During the first weeks of our new semester national and international news has been grim, by any standard. With how globally interconnected we are the humanitarian crises developing in Afghanistan impacts many in our CU Denver community directly – be they service members or individuals with friends or family in the region. Additionally, the storms along the US Southern coast have brought wide-scale suffering to millions. It’s an important time to remember, we never know when someone we interact with on our own campus might be under extra strain from tragedies occurring somewhere in the world.
With geopolitical tensions escalating and the results of climate change creating tremendous human suffering, this year continues producing opportunities to educate our students on the importance of becoming global citizens. Our decisions matter. What we do impacts our planet and other people. Inside the classroom and out, we all have a chance to listen and learn from others, keep growing towards the best versions of ourselves; and help our students with their own educational and personal paths toward engaged social consciousness.
I ask everyone in CLAS to be extra sensitive to how current events are impacting our students and colleagues over the coming weeks. The start of the term is difficult enough, but as we settle into our new pandemic protocols and watch the Delta variant impact unvaccinated populations around the world, stress levels will remain high for the majority of our community. Please continue to exercise increased compassion now and well into this semester.
