Expectations for our thriving community

It was a pleasure to be in community with faculty and staff at this morning’s Academic Convocation. We invite you to read the full speeches delivered by President Rob Manuel and Provost Salma Ghanem ​and look forward to celebrating the official beginning of the DePaul journey for all our new students at next week’s Blue Demon Welcome. ​

As we embark on a new academic year, moments like Academic Convocation and the Blue Demon Welcome remind us of who we are and why we’re here. In a world that’s shifting rapidly, our Catholic, Vincentian mission continues to serve as our anchor and guide, reminding us that everything we do is in service of student success and the transformative power of education. 

At DePaul, we have been blessed with an opportunity to create an environment that models a way of being together, rooted in our values. We listen, ask questions, reflect on and challenge assumptions — and seek to foster healthy relationships with others so that we continue to learn and grow. This way of being is only possible when we create space for a wide range of voices and perspectives, even when they differ from our own. 

We won’t always agree, and that’s okay. It’s even necessary for growth and innovation. What matters is how we engage with each other: with curiosity, compassion, dignity, and respect. 

We expect our community members to uphold DePaul’s guidelines that support free expression, demonstrations, and a safe environment because we are committed to maintaining a university where everyone can thrive. 

For new members of our community, as well as a reminder for those returning, we encourage you to review DePaul’s Demonstration Guidelines and Guiding Principles for Speech and Free Expression.  

Our university is a place where ideas are explored openly and thoughtfully, and where care for one another remains primary. That means protecting academic freedom and encouraging civil discourse — even when the topics are difficult or uncomfortable — ​because only through respectful dialogue can we bridge divides. 

At the same time, speech or actions that intimidate, threaten, dehumanize others, or disrupt the ability for the university to operate have no place here. University community members may learn about our Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policy via this link and report any complaints online.

We also believe in shared governance and the importance of trust and transparency in how decisions are made. When difficult conversations arise, as they inevitably will in our vibrant university community, we must meet them not with division, but with grace. 

To help foster this kind of meaningful dialogue, the Dialogue Collaborative​ will be hosting quarterly events where students, faculty, and staff can come together to listen, learn, and grow. These gatherings are part of our ongoing commitment to creating a culture where free expression is met with openness to understanding and shared meaning — where we recognize that the only way we truly move forward is together. 

This year, let’s once again recommit to what makes DePaul special: our shared mission, our respect for one another, and our belief in the transformative power of education and community.

Thank you for all that you bring to DePaul. We’re excited for what this new year holds — for the questions we’ll ask, the discoveries we’ll make, and the community we’ll continue to build together.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Manuel

President

Salma Ghanem

Provost

Sherri Sidler 

Executive Vice President and CFO

David Avdul

Interim Vice President, Human Resources

Sulin Ba

Dean, Driehaus College of Business

Elizabeth Clements

Vice President, University Communications

Peter Coffey

Associate Vice President, Community and Government Relations

Stephanie Dance-Barnes

Dean, College of Science and Health

Lucia Dettori

Interim Dean, Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media 

Katie Fraumann

Senior Vice President, Advancement and External Relations

Soumitra Ghosh

Vice President, Enrollment Management

Martine Kei Green-Rogers

Dean, The Theatre School

Kimberlie L. Goldsberry

Interim Vice President, Student Affairs

Mark Laboe

Interim Vice President, Mission and Ministry

Dania Matos

Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

Bob McCormick

Vice President, Information Services

John Milbauer

Dean, School of Music

Jennifer Mueller

Dean, College of Education

Alexandra Murphy

Dean, College of Communication

DeWayne Peevy

Vice President and Director of Athletics

Geoffrey Rapp

Dean, College of Law

Arbin Smith

Chief of Staff, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives

Kathryn Stieber

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Tatum Thomas

Dean, School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Cristel Turner

Chief Branding Officer

Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco

Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Richard Wiltse

Vice President, Facility Operations