Dear UD Community,

Our nation has voted and Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has secured the necessary Electoral College votes to become the 46th President of the United States of America, as reported by multiple media outlets including the Associated Press. On behalf of his alma mater the University of Delaware, I want to congratulate him on this remarkable achievement. We wish him well in guiding our country into a peaceful, united, and prosperous future for all.

President-elect Biden’s long and distinguished career in public service has provided an inspiring example of the power of a University of Delaware education. What’s more, our students, faculty, staff and alumni can look with pride that our nation will have a Blue Hen as President of the United States. While President-elect Biden serves in this new role, we look forward to continuing the important work of the Biden Institute and the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware.

For many of you, this election result is excellent news; for others, it may be a source of disappointment. Please remember our shared mission as a University community by treating others with the civility and respect that you would expect from them. If you are feeling stressed or anxious because of the election, or other reasons, UD provides resources to support and assist students and employees.

However you view the outcome of the national election, I encourage all of us to remember the values that define the character of the University of Delaware. We embrace academic freedom to protect and promote the robust exchange of ideas and opinions. We work to increase diversity and inclusion so that our community more fully represents the human experience and we can all grow and learn from one another. We foster innovation as the means to address the most complex scientific and humanistic challenges facing our world. We nurture a supportive community so that every voice is heard, and we apply our scholarship, research and creative energy in service to others. These values will always guide the essential work of the University, regardless of the political landscape.

Indeed, the global coronavirus pandemic of this year has reminded us that these are the ideals that should always define us as Americans and as human beings. Thank you for continuing to uphold these values at the University of Delaware and throughout your lives.

Sincerely,

Dennis Assanis, President