From the Dean: A Message and Request
February 5, 2021
Dear College of Computing Students,
As I wrap up my first week as dean, I wanted to reach out to say that I am absolutely loving learning about Michigan Tech, the College, and our community. This is a fantastic university with world class programs that we should all be proud of.
For the vast majority of our students, the Tech experience—your experience—is also exceptional. However, I recognize that is not the case for our entire community. I acknowledge that racist, sexist, homophobic, and other deplorable actions still occur at Michigan Tech, as they unfortunately do all over.
This came to a head for me as I attended my first University Senate meeting on Wednesday, February 3. There I heard countless members of our community, including some from our college, tell their experiences of bias and bigotry. We obviously have a long way to go in addressing issues related to race, gender, and other areas of discrimination.
My goal—nay our goal—is to make the College of Computing a place where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. And admittedly, I don't know how to do that, which is why I am asking for your help.
Please tell me your story. What has your experience been in regard to diversity and inclusion? What do I need to be aware of as I start my new dean position? What is working? What needs to change? How can we improve?
My commitment to you, in this request and as dean, is that you will always have a forum to speak and be heard on topics of concern to you and our educational community. I will ask questions, listen to your responses, seek to understand your experiences, and proactively address your concerns.
Please reach out to me via email (dlivesay@mtu.edu) if you'd like to schedule a time to talk. I know that speaking truth to power can be uncomfortable, so please feel free to bring a friend. Our conversation will be completely confidential.
Sincerely,
Dennis R. Livesay, PhD (he/him/his)
Dave House Dean of Computing
Michigan Technological University
