This letter was featured in the Salt Lake Tribune on Saturday May 2 as the Letter of the week. There were 108 signatures when it was submitted. There are now 114.
(More than) 100 UVU Scholars Committed to Diversity and Inclusion
George Pyle wrote Sunday in the Salt Lake Tribune that Gene Schaerr, the lawyer hired by the State of Utah to argue against marriage equality in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, has filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case and has done so for “100 Scholars of Marriage.” Pyle noted that among the 100 are 13 with connections to Utah, including, “most notably, Matthew Holland, the president of Utah Valley University.”
All of us, including our university president Matthew Holland, have the right to speak publicly as private citizens on controversial issues. However, as the public face of UVU to the larger community, Holland has a special responsibility to avoid public pronouncements that would harm his ability to carry out his duties as president of a state university officially committed to “diversity and inclusion.”
As current and former members of the Utah Valley University faculty and staff, we find President Matthew Holland’s promotion of the spurious ideas expressed by the “100 Scholars” and the potential association of UVU with the Schaerr brief to be disappointing and harmful to values at the core of our public university.
Jim Harris, Biology,
Scott Abbott, Integrated Studies and Humanities
Daniel Horns, Earth Science
Catherine Stephen, Biology
David Knowlton, Anthropology
Sam Rushforth, Biology
Lyn Bennett, History
Alan Clarke, Integrated Studies
Alex Simon, Sociology
Angie Banchero-Kelleher, Dance
Christa Albrecht-Crane, English
Jeff Torlina, Sociology
Dan Stephen, Earth Science and Environmental Studies
Karin Anderson, English
Robert Robbins, Biology
John Hunt, History
Nancy Rushforth, Integrated Studies and Humanities
Laura Hamblin, English
Katherine Paulick, Sociology
Bob Palais, Mathematics
Steven Emerman, Earth Science
Denise Richards, Student Leadership and Success Studies
Nathan Gorelick, English
Laurie Whitt, Integrated Studies and Philosophy
JaNae Haas, History
Michael Bunds, Earth Science
Stacy Waddoups, Student Leadership and Success Studies
Bill Evenson, Physics
Kate McPherson, English
Anita Bradford, History
Chris Weigel, Philosophy
Mike Jensen, Student Leadership and Success Studies
Emily Holt, Biology
Lydia Kerr, English
Cindy Hamman, Dental Hygiene
Janice Sugiyama, Biotechnology
Larry Harper, English and Philosophy
Kevin Eyraud, ESL
Christine Contestable, Philosophy and Student Leadership and Success Studies
Monica Campbell, Dance
Matt Horn, Chemistry
Lisa Hall Hagen, Theater
Gaya Carlton, Nursing
Joel Bradford, Earth Science
Mark Lentz, History
Lisa Lambert, Student Leadership and Success Studies
Michael Goode, History
Ross Hagen, Music
Jan Wellington, English
Hazel McKenna, Developmental Mathematics
David Yoder, Anthropology
Leslie Simon, Humanities
Sandy McGunigall-Smith, Behavioral Science
Anne Arendt, Technology Management
Richard Tolman, Biology
J.C. Graham, Suicide Prevention
Dennis Potter, Philosophy
Paul Bybee, Biology
Glendon Parker, Biology
Deb Thornton, English
Lee Anne Mortensen, English
Kindra Amott, Philosophy and Humanities
Erin McClure, Summit Program Manager
Colleen Bye, Developmental Mathematics
Alex Strasburg, Center for the Study of Ethics
Karen Mizell, Philosophy
Deborah Marrott, Basic Composition
Keith Snedegar, History
Sam Liang, Humanities
Sandra García-Sánchez, Developmental Mathematics
Jamie Johnson, Veteran Coordinator
Mavis F. Green, Aviation
Robbin Anthony, Student Life and Wellness
George Veit, Dental Hygiene
Garth Tino, Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation
Lisa Williamson, Women’s Success Center
Liz Owens, Sociology
Jenna R. Atkinson, Assistive Technology
Brooke Swallow, Student Life
Heather Holland, Philosophy and Humanities
Chelsey Darrington, Graduation and Transfer Services
Gabriel Black, Lead-Staff Interpreter
Tiffany Yoast, Student Leadership and Success Studies
Tia Sorensen, Prospective Student Services
Michaela Giesenkirchen Sawyer, Humanities
Samuel Banford, English
Numsiri Kunakemakorn, Secondary Education
David Heldenbrand, Computer Science
Kristin Nuesmeyer, Academic Advisor
Betsy Lindley, Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation
Jerry Petersen, English
Sarah Donohue, Dance
Terrell Wyche, Biology
Wioleta Fedeczko, English
Russ Harrel, Earth Science
Brad Morin, Mathematics
Scott Williams, Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation
Suzanne Walther, Earth Science
Mark Olson, Integrated Studies
Michael T. Stevens, Biology
Travis Reynolds, Behavioral Science
Catherine McIntyre, Archivist and Digitization Librarian
Maritza Sotomayor, Finance and Economics
Reba Keele, Public and Community Health
Lucille Stoddard, Business and Academic Administration
Eric Robertson, Humanities
Suzy Cox, Education
Machiel Van Frankenhuijsen, Mathematics
Joshua Snyder, Biology
Emily Bullough, Library
Grant Moss, English
Paul Weber, Physics
Rick McDonald, English
Ed Firmage, Humanities
