Celebrating and Defending Our Work

Dear students, faculty and staff,

We are entering a traditionally joyful season in the academic year—the time when we celebrate more than 15,000 graduates across the University of Minnesota; the occasion to look back with pride on all we have accomplished over this semester; and look ahead with anticipation for what comes next.

This year I will join you in exuberant cheers for our graduates. I will also be reflecting on the profound contribution to society embodied in these smiling faces. I will think about the discoveries that flow from this University, the additions to human knowledge, and the improvements to lives across Minnesota, our nation and around the world.

This is why we are focused on our mission—our students, faculty and staff.

Universities across the nation face unprecedented challenges. The challenges pose risk to academic freedom, to research and educational funding, and to members of their communities. University of Minnesota researchers have received more than 70 stop-work orders on federal grants. We face investigations. Our international students have had visas revoked (thankfully, some of those actions since reversed), and one was detained.

In the face of all that, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the University of Minnesota’s mission and values—our students, faculty and staff. Those who know me well, know that I would rather take action than make statements. So I want to offer you a few quick updates on what the University is doing to preserve our mission and advance our work.

As I write this, I am just returning from a meeting of presidents in the Association of American Universities, where we worked together to strengthen our collective advocacy with legislators and policymakers. The AAU has also led legal actions, which we have joined, to preserve our shared mission, and we stand ready to take that course again, where necessary. The week after next, I’ll be meeting with presidents in the Big Ten Academic Alliance to discuss how we can harness the collective power of these amazing institutions.

An effective response requires all of us working together—and not just all of us presidents. In recent weeks, I’ve met with groups across our University—from our undergraduate student government leaders to some of our most senior faculty, to leaders of our Muslim, Jewish, LGBTQIA+, and so many other communities, drawing ideas from the broad spectrum of voices that make this University truly excellent and inform our actions.

To assist our researchers, we are establishing a new fund to help replace resources suddenly stopped by the federal government and allow them to continue pursuing life-changing discoveries. You’ll hear more about that later this week from our Vice President for Research and Innovation, Shashank Priya.

To protect and support members of our international community, we’ve expanded our Student Legal Services, ensuring that international students from all of our campuses have access to legal representation when they need it.

Importantly, even as we adapt to changing conditions with new initiatives, we continue to uphold long-standing commitments that support a diverse, inclusive campus environment where all our students can thrive, and to conduct research that will advance the state, nation and world, whether or not they subject us to criticism and scrutiny. We will not take unilateral action that undermines our mission or values.

Across the University, the goal is not just to hang on, but to provide leadership at a time of challenge and uncertainty in so many areas of society. In that spirit, our Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy is launching the Vaccine Integrity Project, which will help fill a void that has developed in investigating the safety and effectiveness of potential new vaccines.

All of this recalls for me a quote I’ve cited before, from one of my favorite books, “Finding the Mother Tree:” “Every single tree in the forest is connected underground, forming a vast network of communication and mutual support.” In the vast forest that is the University of Minnesota, we share that kind of community—it is both a source of inspiration and a call to action for all of us, to care for and support one another.

I hope that even in difficult times—perhaps especially in difficult times—you share that pride in our community. And as we approach the end of the semester, I want you to know you have my gratitude for your part in this community, together with my admiration and my congratulations for all you have accomplished. I wish you joyous celebrations.

With appreciation,

Rebecca Cunningham
President