Author: Minne Ho

We have been closely monitoring the situation this morning regarding the wildfires in Los Angeles County and other parts of southern California.  Like all Angelenos, we recognize and understand the considerable anxiety caused by these unpredictable and quickly-developing events.  Some members of our USC community have already been affected by this disaster, and our thoughts are with them and their families.

Dear Colleagues,

As you may have heard, today Dr. Rohit Varma resigned as dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

I understand how upsetting this situation is to all of us, but we felt it was in the best interest of the faculty, staff, and students for all of us to move in this direction.

September 8, 2017 To the USC Community: In light of recent news about suggested revisions to federal guidance under Title IX, I want to reassure our campus community that we will continue to take seriously our responsibility to handle sexual misconduct on our campuses. It simply cannot be overstated: this university will not tolerate sexual…

I know that our community at the Health Sciences Campus has been particularly affected by the issues surrounding the former dean of our medical school. I recognize there is much to learn from fully examining this unfortunate episode, including putting into place new policies and procedures to prevent any recurrences. But, even more importantly, this…

August 2, 2017 To the USC Community: As a large community of more than 60,000 faculty, staff, and students, located not just on two major campuses in Los Angeles but also across Southern California and around the globe, USC will never be immune to crises. We work diligently to put practices into place that anticipate…

This university is a great institution and it is great in part because of its core values. I assure you that we strive to live up to those values every day.

Memorandum to USC Faculty, Staff, and Students May 2, 2017 At USC, we aspire to do everything we can to ensure university wellness by supporting the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of our entire campus community. The tragic death of Professor Bosco Tjan in December reminds us that we have to constantly reassess our efforts…

The University of Southern California wants to better prepare for – and try to prevent – any future tragedies, by promoting a more mindful, compassionate, and healthy campus. We believe that organizing these efforts under one office will provide a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to ensuring the health and safety of our entire university community.

The university encourages all members of the community to be fully informed and aware of safety programs and support tools, and be prepared for both emergency and non-emergency situations. Please review the resource page for faculty, and become familiar with important safety and mental health resources on campus.