To the Case Western Reserve University community,
I hope each of you made time over the long weekend to relax, reflect and reconnect with friends and loved ones. I especially enjoyed seeing the remarkable turnout for the inaugural CWRU Family Thanksgiving: the hundreds of students who gathered for a traditional Thanksgiving meal as well as the dozens of staff members, administrators and families who spent their holiday on campus to be with them.
Moments like these remind me of the incredible kindness, passion and strength of our community, and the importance of each individual who comprises it. Case Western Reserve’s diversity—of thoughts, of interests and of life experiences—is a core part of what makes our university so exceptional. Embracing and respecting this diversity are central to who we are as an institution and are among the many ways we foster a welcoming, inclusive learning environment for our thousands of students, faculty and staff members.
As you may know, last week, Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law Senate Bill 104, which requires transgender individuals at public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities to use bathrooms and locker rooms according to their sex assigned at birth. This law also bans multi-occupancy, all-gender restrooms. The law is anticipated to go into effect in late February, although it may be challenged in court.
Multiple teams across the university are determining the law’s impact on our buildings, but our primary focus is, and always will be, the safety and well-being of our people. While we will, of course, abide by the law, we are collaborating with campus partners—from our facilities teams to our LGBT Center and more—to ensure all members of our community, especially those who are transgender, feel safe, comfortable and supported.
We will share updates on this important issue as more details become available, but in the mean time, I want to reiterate a phrase that has been central to Case Western Reserve University for years: You are welcome here.
Sincerely,
Eric W. Kaler
President