An Open Letter to Our Students and Our Community:

As members of the faculty and staff at the University of Denvers Josef Korbel School of
International Studies we join our colleagues at the Sturm College of Law in feeling both excited at
the prospect of engaging with you in the new academic year and horrified by the recent events in
Charlottesville and the growing number of racist and white supremacist hate crimes around the
country. Acknowledging that white supremacy is not unique to our time should not diminish our
outrage. We are researchers and teachers of global politics, committed to fostering an environment
for sharing ideas, exchanging views, and debating in an open fashion. We are here to support you as
we continue our efforts toward creating such an environment and resisting actions that undermine
it.
We therefore endorse the words of our Law School colleagues denouncing white supremacy:
We are outraged to learn of white supremacists wielding Confederate and Nazi flags;
chanting blatantly racist, anti-Semitic, and homophobic slogans; and violently assaulting
those protesting their actions. We are devastated by the killing of Heather Heyer, a woman
peacefully exercising her right to free speech to protest white supremacy and racism.
we write to make absolutely clear our views on these events. We condemn white
supremacy in all its names and forms. The white nationalist and Nazi ideologies promoted
by the group in Charlottesville are abhorrent. Such views should have no place in our
society, in our community, on our campus, and in our classrooms. We stand united against
bigotry and racism wherever we find them. Frankly, many of us did not think we would ever
find it necessary to say these things that should be obvious truths. But given recent events,
we find it vitally important to say them now.
As should be the case at a world-class institution such as ours, we as faculty members hold a
wide range of viewpoints. We often disagree with one another. This is as it should
be; disagreement sharpens our understanding of the world around us and leads to the
advancement of knowledge. But, on some fundamental issues we see no room for
disagreement. Condemnation of white supremacy is one.
Though likely in different ways, these events have affected us all. As a faculty community, we
reiterate our mission to support you and each other in finding the tools to cope with these
effects. As the school year begins, we will find ways to reach out to you but we also want to
encourage each of you to reach out to us and to use resources and support systems available on
campus and in the community. We are deeply disturbed by recent events, but we also find comfort
in many of reactions to them. We look forward to working with you to create an inclusive
environment in which to study and exchange ideas about how we can best move forward together.
Sincerely,
Deana Ahmad Rae Ann Bories-Easley
Kevin Archer David Bohl
Deborah Avant Drew Bowlsby
Marie Berry Erica Chenoweth
George DeMartino Ann Irving
Tamra dEstree Gina Jannone
Daniel Doer Sandy Johnson
Mandi Donahoe Oliver Kaplan
Jack Donnelly Haider Khan
Whitney Doran Alicia Kirkeby
Rachel Epstein Tom Laetz
Tom Farer Joe Livingston
Karen Feste Julia MacDonald
Lisa Filholm Jonathan Moyer
Rebecca Galemba Felicia Naranjo Martinez
Alan Gilbert Mickey Rafa
Arthur Gilbert Chen Reis
Ilene Grabel Jessica Rettig
Kendra Grimm Martin Rhodes
Cullen Hendrix Dale Rothman
Jill Hereau Tom Rowe
Nader Hashemi Aaron Schneider
Steve Hedden Andrew Scott
Emily Hinga Rachel Stevens
Allyson Hodges Robert Uttaro
Lynn Holland Peter Van Arsdale
Barry Hughes Suisheng Zhao