A Special Message from the Chancellor

Dear Seattle Colleges Community:

Our country has been gripped with disbelief, anger, and frustration the last few days. We are all struggling with feelings of grief and indignation over George Floyd’s murder by a police officer.

President Edwards Lange at Central, President Rimando-Chareunsap at South, and AVP Fisher at North sent very powerful messages to their college communities last Friday. I appreciate and applaud them for their principled leadership. As a district, we remain steadfast in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community; as an educational community, we stand in unequivocal support of our immigrant, DACA, undocumented, LGBTQ+, and students and employees of color who have been subject to mistreatment and discrimination for many years.

The COVID-19 outbreak has exacerbated the inequality and racism that already existed in our nation. The civil unrest across the country this past weekend reminds us once again the level of systemic oppression of African Americans and other marginalized communities.  I urge all of us take a stand for justice and respect for all human lives, be they black, brown, yellow, red, or white.

These are painful times. Let us stand in solidarity in defending the equal human rights afforded by the US Constitution.  Individually and collectively, we can, and we should be a solution.

Sincerely,

Shouan Pan, Ph.D.
Chancellor