Dear students, faculty and staff:
I am writing to you today with sentiments that I know are widely shared among the OTC community.
Recently, we witnessed the horrifying deaths of George Floyd and other Black Americans. As a result, citizens are expressing their frustration, pain and moral outrage through protests across the country.
The difficult conversations spurred by these events give us an opportunity to evaluate and reaffirm our commitment to diversity and inclusion. I want to assure our students and employees that racism in any form is not tolerated and is directly opposed to our mission and institutional values. It is up to us to make OTC a place free of discrimination; one that embraces differences; and one that respects all individuals.
A major point of pride for OTC is our commitment to serve every student and our college’s culture of inclusion. While our student population is increasingly diverse, this fact should not result in our complacency.
Students, please know that the faculty, staff and administration at OTC will continue to advocate for the underserved members of our community.
I encourage each and every one of you to listen to and reflect on these nationwide conversations about race. Our mission of accessibility and inclusion has never been more important. Together, we can make our institution a welcoming place for everyone.
Sincerely,
Hal L. Higdon, Ph.D.
OTC Chancellor