Hello all,

For those unaware, President Cureton sent an email today in response to our open letter. It reads as follows (screenshot attached above):

Office of the President
Thu 4/15/2021 11:40 AM

Dear Northwestern Community,

At this time of strife and division in our nation, our cities, and our local communities, we are not free from discord within our own UNW community, though as fellow Christians, our love and devotion is to one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom we all serve.

In an internal message to our campus community earlier this week about the tragic death of Daunte Wright, I encouraged everyone to prayer and action grounded in biblical principles and ideals. Let it be known that since its adoption by the faculty, senior leadership, and Board of Trustees, UNW has chartered a clear course of action in our Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Framework. The Framework document is aligned to Scripture and informed by our missional documents. Our Northwestern community has endorsed its five directives, which provide the foundation for our ongoing diversity and inclusion work based on biblical principles.

We are reminded daily that we live in a fallen world, yet we are called to be salt and light. As we embrace this unified calling, we recognize that differences in theological perspectives and lived experiences exist within our community.

So, while I do not agree with the characterizations and theories in the recent petition about the diversity and inclusion efforts at Northwestern, I also recognize each community member’s right to freedom of speech and to expressions of beliefs and convictions.

As an institution of Christ-centered higher education, we stand firm in our desire to honor God by fostering an environment of belonging for every member of our community. Recognizing that differing viewpoints exist, we welcome and encourage dialogue around diversity initiatives. Honest, open, respectful, passionate discourse can lead to rich and meaningful learning.

Therefore, please be on the lookout for forthcoming opportunities for discussion and engagement.

Dr. Alan S. Cureton