In the Wake of Tragedy, Staying True to Our Commitment to Mission

Dear University of Minnesota community,

This weekend, Minnesota lost an exceptional and dedicated public servant in a senseless act of violence. Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their home in Brooklyn Park in what officials are calling a politically motivated attack. State Senator John Hoffman and wife, Yvette, survived a horrific attack by the same shooter in their Champlin home.

Our hearts go out to Melissa and Mark’s children and other family members and friends who now live with this profound grief, as well as those of us within the University of Minnesota community and throughout Minnesota who knew and shared space with the Hortmans. We also wish for the fast and full recovery of John and Yvette.

Speaker Emerita Hortman was an alum of our University, graduating from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1995. So was her husband, Mark, who received his MBA from the Carlson School in 2011.

The University of Minnesota was founded in the faith that all people are enriched by understanding. That’s part of our mission statement, and words to that effect are etched in stone above the pillars of Northrop, a building that centers our Twin Cities campus Mall and plaza—gathering spaces for generations of alums and other community members who have engaged in exactly the kind of respectful debate and dialogue we seek to model. Throughout her career, Hortman was a tireless advocate and voice for these and many other values that so many Minnesotans hold dear.

Public service has never been easy, nor is it work for the faint of heart. But public servants should not have to put their very lives on the line in their quest to improve the lives of their fellow citizens, whether we agree with their views or not. Violence of any kind does not solve problems. It does not bring us closer together. The only suitable approach to settling our differences is through respectful dialogue. Our society—in Minnesota and all over America—can only be strengthened through this approach.

The capture late last night of the suspect in these terrible acts is profoundly welcome news. Deep gratitude is owed to law enforcement for their tireless work in this case.

Over the weekend, the University took a number of actions in light of these tragic events. Our leadership team was and remains fully engaged to ensure the safety of our University community. Out of an abundance of caution, the University of Minnesota Police Department increased its presence on and around our Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, as did security teams across all University locations in Minnesota.

Over the coming months, we will redouble our efforts to host an increasing number of forums and other opportunities where robust and respectful debate can occur in ways that allow knowledge and understanding to emerge undiminished and even strengthened by today’s many challenges. We will provide space and opportunity to engage in civil discourse as a model of how a respectful democracy works, where ideas and unintimidated thought are given space to lead the way through us, the University of Minnesota community and the people and State of Minnesota upon whose shoulders we stand.

And finally, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to instill in students and all those who pass through our doors in the search for truth and a just society the skills, courage, and clarity required to carry democracy forward undiminished in the face of resistance and challenges.

In moments such as these, coming together to support one another is essential. In that spirit, we are planning a gathering for our University of Minnesota community midday Wednesday. We anticipate it being an in person and online event, with details soon to come.

Our deepest sympathies remain with those who have been directly impacted by this week’s violence, and to all who serve the public. Democracy and the free and peaceful expression of ideas can only thrive in the light of compassionate leadership.

Sincerely,
President Rebecca Cunningham