Letter to the Stanford community from university leadership

Dear Stanford family,

This year’s election season has been among the most divisive in memory. For many in our community, the presidential campaign and election have generated great uncertainty, regardless of political preference.

As a community, we must address the divisiveness we have witnessed with the respect, candor, and intellectual clarity that befits our academic mission. We write to reaffirm the university’s commitment to supporting open discussion, and to supporting each and every member of our community. Later today, and in the coming days, the university will be in touch with more details about support resources and opportunities to gather together.

Even as we maintain our focus on education and research in service to the world, we must reaffirm our bedrock values of free expression, diversity and inclusion. This includes promoting a culture where all opinions can be heard and respected. Our university is enriched by the perspectives we each contribute.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne, John Etchemendy, Persis Drell