President’s Message: Spring 2022

I’m pleased to welcome everyone back for spring classes on our Main Campus and at our two law schools, and I extend special greetings to those of you who are joining Widener as new students. Welcome to the Pride!

While we are beginning the semester with remote instruction, to give all members of our community time to get a booster shot to defend against the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant, I look forward to seeing everyone back on campus in person later this month.

Widener’s careful attention to Center for Disease Control guidance and compliance with our university policies worked very well for us in the fall. I am confident that even with the latest variant, our decision to require booster vaccinations along with our steadfast commitment to safe practices such as masking, handwashing and staying home when you are ill, will allow us to have an excellent spring experience.

I recognize, as we stand at the threshold of the pandemic’s two-year mark, that we are all tired and frustrated with the slow pace of progress and just want this to end. As difficult as it is, Widener is focused on the long game, and getting through this with our community’s safety and well being as our top priorities. We set Jan. 21 as the deadline for those who are eligible to obtain a booster, and are counting on that extra layer of protection as we move through the Omicron peak and work to retain the best aspects of the Widener experience this spring!

One of those is the ability to learn and study in the company of classmates and friends. In a week where our nation remembers the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, it is fitting to express our appreciation for the richly diverse community that is Widener. Being able to learn in an inclusive atmosphere where different perspectives are welcomed and encouraged, and where the ethos We’re All Widener guides our progress, is both uplifting and empowering.

Just yesterday I facilitated a Common Ground discussion with Chief Diversity Officer Micki Davis, to coincide with the King holiday, in which we deliberated how higher education institutions can uphold their values to audiences of students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and the general public in the face of troubling events in our world. These kinds of Common Ground conversations demonstrate that at Widener, we are unafraid to tackle tough and relevant issues with compassion and humility. 

Working together, we’ve kept Widener’s exceptional spirit alive. I am confident that spirit will carry us through another successful spring, and in four months we’ll be celebrating our newest graduates and all that’s been accomplished this academic year. 

With Pride,
Julie