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From: Office of the Interim Vice President

Dear OSU-Cascades Campus Community Members, 

Over the last few days, we all have likely experienced sadness and outrage over viewing the appalling video of Tyre Nichols being brutally beaten by five Memphis police officers. Sadly, Mr. Nichols died from these injuries.

I echo OSU President Murthy’s powerful and heartfelt message shared Monday: “If we truly desire change, we must work together to create it in our university and communities.”

Tomorrow, we celebrate the start of Black History Month. I challenge each one of us to have conversations about the treatment of Black people in America over the past four centuries. We must ask ourselves and fellow students, faculty members, staff, friends and neighbors, what must we do to advance a society where all people of color are treated equally and with dignity?

In addition, I invite you to join members of the OSU-Cascades community in:

  • A Conversation Circle at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in OBSN 210 to be hosted by Nathan Moses, interim chief of student affairs and Devin Duncan, coordinator of disability access services. This is an informal opportunity to come together and express your thoughts and feelings about Mr. Nichols’ loss of life, and what we can do together to prevent such incidents.
  • Viewing the OSU 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Keynote with Jelani Cobb on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Jelani Cobb is an educator and staff writer at The New Yorker Magazine who writes on race, history, justice, politics and democracy. He is also the dean of the School of Journalism at Columbia University. The livestream is free, but registration is required.
  • Participating in Central Oregon Community College’s Celebration of Black History Month through March 1 Colleagues at COCC annually host a slate of culturally rich activities for students, employees and the surrounding community, where we can learn more about how and why we must advance nonviolent change. Learn more about these events.

I recognize incidents of racial injustice, especially those involving violence, cause significant hurt and trauma. I encourage students looking for support to take advantage of these free campus and local services:

  • Non-Emergency counseling and referrals - [email protected]
  • Free 24/7 virtual crisis and counseling support – download the MySSP app
  • Immediate crisis support available without charge  24/7 – Deschutes County Crisis Hotline – 541-322-7500 x9

Together we can and must make a difference.

Be well,
Andrew

Andrew D. Ketsdever, PhD | Interim Vice President | OSU-Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Ave., Bend, OR 97702, Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn

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Tuesday, January 31, 2023