To the UConn Community:
On behalf of UConn’s Board of Trustees, I write to join President Maric in welcoming you back to our campuses for the start of the fall semester if you’ve been away and in welcoming our newest arrivals: the class of 2028.
Like so many in our community, the board greets each new semester with a sense of enthusiasm and optimism. Along with that excitement, we are also cognizant that we live in challenging times and our campuses are not walled off from some of the tensions, crises, and controversies seen nationally and globally —– at times sparking vigorous debate.
I would ask that we all remember that we are a single academic community united by a purpose: to explore, discover, grow, and achieve.
Meaningful education demands the free exchange of ideas in spaces where they can be openly discussed and debated, including on some of the most contentious issues. To help make that experience a positive and beneficial one, we need to embrace respect, civility, and a sense of common humanity.
Intense disagreements and our politics can sometimes be ugly, but that ugliness can’t find a safe harbor here. No one should be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. Our codes of conduct and University policies and guidelines should always be followed. When they’re not, the board supports the University taking appropriate action — fairly and consistently enforcing UConn’s rules in a way that protects and supports free expression while also preserving a healthy and safe campus environment where everyone has the right to pursue and receive their education.
But following the rules and being civil are the bare minimum of our obligations. We can and should do more when confronted with difficult issues. With our exceptional faculty and staff leading the way, I second President Maric’s call to always find opportunities to lean into our academic and intellectual mission, doing the hard work of delving into conflicts, engaging in dialogue, exploring questions, and finding answers — making a genuine effort to learn from and better understand one another, the times in which we live, and the often turbulent world around us.
With best wishes and hopes for a great semester,
Daniel Toscano
UConn Board Chair
