[Gradstudents] Message to GSOE Community

[GSOEDean]

Dear GSOE Community,

The events in the U.S. Capitol yesterday were nothing short of horrific. We witnessed these events at a time when the country and our region struggle with a health pandemic that is devasting individuals, families, and communities, and disproportionately impacting Communities of Color (see California Department of Public Health data website). Further, yesterday’s events were particularly pronounced within the context of the ongoing struggle for racial justice across the country.

These events were very concerning, and I’m thinking about the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. I’m thinking of our GSOE and UCR students, and the K-12, community college, and other university students across the region and country that many of us endeavor to serve as researchers, teachers, counselors, practitioners, leaders, and policymakers.

During these tumultuous times, I think it is vital that we all recognize the important role we play in education, student success, and our larger mission at, and beyond, UCR.  Let’s imagine ways we can continue to exercise flexibility with ourselves and one another. While many of us may be trying to process the events over the last 24 hours, and try to teach and learn in a remote environment which makes such conversations even more challenging, I want to share some ways we can help support ourselves and one another:


  *   Recognize one another’s feelings of fear, anger, confusion, disbelief, uncertainty, paralysis, exhaustion, and a host of other feelings people may be experiencing right now
  *   Recognize that many students, faculty, and staff are grieving from family and community members directly impacted by the pandemic while also trying to survive by balancing work, school, and family responsibilities. The degree of fatigue is particularly pronounced right now
  *   Remember that despite the challenges, many of our students, faculty, and staff come from communities of resilience, struggle, and hard work. Yet, everyone can always benefit from additional gestures of support. Let’s imagine how we may be able to show our support via the flexibility we exercise with ourselves and one another
  *   We should recognize that no one has all of the answers — and that is ok. Consider empathy as an essential pedagogical and relational practice right now
  *   Consider taking occasional breathers; sometimes we need to just step back and take a break
  *   Consider writing a reflection as an outlet to process one’s thoughts and ideas; such experiences can be cathartic
  *   At the same time, recognize that focusing on education and our long-term mission may be a necessary and helpful outlet to help some of us to keep moving forward
  *   Seek out campus resources when necessary; there are several mental health and support resources available to students, staff, and faculty via offices such as CAPS, Human Resources, and others

Much of our work in the GSOE through our research, scholarship, teaching, and service aims to create a more just, equitable, and peaceful world. Many of us strive to identify the inequities and disparities in education, raise the voices of those on the margins, and often propose practice and policy solutions to better serve students, schools/institutions, educators, and communities. Let’s maintain our visionary mission and use each moment to strive for equity, justice, and humanity, especially during these challenging times.

Take care of yourselves and one another,

Louie Rodriguez
GSOE Interim Dean

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