Reaffirming SMC’s Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion for All: A Message from SMC President Kathryn E. Jeffery

The following message was sent by SMC President Kathryn E. Jeffery to college students and employees 

Dear Santa Monica College Students and Colleagues:

As we enter the final stretch of the Spring 2018 semester, it is my hope that this has been a fruitful time for you at Santa Monica College, that you have been challenged to grow academically and personally. 

I have spent much of my life dedicated to gaining or promoting higher education opportunities. I am very proud to be part of Santa Monica College, a student-centered organization that prides itself on inclusivity and diversity, and sets forth in its mission statement the objective of providing a safe, inclusive, and dynamic learning environment that encourages personal and intellectual exploration.

I write to you today to remind us—all the members of the SMC community—of those values. I write to reinforce that, while incidents of prejudice, hate, and discrimination still exist everywhere, the values of SMC remain steadfast, and every individual matters, irrespective of ethnic background, race, religion, sexual orientation, or immigration status.  We believe that the strength of SMC lies in the diversity of our students, employees, and that our shared experiences and institutional values of intellectual inquiry, academic integrity, and ethical behavior will help create a model for other institutions in the society we live in today.

Recently an outside visitor brought hate speech onto one of Santa Monica College’s campuses. This will not be tolerated. If you are the target of hate speech or witness it, you should immediately contact the Santa Monica College Police Department at 310-434-4300 or submit an anonymous report to campus police via the LiveSafe app or www.smc.edu/Anonymous-Reporting. Do not engage with the individual causing such an incident.  

When bias motivates an unlawful act, it is considered a hate crime. To find out more about what constitutes a hate crime, see page 12 of the Santa Monica College Police Department’s 2017 Annual Security Report (PDF).

Here at SMC, there is no room for hate—that also means we do not condone violence/hate against any individual, including those perceived to be the perpetrators.  “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President
Santa Monica College