Dear Marquette community,
Like you, I have been shaken by the crimes committed on and near our campus during the past weeks. Several involved our students, and we are providing wraparound support services to help them heal from their trauma and offering our prayers and support for all victims of senseless crimes across our city and country. At the same time, we are committed to taking swift action to help prevent future incidents.
As a father and as a university president, I want to assure you that I am taking this matter extremely seriously. There is no greater priority than the safety of our campus community. The President’s Task Force on Community Safety – which includes students, parents, community members, faculty and staff – meets this afternoon and will provide actionable, near-term recommendations that Marquette University will implement to improve safety and security on our campus. We will accelerate implementation of recommendations in key areas such as institutional safety and resources to effect immediate change. More will be shared about these near-term actions in the coming days. If you have questions about the Safety Task Force or want to share an idea, please contact us.
Crime is a complicated issue with many underlying causes and few easy solutions. The university will continue to work closely with local law enforcement and city leaders for the betterment of our campus community, our neighborhood and our city.
I want to close by expressing my support and gratitude for our Marquette University Police Department and the responsiveness and care they display for our campus community every day. At a time when police departments across the country are short-staffed, we see you, we appreciate you and we thank you for your public service.
Best,
Dr. Michael R. Lovell
President
