A message about the presidential election

November 4, 2020

Dear members of the Mount Holyoke College community,

As the 2020 presidential election draws to a close, and with some key states yet to declare, the nation awaits the final tally of ballots cast by the American electorate. While we do not yet know the outcome of the presidential race, we are hopeful that we will see some resolution in the days ahead.

Just as the election of 2016 was unusual in terms both of the divisions it created and the rhetoric that emboldened physical and verbal acts of a discriminatory and hateful nature, so for many the 2020 election cycle has been persistently challenging and emotionally exhausting. Indeed, this has been one of the most contentious elections in modern history — and coinciding with the global COVID-19 pandemic and national unrest and violence over equal justice, 2020 has been a year unlike any in most of our lifetimes. What is clear already is that our nation continues to be deeply divided. 

Let me take this moment to express my admiration for all those who have worked to get out the vote and to support democracy and community, especially in this difficult moment. When future generations look back at our College’s response to the events of 2020 and the years leading up to this election, they will see evidence of Mount Holyoke people standing up for what is right and what matters, exercising their rights to vote, to speak up and speak out, embracing opportunities and confronting all of the challenges to individuals, our society and our planet. There is no doubt that, whatever the outcome, we will all be called upon to continue to work for a more equitable and just America, and to bridge the differences that divide us.

This is an election in which many hard-won rights and protections are at stake. Mount Holyoke and the education it offers represent a deep and longstanding commitment to equity and inclusion; to human dignity, empathy and opportunity; to critical inquiry and the relentless pursuit of learning, knowledge, truth and reason; and to global understanding, freedom of movement and freedom of speech. These rights and protections may affect each member of our community differently, but, for many, their safety and their future are at stake, and this alone should be a concern for us all. Any diminution of rights and protections, any dimming of democracy, is also a dimming of the future of higher education. 

As we await further news and final results, please know that Mount Holyoke will continue to defend those rights and protections, the values and ideals that we strive towards every day, both through education and advocacy. We will continue to work to protect the intellectualism, pluralism and internationalism that are core to our mission.

Please remember to reach out to each other in support and friendship, and know that additional resources are also available to members of our campus community. For students seeking support, please visit the recent Dean’s Corner, as it has a full roundup of the resources, programs and support available to you. Employees should visit my.mtholyoke’s Human Resources section. All community members should check the events calendar for upcoming workshops, discussion groups and panels that will discuss the election and its implications. 

In solidarity, and in anticipation of our continuing efforts in this, our Mount Holyoke community,

Sonya