Dear Orange Friends,
Today is the national observance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. It’s a day when the Syracuse University community traditionally comes together to reflect on his life and legacy. This year, because of the pandemic, the University will hold a virtual event on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. ET, featuring civil rights activist Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of Dr. King.
This reflection is important for all of us as our nation continues to display deep divisions. This is true in our views of and proposed solutions for addressing our country’s legacy of racism. During the past year, the pandemic has further revealed inequalities in health and income. Efforts to address disparities in policing and justice have yielded mixed results.
At Syracuse, as individuals and as an Orange community, we share a determination to foster academic excellence in a university welcoming to all. Perhaps there is no better example than Syracuse University’s first Black tenured faculty member, Charles Willie. Dr. Willie passed away last week at the age of 94. A grandson of enslaved people, he spent his life breaking barriers and pursuing scholarship to fight injustice. Dr. Willie attended Morehouse College alongside his classmate, Martin Luther King Jr. The two developed a lifelong friendship, which brought King to campus twice in the 1960s. Dr. Willie’s ties to Syracuse run deep—he was a student, professor, the vice president for student affairs, and a recipient of the George Arents Pioneer Medal and the Chancellor’s Citation for Lifetime Achievement, which I presented to him in 2017. He was part of the University for more than 25 years. Dr. Willie’s commitment to academic excellence changed the world.
We strive to follow the same path. I am heartened by the response of the nearly 1,000 individuals and groups who took the time to provide feedback that will inform the University’s strategic plan for diversity, equity, inclusion and access. I am grateful to the search committee for the next vice president for diversity and inclusion, which is working to identify an accomplished and dynamic leader. I am thankful to the faculty, staff and students who are planning our celebration of Black History Month.
While we can’t come together today, please keep Dr. King and Dr. Willie in your thoughts and actions. We extend our deepest sympathy to Dr. Willie’s family as they grieve their loss and celebrate his life. I look forward to Jan. 30 when we will, once again, remember Dr. King’s inspirational legacy and reflect on our commitment to being a university that is welcoming to all.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Kent Syverud