Dear colleagues, dear students,
The images from last night are etched in all of our minds. Nobody wants a demonstration to end in this way.
What is happening in the Middle East is shocking. The images from October 7, the images of displaced people now, the trauma of war, and the breakdown of connection on all levels deeply affect us every day. Just as there have been successful protests against apartheid, against the Vietnam War, and against other injustices and conflicts in the past, we also see a (growing) desire within the academic community to speak out now.
We want to help where we can by stimulating and facilitating academic discourse on this issue. We want to ensure that a dialogue based on mutual respect, facts, arguments, and analyses emerges. In recent months, we have already seen good examples of teach-ins and discussions emerge. Seeking different perspectives is highly valued within the university. Listen to each other, question each other, and see what you can do from your unique position and knowledge background. This is what we, as the Executive Board, are doing at the moment: considering what we can do from our position and within an academic context. We also want to contribute to a just world.
This does not mean that there are no rules and that education and research must yield to protest. It is not that we, as university leadership, "do not want to do anything" or "want to temper debate." On the contrary, we also want that debate. But we are also responsible for a safe campus where everyone feels comfortable enough to participate in that conversation.
Various plans are currently in the works. We are discussing with various parties for this. Let's see how far we can go together in the coming weeks. For now, thank you for your tremendous commitment, thank you for your valuable input. We continue our discussions. If we, with our strong values and from our diverse community, cannot do this, then who can? Let's do this, together.
The Executive Board