Dear Pitt community,
It was nice to see so many younger members of our university family on our Pittsburgh campus yesterday for Bring a Kid to Work Day. As L.M. Montgomery, who passed away on yesterday’s date in 1942, wrote in “Anne of Green Gables,” “All things great are wound up with all things little.”
As the end of the spring semester approaches, I write to update you on several things happening on campus and beyond.
We remain acutely concerned about developments beyond our campuses, and the effect they have on us as people and as an institution. Our values anchor us and facilitate our scholarship and discovery as a cornerstone of our identity and student success. Over recent months, we have been engaging relentlessly with elected officials and decision-makers to advocate for what we do, why and how we do it, and how the impact of these shifts is causing real harm to our university and the individual people whose work, perspectives and lived experiences enrich and elevate our entire community every day. We are also actively partnering with our national associations to amplify our impact and advocacy. Pitt is well represented among the leadership of the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. We have supported these organizations’ legal efforts to date, including serving as a named declarant, and I endorsed the AAU’s board statement from several weeks ago. We are committed to presenting a unified front in defending academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
We also recognize there is great concern for our international scholars and students, whose presence is a key strength for our university and broader community. Our Office of International Services team has been in direct contact with individuals experiencing visa issues and has been offering proactive outreach and information to those potentially affected. At this time, we are not aware of any federal authorities visiting our campuses for enforcement purposes. Nevertheless, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Joe McCarthy recently shared specific instructions with deans, presidents and University center directors regarding how to respond if such a visit occurs.
With these complex and challenging issues comes a need for as much direct engagement and communication as possible given the understandable concerns of many. Much of our work has been behind the scenes, and we know that can make it hard for our community to see the depth of our engagement. To provide greater insight into the work taking place, I hope that you will join me and other senior leaders for a town hall webinar on Wednesday, April 30, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom (registration required). This gathering is an opportunity to speak directly and personally about our efforts and answer collectively the biggest questions and concerns, as well as add greater nuance that written updates alone cannot capture. We invite you to submit questions at https://pi.tt/apriltownhall in advance so we can work together to respond to the topics that matter most to you. There will also be an opportunity to provide questions during the town hall webinar through Zoom’s Q&A feature.
Despite challenges from all corners, the Pitt community has remained focused on our students and our mission, and I am grateful for this generosity of spirit. This semester has also brought moments that have made us genuinely proud in ways that were so uplifting. For instance, our students have received several distinguished awards — from a Truman to a Goldwater and Gilmans. We were named a Fulbright Top Producer, were recognized as a “New Ivy” by Forbes and have built on our sevenfold increase in National Academy memberships last year with four new elections so far this year.
Moreover, as we head toward commencement, I want to highlight that our soon-to-be graduating class started during the pandemic and will receive their degrees at this pivotal moment. This resilient group has taken on big things and done them well. They have succeeded under immeasurably challenging circumstances. And as a grateful parent of my own child who graduated from Pitt in December, I know how much our graduates appreciate the support and generosity throughout this outstanding community. These students inspire us, challenge us and give us reason for optimism, and I know that we cannot wait to cheer on their every success.
Hail to our graduates, and now more than ever, Hail to Pitt —
Best wishes and thanks again,
Joan Gabel
Chancellor