Fall 2001

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Exchange: To and from the editors

TURNING TOWARD EACH OTHER

Editor’s note: On September 11, an all-campus email addressing "this time of extreme national and personal distress" went out from Chancellor Marcellette Williams shortly after 1 p.m. In the hours and days that followed, the chancellor spoke dozens of times to the extended campus community. The following excerpts are from a September 20 address to the Faculty Senate.

"WE HAVE HELD EACH OTHER CLOSELY": Chancellor Williams on campus September 13 ". . . WE HAVE ALL BEEN TOUCHED in some way. Some of us lived anxious moments on Tuesday when it was unclear whether our own family members were aboard the hijacked planes or in the targeted buildings. Those moments were long enough for us to appreciate that there are no words to make sense of precious lives lost – no words to explain, no words to comfort. Yet we need to acknowledge the pain, the anger, in order to heal together. "Your understanding, your compassion for the impact of this loss on our students and on each other is commendable. This community has shown its best face in the last week, coming together to share words of support and prayers for peace. We have felt the need to turn toward – rather than away from – each other, and we have held each other closely, in our arms and in our hearts. "In the coming days, we also have an obligation to insert new questions into public conversation, on this campus and in our nation. These times call for us to be public intellectuals in the best sense – scholars who seek to connect our work with public dialogue, to raise questions and provide insights that move us beyond simple dichotomies of good and evil, civilization versus barbarism. The public has entrusted us – not to do their thinking for them – but to think out loud, to enrich public conversation, and to enable a larger and more diverse set of voices to join the dialogue. "I have been inspired over the past week by the leadership our students have taken in helping each other mourn and enabling us to reflect on this tragedy together. They have proven how much they are capable of when their energies are united and focused on productive action. Their work invites us to ask: How can we continue to support students, now that they have turned toward each other? "Here on campus, this moment is an opportunity for us to rise above what divides us, to rise above the resentment or anger we may feel about fiscal or organizational challenges this university may face, to rise above all that would have us turn our backs to each other. The courage and commitment we have seen demonstrated over the past week has found resonance in us – we know that such courage, such capacity to care is inside each of us as well. "I am committed to lead this university this year so that we can turn toward each other." — Chancellor Marcellette G. Williams Full text of these and other remarks at www.umass.edu/chancellor .

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All the letters

LETTERS IN PRINT, Fall 2001

TURNING TOWARD EACH OTHER: remarks by Chancellor Williams

CORRECTIONS