Naperville, Ill. - Jan. 7, 2021 - It was hard to watch what happened in Washington, DC yesterday. Simply put, these were unlawful, violent attacks on our democratic institutions and rule of law. Peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of the American experience and is a distinguishing feature of our political system.
While strong democratic institutions and peaceful transitions of power are national assets in their own right, we also shouldn’t ignore the economic implications of failing to protect them. Our democratic institutions and processes, along with fact-based rule of law, have been a bedrock of American innovation and economic dynamism. Our mission at DeVry University is to empower our students and alumni to thrive in their careers. A healthy economy, born of a healthy democracy, is vital to this task.
In the wake of these events, we plan to renew and extend our efforts to ensure that our students and colleagues can advance and thrive in a society characterized by respect for democratic institutions and norms, along with economic opportunity and dynamism. We are optimists: we believe that the events of yesterday were the work of a small misinformed and misled minority, and do not represent the broader commitment of Americans to peaceful dialogue and adherence to political processes. But we are also activists: as educators, corporate partners, and constructive participants in policy making, we have a role to play in strengthening our society and our democratic processes and institutions, via (at least) four ways.
- First, expressing our appreciation to those elected officials, staff members, and law enforcement personnel who persevered in restoring order and faithfully discharging their duties, even when doing so put them in personal peril.
- Second, ensuring our colleagues and students in and around our nation’s capital, and in those state capitals which have also been targeted, are safe and able to continue their important work.
- Third, we will continue to support efforts to strengthen voter turnout and commitment to democratic processes and institutions.
- Fourth, we'll dialogue with our media suppliers and policymakers to hold them accountable for the propagation of misinformation and/or attempts to harm democratic processes and institutions.
In the meantime, we advocate that all Americans find ways to reinforce their own commitments to principled civic discourse and support for democratic institutions.
Tom Monahan
President & CEO
DeVry University
