Dear campus community,

UVM is strengthened by our diverse perspectives, and there are two of our Common Ground values that seem relevant during this significant period of change and uncertainty. The first is respect, which means we listen, encourage, and care about each other. The second is openness, which encourages the open exchange of information and ideas. In keeping with these values, I want to share two important items. 

First, it is vital for us to monitor, discuss, and understand the words and actions emanating from our nation’s capital and their potential impact. To better achieve this, we are forming four operations groups to dive deeply into a subset of important topics: Research, Faculty Affairs, Our Common Ground, and Immigration. These groups will consist of faculty members, staff, administrators, and others with perspectives and areas of work directly informed by these topics. Provost Linda Schadler extended invitations to prospective group members earlier this week. These groups will convene weekly and share their thoughts and ideas with a core leadership group that will help shape the university’s approach to this ever-changing situation.

Second, as we assess the range of challenges posed by the shifting landscape of higher education, the core value of free expression remains an important topic for formal discussion and learning opportunities on campus. The 2024–25 Presidential Lecture Series concludes next Friday, March 7, with what promises to be a fascinating and provocative Janus Forum debate (pdf) focused on that value.

Disputants Suzanne Nossel, former CEO of the free expression advocacy group PEN America, and Aleksandra Gliszczyńska-Grabias, a professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences, famous for her work in anti-discrimination law, will debate the effectiveness of different approaches to free expression. I am particularly interested in their exploration of how people express themselves uniquely in different parts of the world. I think we can all learn a lot from this debate.

We are a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to Our Common Ground values and to one another. Our continued composure and level-headedness will help us navigate the uncertainty we are all experiencing and build our collective strength, vigilance, and purpose.

So, let’s keep talking—and just as importantly, keep listening.

Warmly,

Patricia Prelock
Interim President