July 24: Thank you for participating in the Community Forums

To: Graduate students at the University of Waterloo

From: President University of Waterloo

Date: July 24, 2023

Subject: Thank you for participating in the Community Forums

Last Monday we held two community forums to begin a process of listening and action after the horrific events of June 28.
 
In both events we heard that our community is facing complex challenges. We heard painful experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ students and employees who expressed their fear and anger at the climate on campus. We heard many people express fears over their sense of safety. We heard your anger at how the University is tackling these challenges.
 
Your thoughtful questions are greatly appreciated, and I commend your courage in speaking up publicly.
 
As a university, we want to ensure that everyone who comes to Waterloo to live, learn and work has a positive experience where they feel free and safe to be who they are.
 
I want to apologize to anyone who has experienced harassment or discriminatory actions of others here on campus. We must not accept acts that infringe on an environment of tolerance and respect.
 
We don’t yet have answers to all of the questions we were asked last week or solutions to all the difficulties you shared with us. But we are committing to acting quickly on obvious shortcomings that have been identified, and to reaching out to a variety of groups to continue to help inform our way ahead.
 
Moving forward, our leadership team will thoroughly review your feedback as we continue working on a meaningful and appropriate action plan. You can expect a detailed update on our actions in August, and we will keep you up-to-date on our progress throughout the weeks and months ahead.
 
We have published unedited* videos and transcripts of the two forums online as well as answers to some of your most frequently asked questions. We are continuing to update with more of your questions.
 
If you have any further questions, please direct them to communications@uwaterloo.ca and if you need support, remember you can reach out to the supports available in our community.  
 
Vivek Goel
President and Vice-Chancellor

*some comments from the audience may be difficult to discern as some speakers did not use microphones

Vivek Goel
President and Vice-Chancellor
Office of the President