Dear Antiochians,
On Tuesday, our nation held its 60th presidential election. Many of us voted in the election, and many of us got involved in other ways, too: as poll workers, poll watchers, canvassers, donors, phone bankers, protesters, and more. I want to send out a huge thank you to all of you who participated in our democratic process.
We knew the election would be close, but while once again only a few percentage points separated the winner and loser of the popular vote, the outcome of the election was clear on election night. For many Americans—and a majority of voters—it was an occasion to celebrate. Here at Antioch we have a great diversity of viewpoints, but I know from looking at Antioch’s Election Word Clouds (to which over 750 of you have contributed) and from conversations with colleagues and students that many of us are grieving what could have been. And at the same time we are fearing what the next administration will do—to women’s bodily autonomy, to the environment, to LGBTQIA+ folks, to immigrants, to the free press, to dissidents, to the rule of law, to democracy, to the republic we love, and to higher education.
This pain—the dread of things to come—is awful. I want to extend my deep sympathy to each of you who are experiencing this, and I encourage us all to take care of ourselves and each other. It will take time to accept and adapt to—and perhaps resist—this changed world. Taking care of yourself can be as simple as taking a long walk, exercising, fixing a good meal, taking a vacation from news and social media; or you might need to reach out to ask for help. It could mean taking the time to text a friend or your family to let them know you’re thinking of them. I’ve always found that helping someone else is the best way to take care of myself. Please don’t be reluctant to seek help if you need it.
Here at Antioch University, we are still figuring out what this election will mean for our institution. We know that we will remain committed to our social justice mission and winning victories for humanity. How we will act and react in the months and years to come is a question we are just beginning to ponder. We spent the last year exploring what higher education owes democracy and modeling that for the rest of higher education through Antioch Works for Democracy. Today, it’s as clear as ever that this work is not done. But now is not the time to come to any conclusions about next steps. As Vice President Harris advised, however, “We will not throw up our hands. Instead, it’s time to roll up our sleeves.” I can promise that we will keep working on these questions, and I hope to join many of you in this work.
For now, I want to wish you all a peaceful weekend. Keep on taking care of yourselves and each other. And please know that you are not alone. I believe that we who together make up Antioch University will continue to be a powerful force for justice in our nation and world—and we will keep being a supportive community for each other in times like these. Thank you to each of you for what you do.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Bill Groves
