Dear Fine Arts Community,
By now, you should have seen President Jay Hartzell’s message addressing the impact recent distressing events in Israel and Gaza have had on our faculty, staff and students in the University community.
Like President Hartzell, my focus is on the safety, health and well-being of our community. I want to ask that we all be mindful of the ways that such public events can cause grief and stress to members of our Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian communities, as well as others impacted by the situation.
We want to foster a community of collaboration and support despite the obvious tensions of the moment. Please know that UT’s Counseling and Mental Health Center is an excellent resource available to all UT students, and they offer a crisis line that is open 24 hours, seven days a week. The Employee Assistance Program offers counseling and support for faculty and staff members, including after-hours support options.
We are in the arts, which is a place where we explore and advance ideas about the biggest questions in the world guided by an ethics of care. My hope is that we will continue to advance the language and the methods of the arts as spaces for healing and dialogue.
Sincerely,
