Statement of Support

April 29, 2019

Dear Trinity College Community,

Today, I met with more than 50 students who expressed anger and disappointment about the administration’s message to the community after the SGA vote against recognition of the Churchill Club. Those students asked me to affirm my personal beliefs regarding racism and white supremacy, which I am happy to do. This is a statement of my personal values, though I am confident that the overwhelming majority of the Trinity community would agree with this statement:

I denounce white supremacy, and all that it represents in society today. I denounce racism and discrimination against historically and traditionally marginalized groups and I offer those members of our community my strongest support, recognition, and affirmation.

In addition, I have promised these students that I will review the message we sent to the community today, which they believed undercut the SGA decision as a governing body. I reiterate here that this was not the intent of the statement.

As we said in our earlier message, we ask for our entire community’s partnership in creating a campus climate that is inclusive and welcoming to all. Every student at Trinity deserves to be here and must be supported fully in an environment in which they can learn and thrive.

Sincerely,

Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience