Dear Highland Community,
In light of the senseless killing of George Floyd, along with far too many similar crimes over the years rooted in social injustice, the urgency for us to embrace and demonstrate Highland Community College’s core values of integrity, compassion, and respect more visibly and passionately has become critical. Although HCC is committed to ensuring that persons of all races, genders, nationalities, identities and preferences are welcomed and respected, we can and should do more.
As an institution of higher education, beyond having zero tolerance for acts of hatred, discrimination and racism, we must become more proactive in educating all of those we serve regarding shared responsibilities to lift up our communities through standing together to promote social equity and equality for all by modeling inclusivity, while proactively and visibly taking positions against intolerance, racism, and all forms of social injustice.
We must expand the dialog and facilitate opportunities to bring more individuals into conversations to promote understanding of our core values and a sense of urgency to better protect and celebrate our diversity and individual differences. Educational, institutional, and personal commitments must be strengthened in order to overcome the horrors of social injustice and in order to harvest the great values of truly living and exemplifying stated core values without exception.
Sincerely,
Tim Hood, President
Highland Community College