Editor's note: UTSA President Taylor Eighmy sent this email to UTSA faculty, staff and students today.
(Oct. 4, 2018) -- Dear Roadrunners,
The current national political dialogue was evident on our campus today in the form of a student protest on the Paseo.
Though the protest at times was tense, it reflected our adherence to the Constitutional right to free speech. As evidenced by the passion and emotion in the crowd, that adherence can sometime be challenging.
As I stated in my September 10 message regarding free speech, universities are uniquely positioned—and obligated—to be places where ideas are shared, even when those ideas are difficult, unpopular or offensive. All student organizations and individual students have a right to express their opinions on campus as long as they comply with our peaceful public assembly policies.
That said, I understand that during today’s protest there were some students who felt unsafe, unsupported or traumatized—particularly those who are survivors of sexual assault. Please remember that assistance is available to students who may need additional support.
During today’s protest—as well one that occurred in the Sombrilla last Wednesday—posters were damaged, and there was an alleged assault. The Office of Student Affairs is working with our UTSA Police to reach out to students involved, investigate the matters and determine appropriate sanctions.
Looking forward, as an educational community, we must continually work on learning how to disagree while still treating one another with respect and dignity. All members of our community, regardless of their politics or ideology, deserve to be heard. Today’s protest was a teachable moment and an opportunity to practice balancing civic engagement with civility.
At a university of UTSA’s caliber, it is expected that our diverse student body will have strong convictions that inspire occasional protests. It is our job to be exemplary in the way we foster free speech and civic engagement when these events occur, and I have complete faith that together we will fulfill UTSA’s core values at the very highest standards.
Taylor Eighmy
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Join us on your lunch or 30 minute wellness break and "Lego" of your stress with fun activities like Legos, PlayDoh, coloring pages, puzzles and more!
Mesquite Room (SU 2.01.24,) Student Union, Main CampusMove In To COLFA is strongly recommended for new students in COLFA. It gives you the chance to learn about the Student Success Center, campus resources and meet new friends!
Academic Classroom: Lecture Hall (MH 2.01.10,) McKinney Humanities BldgWe invite you to join us for Birds Up! Downtown, an exciting welcome back event designed to connect students with the different departments at the Downtown Campus. Students will have the opportunity to learn about some of the departments on campus, gain access to different resources, and collect some giveaways!
Bill Miller PlazaCome and celebrate this year's homecoming at the Downtown Campus with food, games, giveaways, music, and more. We look forward to seeing your Roadrunner Spirit!
Bill Miller PlazaThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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