Remember Community During Election

Dear Campus Community,

Election Day 2024 is less than a week away. I hope you will have the opportunity to cast your vote, if you haven’t already taken advantage of early voting.

As with other recent presidential elections, this campaign season has been marked by highly charged rhetoric. The candidates have different views on issues that are very important, and personal, to many people, and there are strong feelings among citizens of each political persuasion. But our society is not always as polarized as some pundits would have us believe.

Our Furman community is vast and varied, and we can expect a wide range of feelings and beliefs about policies and promises being made and about the candidates themselves. When the election is over, some of us might be elated or relieved; others might be appalled and dismayed. Still others will feel something in between, or not much at all. All those feelings are worthy of respect, just as we are all worthy of belonging to the Furman community.

Our Statement of Freedom of Inquiry and Expression calls us to maintain “a climate of mutual respect as outlined in Furman’s Vision, Mission, and Values.” The Statement gives free expression “the widest possible latitude” for diverse ideas, but debating and discussing those ideas “does not mean that individuals may say whatever they please, when and wherever they wish.”

We’ve seen trying times before. When world or national events cleave many universities along ideological lines, the Furman community, by and large, handles the issues with respect for each other, with empathy, and with discourse and dialogue that promote understanding. Our strength is in caring for each other, as we did in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The support that poured forth from staff, students and faculty was all-embracing. We did not ask for someone’s political affiliation before we provided help, we just helped.

Audrey Enghauser ’26, the editor of The Paladin and a communication studies major, recently wrote an essay that encourages students to be curious and empathetic around political conversations. College, she wrote, is “a place to practice being quick to ask questions, and slow to argue.”

Audrey has learned “to prioritize curiosity over being right.” Her essay won a Riley Institute competition, which earned it a place in The Greenville Journal for the public to read. I think we could all take Audrey’s advice to heart.

The Shared Equity Leadership Team (SELT), the Office of Student Life, the Office of Spiritual Life and others on campus have organized opportunities before and after the election where we can listen and be heard, and to learn more about the election itself. You can access them from the On Discourse website.

If you feel like you need more personal assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Spiritual Life at [email protected] or 864-294-2133 or the Trone Center for Mental Fitness at 864-294-3031.

The presidential election will almost certainly be a protracted event. The outcome might not be known for days or weeks. Feelings and emotions might become stretched and frayed. But remember that we have more commonalities than differences. Remember to be curious. Remember our shared humanity. Remember, we are a community.  Take care of yourself and each other.

Warmly,

Elizabeth Davis

President