September 3, 2002

MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY

The first anniversary of the September 11th tragedy is approaching, and this date has acquired a special and solemn meaning across our nation and around the world. Many in the University of California community will be taking the opportunity of this anniversary to honor the heroes and victims of September 11th, to contemplate the events of the past year, and to look forward.

We share the sorrow for the lives that were lost one year ago, including members of our own UC family. While September 11th signifies different things to different people, for me, it will always be a reminder of the fragility of human life and of the constant need for citizens of the global community to find ways of understanding each other and living together peacefully.

As a research university, we have a special role to play in the post-September 11th environment. We are engaged in a search for knowledge that leads to an improved understanding of our world and the betterment of the human condition. We can take great pride in the contributions our faculty, students, staff, and alumni are making in the areas of international relations, cross-cultural understanding, anti-terrorism, infrastructure protection, disaster response, and nuclear security, among many others.

While University business will continue on September 11, I encourage you to participate in any of the commemorative activities occurring in our local communities that day. I urge the chancellors and laboratory directors to be as flexible as possible in permitting employees to participate in such activities during the workday.

Fiat Lux,

Richard C. Atkinson
President