Community message regarding racism and gun violence — May 16

Dear University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias communities,

We write today to join you in shock and anger over the hate-fueled racist murders of 10 people in Buffalo, New York on Sunday.

We also mourn the victims of a mass shooting on Sunday in Laguna Woods, California, where one person was murdered and five were injured, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where 21 people were injured in three separate downtown shootings late Friday night.

Violence and racism continue to plague our society. As we grieve these hateful crimes, we urge you to maintain hope that things can change. Our reflection on these horrors can help us reaffirm our commitment to ending racism and gun violence.

Love and inclusion are hallmarks of our community, and these crimes call us to never forget, and never stop doing the work to eliminate racism, hate and violence.

Sincerely,

Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President
John Volin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Robert Dana, Vice President for Student Life and Inclusive Excellence, and Dean of Students
Chris Lindstrom, Vice President for Human Resources
Jeffery Mills, President and CEO of the University of Maine Foundation
Daniel Qualls, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Head of Campus
Ken Ralph, Director of Athletics
Christopher Richards, Vice President for Enrollment Management
Kody Varahramyan, Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School
Jake Ward, Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development
Meredith Whitfield, Chief of Staff
Joanne Yestramski, Vice President and Chief Business Officer