Reaffirming Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

June 29, 2023

Dear LMU Community:

Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned race-conscious admission decisions made at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. While these rulings criticized the affirmative action decision-making at Harvard and UNC, we will not allow these setbacks to undo the years of progress made by LMU in providing equal access to education for all students, regardless of race. I have asked a team of university leaders and our legal counsel to review these rulings and their potential impacts to LMU.

At LMU we recognize diversity and inclusion as core values. This is a fulfillment of our mission, a pursuit of a best human and Earthly future, and an assurance that we are a place where students—no matter their backgrounds—can eagerly allow their passions to take flight and soar. A place where creativity, no matter its source, is welcomed and strengthened, particularly where minds from a spectrum of backgrounds come together in support of a common goal. The more diverse we are as creators and problem solvers, the more likely we will be to foster solutions, and the more applicable will be the results of our work across the spectrum of our human community. Our commitment to diversity, therefore, remains unchanged, despite these rulings.

We are here to help and support each other through this challenging time. While not everyone at LMU shares the same political, religious, or academic beliefs, we are all committed to the dignity of individual human beings, regardless of their background.

This is not a partisan or political commitment; it is a commitment to LMU’s cherished tradition as a Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount university. The diversity of our community is essential to our mission, and we will continue our work, within the limits of these rulings, to build a university where admission, hiring, programming, and every corner of our operations is managed with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice at the forefront. In the spirit of the magis, we must always do more, and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that we exemplify our mission and realize St. Ignatius’s vision for a more holistic human development.

In solidarity and peace,

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President