In Support of Our Communities – April 21, 2021

The School of Planning, Design and Construction echoes the messages from both President Stanley’s and Provost Woodruff’s statements about the impacts from the verdict in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin. Although the verdict brings in some justice and relief, it is difficult to imagine or measure how our African American and other communities of color are affected.

As we ponder the meaning of the murder of George Floyd, the trial, and the verdict, the Provost reminded us of the final push near the end of the semester and that this time could be particularly hard on our students. 

For SPDC students, there are several CAPS listening space events from today through April 29. For faculty and staff, the Employee Assistance Program provides counseling and services. If you have concerns/suggestions, or need to talk to someone, please reach out to me, your mentor, or your program director.

As I stated last May when George Floyd was murdered (below), we must take care of each other and support our colleagues and students during difficult times. Although I feel tired, I am committed to the never-ending journey of dismantling racism and injustice.

We ask you to trust and support our SPDC DEI standing committee in helping our school develop our DEI strategic plan. There is so much work to be done and there is no finish line in this journey.

Ming-Han Li
Professor and School Director

Statement from May 25, 2020

Words cannot describe my feelings when I saw the news about George Floyd on Monday, May 25, 2020. I could barely watch the video and absolutely couldn’t believe that such murder could even happen. As we have discussed, this is on top of several other recent unfortunate incidents that happened on MSU campus. Not to mention many other tragic incidents that took place nationwide. I am saddened and troubled by them.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacts people very differently, and the events of this week are impacting our colleagues in many different ways. Let’s be sure to watch each other and support our colleagues during such difficult times. Associate Dean Quentin Tyler’s “Fostering belonging and empathy” message and Dean Hendrick’s “Committing to a campus culture that supports others” remind us of what is important and what our commitments are. I encourage you to read them.

I am committed to fostering a culture of respect, trust, support and empowerment. An inclusive and welcoming SPDC is what we all need. Thank you for what you all have done during this unprecedented time. Please reach out to me about any concerns and suggestions for us to support each other.

Ming-Han Li
Professor and School Director