Dear UWest Community:
This past week has been a time of emotional upheaval. The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis calls us to the reality of a disregard to human life by some. The senseless killing of people of color, unfortunately, has been continuing. The institutionalized racism that is experienced by African Americans daily should not be accepted by any means. The COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn have affected the African American communities in a greater and more tragic way. However, any type of racism and violence against anyone is not to be tolerated.
At UWest, we emphasize our beliefs in compassion, character and community. We hope that we practice our belief system on a daily basis. It is our responsibility to work together for our faculty and staff, families, friends and the communities at large to eradicate these long standing prejudices. We wish to emphasize that all of us should respect the right for people to live without fear. We shall also respect the expression of First Amendment and support the rights of our citizens and residents.
For those of you who are concerned with your safety around the campus, please be assured that we have 24-hour security, cameras installed around campus, and direct contact with the Temple City Sheriff’s Department. You can reach the University security by calling 626-825-4175. There are emergency phones (in red) by the CAFÉ, outside of the Recreation Center, and in front of the Residence Hall A. We are constantly monitoring Los Angeles County’s notification of imposed curfews and other safeguards.
Finally, please stay safe and positive. The executive team will be working on a plan to prepare the future opening of our offices as we follow the Los Angeles County’s directives. As always, we will keep you posted if anything out of the extraordinary occurs.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chou
Chiung-Sally Chou, Ph.D.
Interim President