Jessup, Easton Call for Unity At A Time of National Crisis

In the wake of yesterday’s pro-Trump protests and storming of the nation’s Capitol building in Washington DC, CGU President Len Jessup and Provost Patricia Easton issued a joint statement to the university community today urging unity and working together to overcome divisions.

“In the end,” the message said, “our nation’s congressional leaders coalesced in an outcome and moved on. We hope that we can all continue to work across our many divides to continue to find good outcomes for all. The health and future of our constitutional democracy, and our freedom, depend upon it.”

With the start of the spring 2021 semester less than two weeks away, on January 19, the message also announced that tomorrow’s deadline to register for spring classes would be extended until next Wednesday, January 13.

Jessup and Easton said they hoped the extension would help those students who are especially troubled and distracted by the national crisis.

Read the message in full below

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Dear CGU Community,

Yesterday we watched with horror and disbelief as insurrectionists stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to block the constitutionally mandated process of officially counting the certified electoral votes from our 2020 presidential election. We join the chorus of voices across America and the world in condemning yesterday’s assault on the peaceful transition of power.

We stayed up late last night, as we are sure many of you did, and watched our American democracy in action. After a sad day and many months of derision, it was a proud moment to watch the conclusion of the official counting of electoral votes in that very same, hallowed building where the violence had occurred just hours before. There is perhaps nothing more vital to our American democracy than free and open political discourse and the peaceful transfer of power.

Throughout that congressional process of counting the electoral votes, there were passionate differences of opinion, legitimate points and counterpoints raised on all sides, and some fiery exchanges. In the end, our nation’s congressional leaders coalesced in an outcome and moved on. We hope that we can all continue to work across our many divides to continue to find good outcomes for all. The health and future of our constitutional democracy, and our freedom, depend upon it.

Needless to say, it has been a tumultuous time, and everyone is tired and frayed. As such, we are extending tomorrow’s deadline to register for spring classes until the middle of next week, Wednesday, January 13. Our Dean of Students Office sent out an email reminder this morning to students regarding the many academic, counseling, and health services available, which can be found here. And, for our staff and faculty, a message went out from the Office of Human Resources, reminding us of the Emergency Assistance Program and the services available (contact human.resources@cgu.edu).

Thank you all for all you do for CGU, and we look forward to the launch of the spring semester and, ultimately, seeing everyone back on campus sometime soon.

Best wishes for the new year,

Len Jessup, President

Patricia Easton, Provost