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message from President Eric Barron.

A Message from the Leadership at Penn
State
September 5, 2014
Dear friends:
For decades, few universities could match the considerate manner in which
Penn Staters treated both friend and opponent. In particular, to see someone
wearing a Penn State T-shirt while traveling was a guarantee of a common bond
and warm conversation no matter how distant the location. Today, that rather
remarkable bond is under stress.
Unfortunately, there are many examples in every university where differences of
opinion lead to incivility. For Penn State, one issue is of particular concern.
There are honest disagreements on fundamental issues related to whether our
institution acted appropriately, how our institution handled a crisis, and whether
the sanctions that resulted are appropriate. Reasonable people can be found on
all sides of these issues. The reasons for this disagreement are clear. Much is
still left to interpretation and the issues have considerable emotional significance
to us all. We are likely never to have the full story. We are equally likely never to
reach consensus.
The question is whether a lack of ci vility in discussing these issues will create a
deeper divide, one that alters the remarkable bond that exists between all those
who are a part of the Penn State community. Consider just a few examples that
you may have also come across the alumnus who says he lost his best friend
over his opinion of the Freeh report; the alumni trustee candidate that faced
dozens of unkind comments; the long time donor of time and treasure who no
longer feels welcome.
Debate and disagreement are critical constructs in the role of universities in
testing ideas and promoting progress on complex issues. But, the leaders of
your University at every level, from the administration, faculty, staff and
students, are unanimous in deploring the erosion of civility associated with our
discourse. Reasonable people disagree, but we can disagree without sacrificing
respect. The First Amendment guarantees our right to speak as we wish, but we
are stronger if we can argue and debate without degrading others.
Today, civility is an issue that arises in many areas of campus debate. Some
may argue that the lack of civility is a national issue, promoted by a growing
community involved in posting anonymous comments on blogs or by acrimonious
national politics. We cannot afford to follow their lead, not if we are to serve our
students as role models, not if we expect to continue to attract the outstanding
volunteers who serve our University in so many ways, and not if we wish to have
Penn Staters take our University to new levels of excellence.
Respect is a core value at Penn State University. We ask you to consciously
choose civility and to support those whose words and actions serve to promote
respectful disagreement and thereby strengthen our community.
Signed,
Members of the Presidents Council (unanimous)

Eric J. Barron, President
Janine S. Andrews, Director,
Office of the Board of Trustees
and Associate Secretary
Anne (Sandy) Barbour,
Director of Intercollegiate
Athletics
Susan M. Basso, Vice
President for Human Resources
Blannie E. Bowen, Vice
Provost for Academic Affairs
Michael J. DiRaimo, Special
Assistant to the President for
Governmental Affairs
Stephen S. Dunham, Vice
Nicholas P. Jones, Executive
Vice President and Provost of
the University
Rodney P. Kirsch, Senior Vice
President for Development and
Alumni Relations
Robert N. Pangborn, Vice
President and Dean for
Undergraduate Education
Thomas G. Poole, Vice
President for
Administration/Secretary
Neil A. Sharkey, Interim Vice
President for Research
Damon Sims, Vice President
President and General Counsel
David J. Gray, Senior Vice
President for Finance and
Business/Treasurer
Madlyn L. Hanes, Vice
President for Commonwealth
Campuses
Craig Hillemeier, Chief
Executive Officer, Penn State
Milton S. Hershey Medical
Center; Senior Vice President
for Health Affairs; Dean, Penn
State College of Medicine
for Student Affairs
Craig D. Weidemann, Vice
President for Outreach and Vice
Provost for Online Education
Marcus A. Whitehurst, Interim
Vice Provost for Educational
Equity
Members of the Academic Leadership Council (unanimous)
Francis K. Achampong,
Chancellor, Penn State Mont
Alto
Michael A. Adewumi, Vice
Provost for Global Programs
Kelly M. Austin, Chancellor,
Penn State Schuylkill
Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry,
Chancellor and Dean, Penn
State Altoona
Donald L. Birx, Chancellor,
Penn State Erie, The Behrend
College
Blannie E. Bowen, Vice
Provost for Academic Affairs
Christian M. M. Brady, Dean,
Schreyer Honors College
David W. Chown, Chancellor,
Penn State York
Barbara J. Christ, Interim
Dean, College of Agricultural
Sciences
Ann (Nan) C. Crouter, Dean,
College of Health and Human
Development
Charles H. Davis, Chancellor,
Barbara O. Korner, Dean,
College of Arts and Architecture
Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen,
Chancellor, Penn State
Worthington Scranton
Donna J. Kuga, Interim
Chancellor, Penn State Beaver
Jonna M. Kulikowich, Chair,
University Faculty Senate
Mukund S. Kulkarni,
Chancellor, Penn State
Harrisburg
Daniel J. Larson, Dean, Eberly
College of Science
Gary M. Lawler, Chancellor,
Penn State Hazleton
Kenneth F. Lehrman III, Vice
Provost for Affirmative Action
Paula Milone-Nuzzo, Dean,
College of Nursing
David H. Monk, Dean, College
of Education
Kevin M. Morooney, Vice
Provost for Information
Technology
Robert N. Pangborn, Vice
Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Barbara I. Dewey, Dean,
University Libraries and
Scholarly Communications
William E. Easterling III, Dean,
College of Earth and Mineral
Sciences
Craig S. Edelbrock,
Chancellor, Penn State Great
Valley
Amr S. Elnashai, Dean,
College of Engineering
Gary S. Gildin, Interim Dean,
Penn State Law in Carlisle
Davie Jane Gilmour, President,
Pennsylvania College of
Technology
Madlyn L. Hanes, Vice
President for Commonwealth
Campuses
Marie Hardin, Dean, College of
Communications
Melanie L. Hatch, Chancellor
and Chief Academic Officer,
Penn State DuBois
Nancy L. Herron, Interim
Chancellor, Penn State Greater
Allegheny
A. Craig Hillemeier, Chief
Executive Officer, Penn State
Milton S. Hershey Medical
Center; Senior Vice President
for Health Affairs; Dean, Penn
State College of Medicine
R. Keith Hillkirk, Chancellor,
Penn State Berks
James W. Houck, Interim Dean,
Penn State Law at University
Park
Nicholas P. Jones, Executive
Vice President and Provost of
President and Dean for
Undergraduate Education
W. Charles Patrick,
Chancellor/Chief Academic
Officer, Penn State Fayette, The
Eberly Campus
Mary Beth Rosson, Interim
Dean, College of Information
Sciences and Technology
Karen Wiley Sandler,
Chancellor, Penn State
Abington
Neil A. Sharkey, Interim Vice
President for Research
Damon Sims, Vice President
for Student Affairs
Kevin J. G. Snider, Chancellor,
Penn State New Kensington
Regina Vasilatos-Younken,
Interim Dean of the Graduate
School
Craig D. Weidemann, Vice
President for Outreach and Vice
Provost for Online Education
Susan Welch, Dean, College of
the Liberal Arts
Marcus A. Whitehurst, Interim
Vice Provost for Educational
Equity
Charles H. Whiteman, Dean,
Smeal College of Business
Ann M. Williams, Chancellor,
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Kristin R. Woolever,
Chancellor, Penn State
Brandywine
the University
Members of the University Faculty Senate's Advisory Committee (unanimous)
Mohamad A. Ansari, Penn
State Berks, Chair Elect,
University Faculty Senate
Thomas O. Beebee, Member,
Faculty Advisory Committee to
the President
Ellen A. Knodt, Penn State
Abington, Member, Faculty
Advisory Committee to the
President
Jonna M. Kulikowich, Chair,
University Faculty Senate
Chester A. Ray, Penn State
Hershey, Member, Faculty
Advisory Committee to the
President
James A. Strauss, Secretary,
University Faculty Senate
Brenton M. Yarnal, Immediate
Past Chair of the University
Faculty Senate
University Staff Advisory Council Executive Officers (unanimous)
Jeremy Warner, Security and
Facility Manager, Palmer
Museum of Art, Chair
Jennifer C. Blew,
Administrative Support
Assistant, Schreyer Honors
College, Co-Chair-elect
Devon Marie Mower,
Residence Life Coordinator, Co-
Chair-elect
Susan A. Johnson, Manager of
Planning and Operations,
Liberal Arts, Secretary
Susan A. Johnson, Manager of
Planning and Operations,
Liberal Arts, Secretary
Madhavi Kari, Cocurriculum
Programs Manager, Information
Sciences and Technology,
Secretary-elect
Pauline M. McCarl,
Administrative Support
Coordinator, Earth and Mineral
Sciences, Past Secretary
Student leadership (unanimous)
Anand R. Ganjam, President,
University Park Undergraduate
Association (UPUA)
John Shaffer, President,
Council of Commonwealth
Student Governments (CCSG),
Danielle C. Rhubart, President,
Graduate and Professional
Student Association (GPSA)