From: The Evergreen State College president@evergreen.

edu
Subject: Our country, our college, and our collective future
Date: August 16, 2017 at 4:20 PM
To: boyben07@evergreen.edu

Our country, our college, and our collective future

The appalling acts of violence in Charlottesville and cities across the country this weekend are painful
reminders of the fissures that divide our nation. We condemn these public displays of hate and terror
perpetrated by white supremacists. We join the large majority of Americans committed to pursuing
racial equity, and justice.

While the impact and scale were different, the events at Charlottesville take me back to the conflict we
experienced this spring at Evergreen. Although no physical injuries and little property damage
occurred on our campus, the unrest we experienced tore at the fabric of our college. It caused some
to question their trust in the institution, in one another and in our shared commitment to Evergreens
Social Contract.

Our college, like our country, must work on healing these fissures. We must reform systems
that fail to deliver equitable outcomes. We must create a campus for students, faculty and
staff which is free of bias and intimidation.

To that end, many of you have expressed the desire for more information about how Evergreen
responded to the incidents in the spring, more timely communications about the colleges ongoing
initiatives, and greater engagement with campus leaders. I have heard you.

Beginning September 1, we will launch new communication tools and practices reflecting an
invigorated commitment to keeping students, staff and faculty informed. We will explain our work over
the summer with media, legislators, trustees and other stakeholders. And you will hear more from
other leaders on campus, such as our new Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Dr. Chassity
Holliman-Douglas, about work toward our priorities.

Our college, like our country, must be open to feedback and constructive criticism. A team of
 Our college, like our country, must be open to feedback and constructive criticism. A team of
respected community leaders from across the state will conduct an external review of the events of
this past spring to assess the actions we took in response to campus disruptions. This group will also
recommend steps to avoid similar escalations in the future.

Our college, like our country, must remain true to the values we profess. Evergreens mission
articulates the colleges commitment to learning across significant differences. We often think of this
value as one to be applied to our classrooms and seminars, but its just as applicable in the work we
all do at the college. There must be a shared expectation throughout campus that difficult
conversations are to be embraced, the views of others are to be respected, and that these actions are
conducted with an eye to safety for all.

Please know I will do my best to achieve these goals. Thank you for your commitment to our college.

George Bridges

President, The Evergreen State College

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