Statement in Solidarity with the Department of Religion at the University of Vermont

The Department of Religious Studies at Stanford University stands in solidarity with the Department of Religion at the University of Vermont. The academic study of religion is a critical discipline for these and any times, shedding light on past, present, and future ways in which religions shape our world. The proposed program cuts in the Humanities at the University of Vermont would come at the expense of the student body and the campus community who have been so well served by the faculty and staff of the Department of Religion. Similar cuts at other universities are equally of concern to us. Every day we see further evidence of the relevance and importance of understanding how religious commitments, cultures, and institutions affect daily life in the USA and beyond. We appeal to the University of Vermont to live up to its own mission - which has often featured faculty and students from the Department of Religion - to be “accountable leaders” with “an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct.” A “comprehensive commitment to a liberal arts education” includes building a campus community that values diversity, critical thinking, and empathetic understanding of our complex world.