Message from Provost Liesl Folks January 14, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, and Faculty,

I sincerely hope you had an opportunity to rest and recharge during the winter break and are excited for the year ahead, and for the Spring 2021 semester. As we reflect on the difficult year that has just passed, we must reckon with the lasting impacts of the global pandemic, heightened racial and economic inequality, uncertainty about our economy and our political systems … and now an attack on the U.S. Capitol. It is more important than ever that we lean on the wide-ranging strengths of the University of Arizona to survive and thrive, to analyze, understand and address our current challenges, and to ensure that the future is brighter for all members of the Wildcat community.

The University of Arizona affords all of us the opportunity to learn, to teach, to serve, and to contribute to the greater good of our local, national, and global communities. We are honored to work on the traditional lands of the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and we are privileged to serve the people of Arizona as a research-intensive land-grant university and Hispanic Serving Institution. We remain dedicated to raising up everyone in our communities—regardless of background, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, or religious beliefs—to facilitate personal, societal, and economic growth.

The challenges we face together will not be solved quickly or easily. The path ahead to a brighter future is not clearly defined. Understandably, each of us bears a unique set of perspectives and priorities. I urge each and every Wildcat to commit to bridging our differences in pursuit of greater good. I challenge each of you to practice being actively welcoming to all, and warmly inclusive of those who have traditionally been excluded from our disciplines. I ask that you solicit thoughts from, and engage in dialogue with, everyone in your orbit. And I ask that you aim to be an agent for the necessary changes, small and large, that will increase our impacts and broaden our reach.

As we move forward in 2021, I feel hope and optimism despite the uncertainties. Our institutional Values—Integrity, Compassion, Exploration, Adaptation, Inclusion, and Determination—are still at the core of all that we do. Our Vision— To create a world where human potential is realized and we’re all working together to create solutions to big problems, so that life in our communities, in Arizona and on our planet can thrive—remains as relevant as it ever has been. Your talents, your knowledge, your creativity, your skills, and your insights are critical to our shared success, and I look forward to Wildcat students, staff, and faculty leading us forward for a bright 2021 and beyond.

Bear down, Wildcats.

Liesl