Nov. 9, 2016

Today, the UMHS community faces a political reality that is both unchartered and unprecedented.  The coming hours and weeks will require thoughtful reflection and a reordering of priorities – regardless of your political position.

This election season has been uniquely difficult for all of us, bringing emotions, concerns and fears to the forefront.

How shall we respond? We all have a commitment to our core missions in health. We have a calling to serve our community.  This calling requires courage, strength and a need for the foundations of our discipline – compassion, innovation and respect – regardless of the political, economic or sociological landscape that confronts us.

As we look forward, I encourage you to create opportunities for faculty, staff and students to share and reflect on the recent past and the future to come. It is only through continued dialogue and discourse that we can better understand each other and how we can continue to progress and grow as a community. Since coming to the University of Michigan I have been impressed that one of the many successes of our faculty, staff and students is the commitment to help those around us navigate difficult times – whether these are patients, their families and supporters, or our colleagues.

I continue to be optimistic because of you – the exceptional people who make our institution what it is.  We all remain unified in our integrated mission of improving health care for all and advancing the discoveries of medicine.

If you need additional support, we have various resources available to all employees and students, such as our Employee Assistance Program, Spiritual Care, and Office of Health Equity and Inclusion.  To learn about additional events occurring on campus, click here.

Together, we can continue to further our mission and create an environment inclusive to all.