A statement on violence at the U.S. Capitol

Students, faculty and staff,

This morning we join our colleagues across higher education in condemning the shocking violence that unfolded yesterday at the United States Capitol. We should all be horrified and humiliated by what happened in the very seat of our American democracy.

We join leaders and citizens across the country in calling on President Trump to accept the legitimacy and finality of the November election and to convey that to the American people. It’s imperative that he stop spreading false information that incited yesterday’s violence and has led many others to deny the true election outcome.

America operates on the rule of law, not mob rule. On Jan. 20, Joe Biden will be sworn in as our nation’s next president, as dictated by our Constitution and the votes of the American people.

This is a difficult moment in American history, and it is essential that the work of democracy continue. Universities like KU can and must play a role in this work through education, service and research, and by contributing however we can to the nation's democratic values and procedures.

Respectfully,

Doug

Douglas A. Girod
Chancellor