The following massmail was sent today.

Dear students, faculty, staff and friends:

Along with unprecedented challenges, 2020 has also brought historic progress.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision on LGBTQ rights, ruling that employers cannot fire workers based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It extends the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and accelerates our nation’s course toward inclusion and respect for all. We welcome and celebrate this ruling.

The ruling reflects the values at the very core of our mission across the University of Illinois System. Equality and fairness must underlie everything we do. Our universities open their doors wide to students, faculty and staff from varied backgrounds, varied walks of life and varied points of view. 

The Supreme Court’s ruling provides an excellent opportunity to, once again, reaffirm our bedrock support for all students and for all faculty and staff at our three universities – those who identify as LGBTQ, those with disabilities, those who are veterans of the military, those who come to our institutions from other parts of the world, and those from the rich mix of ethnic, racial, cultural, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds that we cherish. You are all welcome here and, together, you provide the very heartbeat of the University of Illinois System, enriching it as a global leader in education and innovation. 

Sincerely,

Tim Killeen, President
Barb Wilson, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs