August 14, 2017

Statement on Violence in Charlottesville from University of Miami President Julio Frenk

As universities across the country prepare to welcome students for a new academic year, we are faced with an attack on our core values. The University of Miami rejects the use of fear and the incitement to violence, which promote hate and suppress diverse voices. We therefore condemn the tragic events in Charlottesville, which began on the campus of our sister institution, the University of Virginia. We stand in solidarity with its faculty, staff, and students, and with the people of Charlottesville. We express our deepest sympathy to the victims of the acts of violence that followed and their families.

While we defend freedom of speech and assembly, we denounce the rhetoric and actions of white supremacists and any other groups that promote exclusion, suppression, and intimidation of people who look, speak, or pray differently. History has shown us that it is only through respectful and constructive exchanges that societies can evolve and flourish. That is the core mission of the University of Miami, and we recommit to it at this challenging time.