal with COVID-19 and its impact on our lives. This impact has reminded us of systemic inequities in our society, which have also been laid bare by the tragic killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, and too many before them. All of us are struggling to understand these events and what they tell us about ourselves, our biases, and our privileges, and that process is made even more difficult by social isolation during this pandemic. It is natural to feel saddened, angry, frustrated, and many other emotions.

Some of you have reached out to one or both of us, and we have tried to provide support, but we know it may not have been enough. We want all the members of the COSAM and Auburn families to know that we are here to help you in any way that we can and that we will redouble our efforts to ensure that COSAM is an inclusive place for everyone. Hopefully the Auburn campus will open soon so that we can connect with you in person. However, if you need us while we are apart or if there is anything we can do, even if it’s just to lend a listening ear, we are here for you.

We cannot avoid the difficult conversations that must happen so that Auburn and our society can make the kind of progress that we all desire and deserve. We in COSAM are committed to facilitating and participating in conversations and processes that address inequities rooted in racism, classism, sexism, and LGBTQIA+ discrimination.

Nick Giordano and Kim Mulligan