09/09/2022
By Julie Chen

Universities are designed to be forums of conversation where challenging and complex ideas are debated.

During a discussion Thursday, Sept. 8 about the 50th anniversary of Title IX and the rights of transgender individuals in sports, a guest speaker twice used an unacceptable racial slur.

While not directed at anyone, the slur added nothing to the conversation. As moderator of the discussion, I missed an opportunity to articulate our university’s values and commitment to an inclusive, welcoming campus environment. And I was grateful to the students in the audience for calling out these words as unacceptable.

The event’s conversation around transgender women in sports was difficult for many in the audience.

Competition in sports was essential to my personal and professional career paths and no one should be excluded because of who they are. It’s healthy in our community to have disagreements and I am grateful to those who work to find common ground. I hope you will continue to join me in a commitment to civil discourse consistent with our core values.