College of Agriculture & Natural Resources About

From: CANR Leadership

Date: March 26, 2021

Dear CANR Colleagues,

The murder of eight people, including six Asian women, in Atlanta has had a tremendous impact on our country. In particular, on our Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA), who are members of our College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, MSU Extension and MSU AgBioResearch community. We also recognize that this is not an isolated event over the last year or so for those that represent the APIDA community. Hate, violence, and xenophobia will not and cannot be tolerated.

We deeply regret not making this statement sooner, and we commit to doing better both as individuals and as a team.

Recognizing that our community is very diverse, and working toward a more inclusive and equitable CANR, we commit to stand up for those who have been historically marginalized, minoritized or oppressed. As leaders, it is wholly our work to continue to include, provide equitable environments and ensure the diversity of our community.

We are here to support all members and their respective identities of our community. If you have questions or concerns or need to talk to someone, please reach out to any of us, or your unit leader. Below you’ll find a list of University resources also available for support.

Supportive resources:

• Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS – for students)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP – for faculty and staff)
• University Ombudsperson

For those interested in learning more about APIDA and Asian communities at Michigan State University:

• Asian Pacific American Student Organization (APASO)
• Asian Pacific Islander Desi American/Asian Faculty Staff and Administrators (APIDA/AFSA) Leadership Team
• Asian Pacific American Studies

Sincerely,

• Ron Hendrick, Dean
• Doug Buhler, Director, AgBioResearch and Assistant Vice President for Research and Innovation
• Patrick Cudney, Acting Director, MSU Extension
• Kelly Millenbah, Senior Associate Dean, Director of Academic and Student Affairs
• George Smith, Associate Dean and Associate Director, AgBioResearch
• Quentin Tyler, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Acting Associate Dean for Administration and Faculty Affairs