Nov. 9, 2016

As I write this, Trump has won the presidency and Clinton has won the popular vote. We are a divided nation. No matter your politics, you are likely to work with, represent, report to, and share a community with someone who thinks very differently than you. Personally, I am shocked by the results, I am still processing them, and I feel for those of you who have expressed feelings of alienation or of being under attack.

I write simply to remind you of what a special place Michigan Law is. It is important for us — as members of the Michigan Law community, as legal professionals, as educated citizens — to listen to each other, to have difficult conversations with people who don’t share our views, and to continue to uphold the values that make this place so special. We will continue to provide the finest education to the legal profession’s next generation of leaders, to disseminate original research that deepens human understanding of law and legal institutions, and to to deploy the school’s special expertise in service to the state, the nation, and the world. We will continue to foster an atmosphere of civility and mutual respect and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.