To the Aggie Community:

Our community is reeling and in pain from the terror and escalating violence we are witnessing in Israel and in the Gaza Strip. Especially horrific is the use of hostages and the great losses of both Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives. We stand in support of our Jewish and Muslim communities. We deeply mourn this catastrophic loss of life and the destruction of many families and futures.

I write to share today’s statement from the University of California President Michael V. Drake and UC Board of Regents Chair Richard Leib and to join in their condemnation of the attacks and horrific loss of civilian lives.

Many Aggies have family and loved ones in the regions and nations in conflict and have shared with me their pain, grief and anger. I encourage anyone in our community to take advantage of the many support systems we have at UC Davis.  

• Aggie Mental Health/Counseling Services for Students 
• Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) 
• Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) within Global Affairs

When any type of crisis impacts our community, our campus activates immediately. Our first priority is to evaluate and reach out directly to faculty, staff, students or scholars who may be in danger or need immediate support. We proactively contact our centers, units, departments and partner organizations serving the communities impacted to help identify any needs and connect them with support resources.

We must stand as a collective Aggie community to uphold our values of kindness, compassion and empathy. We must also remain vigilant against any mistreatment of fellow Aggies at home. If you, or someone you know, experiences discrimination or harassment, I urge you to report it to our Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP).