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Statement of the Faculty Senate Against Intolerance

On behalf of all University of Virginia faculty, the Faculty Senate unites with President Casteen, the Board of Visitors, students, individual faculty members, and staff who have spoken in strong support of diversity and tolerance at this university.

We condemn any and all incidents of intolerance, including those that offended our community recently. We decry the hurtful words and actions directed against our students, and we offer those students our compassionate support. We deeply value the sense of trust that is the strength of our academic society and seize this moment to invite every individual to commit to it.

The Faculty Senate is eager to continue our collaboration in building at this university a better, more inclusive environment for learning. Discrimination - whether based on a person's color, religion, nationality or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, age, or disability - has no place among us. We urge faculty to join students and others in wearing black ribbons this week to demonstrate our commitment to fostering an environment that is characterized by mutual respect, tolerance, and deep regard for the worth and rights of each and every person.

(Statement adopted by the Executive Council of the Faculty Senate, 19 September 2005, approved by Senate majority, 27 September 2005.)