If there is one consistent point I heard Zooming with individual units, departments, and organizations over the past three weeks, it is that our community is grappling with our national trauma. Our students, faculty, and staff have shared emotional moments, worries, concerns, and grief caused by the pandemic, economic disruption, election uncertainties, and civil unrest.

On Election Day tomorrow, you are encouraged to fulfill your civic duty. Be prepared that you will most certainly encounter lines and long waiting periods, and it will be important to make sure you communicate. If you are registered and have not already voted, please make your plan and share it with your professors, leaders, and supervisors. 

It may take days, or even weeks, to learn the outcome of the elections. Either way, the results will be a disappointment for many in our community. Let’s continue to respect each other and remind ourselves of our shared values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. 

We may be physically distant due to COVID-19, but we are here for each other. Arcadia’s Academic Affairs and the Anti-Black Racism Initiatives Committee (ABRI) are hosting a drop-in ‘Zoom Room’ this week. The Zoom Room will be a space for Arcadia students, staff, and faculty to congregate and share feelings surrounding the election, pandemic, civil unrest, and other concerns important to you. The rooms will be open Tuesday (3-10 p.m.), Wednesday (10 a.m.-10 p.m.), and Thursday (10 a.m.-10 p.m.), and will be hosted by members of the University community; instructions on how to log in are available here. 

Whatever external forces test our strength, Arcadia will not waiver from our mission. We remain #ArcadiaStrong. 

Peace,

Ajay Nair, Ph.D.
President