A statement of support from the Virginia Tech College of Science Dean Sally Morton and Dr. Estrella Johnson

Statement from the Virginia Tech College of Science

Yesterday, Virginia Tech President Tim Sands and Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity Menah Pratt-Clarke released a statement about the past tumultuous week in the United States. We, and the College of Science, affirm the painful and brutal reality so many in our community are facing, and have faced, as they experience, process, and protest these acts of violence. The College of Science acknowledges the ways in which the lives of our students, faculty, and staff have been impacted by systemic racism.

We will continue our efforts to promote environments of equity and inclusion within our college and departments in which everyone feels that they are welcome and that they can thrive. As with society, science can only achieve its greatest work when people with a breadth of divergent backgrounds work together on the difficult issues we face across the world. In the coming months, we will be reaching out to student organizations, faculty, and staff to better understand specific steps we can take to work for the sustainable transformation called for by President Sands and Vice President Pratt-Clarke.

Sally C. Morton, Dean
Estrella Johnson, Director of Inclusion and Diversity
College of Science, Virginia Tech