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Welcome to the fall 2020 semester! I am looking forward to a great start, even in these challenging circumstances. I appreciate all of your efforts over the summer to prepare for so many unique aspects of socially distanced learning, teaching, research and outreach, with the goal of keeping our CAFNR community safe while still giving students and stakeholders the best education possible! Your flexibility, resourcefulness, creativity, organization — I’m blown away by it all! I understand none of us know exactly what this semester will look like, but I do believe that, whatever comes, CAFNR and Mizzou are as prepared as possible. I thank you for that. Thank you for attending our CAFNR Zoom Hall meetings earlier this month. I hope I answered your questions — either posed or in the back of your minds — about the budget, back-to-campus and the college’s initiatives around cultivating diversity and inclusion. I always strive to keep you as informed as possible. Reach out to me if you have unanswered questions – no problem. I have attended meetings this month as part of the Board of Directors for the Institute of Food Technologists, as well as with USDA. I hope you might tune in to the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City’s August webinar, which features our own Bryon Wiegand, professor of animal sciences, as part of a panel on Consumer Perspectives of the Food Supply Chain in a COVID Environment. I enjoyed welcoming CAFNR’s new students in person on Friday. I know they are excited, but also nervous about what this year holds. The following is part of what I shared in a welcome email earlier today with our students. I hope you will take it to heart as well: I also know the pandemic is not the only thing on your mind. This summer our nation witnessed racially motivated tragedies and protests for racial justice. It has been a top concern here, too, as experiences of racism on our campus have been shared on social media by both former and current Mizzou students. In April 2019, our college launched a strategic plan that includes six strategic priority areas guiding everything we do in CAFNR. Ensuring Student Success is one, as is Cultivating a Diverse and Inclusive Community. These two priorities go hand in hand. You, our students, cannot enjoy true success if you do not grow as inclusive and compassionate individuals during your time here. Therefore, CAFNR is dedicated to strengthening our community by becoming more welcoming and inclusive. We condemn bias, racism and discrimination in any form in CAFNR – period. Anyone who sees or experiences any discriminatory act may contact me directly at c.r.daubert@missouri.edu, in addition to making a report through Mizzou’s Office for Civil Rights & Title IX. Each division and office in our college is committed to specific ACTIONS that will showcase the CAFNR commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and compassion. I am proud of the steps our college is taking – including curriculum and policy reviews, group coursework and discussion, and providing additional funding for student clubs. Our efforts in this area will continue to evolve and grow. Starting with the 2021-22 academic year, curriculum on diversity and inclusion will be part of every degree program in our college. In recognition of Mizzou’s values, every individual deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect. Remember, we all come from different places and backgrounds – each of us has a story to share and much to contribute. I propose that while at Mizzou, we have a responsibility to discover each other’s story. By doing so, we will bring excellence and distinction to our campus and college. CAFNR Proud, Christopher R. Daubert, Ph.D.
CAFNR Vice Chancellor & Dean |
