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Dear HFA Community,

Our college is an academic and artistic community committed to advancing knowledge through rigorous scholarly debate that values diverse perspectives and experiences. In the three months that I have served as dean of the college, I have been energized by the passion, innovation and dedication I see in our students, staff, and faculty.

Over the past year, each of us has been affected by the global pandemic, economic hardship, nationwide protests against racism and racist violence, and the escalating political tensions of this election year. National polling makes clear that interest in tomorrow's election is high and matched by considerable concern about its outcome and validity.

In the days and weeks ahead, it will be important for us to recognize that these concerns will likely affect our daily lives at work and home. I encourage you to treat yourselves and each other with a healthy dose of patience and goodwill as we learn about the outcome of the election. I ask that we all hold fast to the university's core values and see that our UMass Amherst community is strengthened by a diversity of perspectives.

During this time, it is likely that many of us may want or need additional support to carry us through these final weeks of the semester, and the type of support needed may be different for each of us. Our campus has many resources and events planned, and some are listed here:

• Center for Counseling and Psychological Health: 2020 Election Support
• Center for Teaching and Learning: Drop-In Forums for Mutual Post-Election Support
• Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Leading Change in a Traumatized World with Dr. Sara Konrath
• College of Social and Behavioral Sciences: What Just Happened? A Discussion on the 2020 Elections
• The Fine Arts Center: Breathing While Black (digital exhibit)
• Department of Music & Dance: Music, Community Engagement, & Social Action—Nicole Wright

On-going support is available through:

• BeWell@UMass
• Faculty and Staff Assistance Program

Information on voting can also be found at UMass Amherst Votes – Election Information.

I will have drop-in office hours for students on Wednesday from 12:30-1:30; Thursday from 10:30-noon. Students should email Kathy Randall krandall@umass.edu for the link.

I wish you all the best, and close with the following passage by W. E. B. Du Bois.

Sincerely,

Barbara Krauthamer
Dean, College of Humanities & Fine Arts

The World and Africa, 1947

I dream of a world of infinite and invaluable variety; not in the laws of gravity or atomic weights, but in human variety in height and weight, color and skin, hair and nose and lip. But more especially and far above and beyond this, in a realm of true freedom: in thought and dream, fantasy and imagination; in gift, aptitude, and genius – all possible manner of difference, topped with freedom of soul to do and be, and freedom of thought to give to a world and build into it, all wealth of inborn individuality. Each effort to stop this freedom of being is a blow at democracy.

There can be no perfect democracy curtailed by color, race, or poverty. But with all we accomplish all, even Peace.

− W. E. B. Du Bois