On March 31, DePaul University’s Office of the President sent out an email to DePaul faculty, staff and students entitled “Statement Against Hate” and “Here, We Stand Together.”

The email quotes a message from St. Vincent de Paul followed by “Love and hate cannot coexist, so there is no room for hate here.” 

The statement, signed by 31 top DePaul administrators, including DePaul President A. Gabriel Esteban and interim Provost Salma Ghanem, also condemns racism and violence. 

“We support all who are part of our university community,” it reads. “We affirm that hate has no home here.” 

While not provided in context, the time of the email comes during national conflict, violent acts and hate crimes towards Asian Americans and the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin. 

The email discusses DePaul’s mission statement as it “commits us to compassionately uphold the dignity of all members of our diverse, multi-faith, and inclusive community.” 

On March 29, DePaul Newsline sent an email to its community about the university’s new mission statement. 

“Our Catholic values call us to respect the humanity of every person,” the statement said. “Our Vincentian beliefs lead us to serve and care for others. Our urban character compels us to work for equity and justice.” 

Rev. Guillermo Campuzano also signed off on the statement from the Office of the President. 

Campuzano wrote that after 35 years, DePaul has fully revised its mission statement throughout a 10-month process in the hopes of cultivating a more forward-thinking university. 

“The review process was a beautiful, concrete expression of communal discernment,” the statement reads. “Our approach of inclusive reflection and community articulation of common dreams and values is very much in the spirit of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. This process both captured and embodied the Vincentian spirit so valued at DePaul.” 

Other notable signers of the March 31 statement were deans of DePaul’s colleges, Scott Paeth, president of the faculty council and DePaul’s athletic director DeWayne Peevy. 

Participants in the review process insisted that DePaul commit to addressing societal challenges and that the updated statement should be relevant and reflect “the DePaul we know and the DePaul of which we dream.”