A Follow Up Message from President Franco Pavoncello to the JCU Community

Follow-up message to June 2nd Statement

President Franco Pavoncello

As President of an American overseas university with an international student body, in light of the events unfolding in the United States, I issued a statement on June 2, 2020, condemning all violations of human rights, including any form of racism, and racist discrimination and violence.

Many in our community, and in particular Black students and alumni, felt that the Administration fell short. This was not our intention, and thus we recognize that we failed to clearly convey our own convictions.

This is a time for clarity and for standing on the right side of history, and JCU knows well which side of history it stands on. We unequivocally oppose any form of white supremacy.

Thus, I wish to state in the clearest terms that our University condemns the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and of all other countless black Americans killed by racists, whatever uniform or ideology they claim.

We affirm that Black lives matter. We condemn systematic racist violence against Black people in the strongest way. Our societies cannot prosper while this cancer persists.

As I wrote in my previous statement, our minds must remain open, and we must continue, with new vigor, to take further initiatives to ensure that our university is free from the scourge of racism and discrimination of Black people and of any other group.

We are looking forward to working with all our constituencies, taking concrete steps in the near future towards that goal.

Sincerely,

President Franco Pavoncello