Letters To The MIT Community

Our national sorrow

May 25, 2022

To the members of the MIT community,

This afternoon, the flags on Killian Court fly at half staff.

In keeping with proclamations from the White House and the Governor’s Office, we do this as a mark of respect for the victims of the unspeakable massacre yesterday in Uvalde, Texas. And we do it with a profound sense of discouragement and sorrow for all the victims of mass gun violence, recently and over years – so many of them children.

The Sandy Hook shooting took place 10 years ago, a few months after I took office. I wrote to the community then to offer MIT's campus support services for students and for employees, and to encourage us all to look out for each other. Most painfully, my heart tells me I need to do that again now. 

This tragedy comes on the eve of great celebrations at MIT. After a long separation, we are poised to bring our alumni together again at last and to honor the achievements of our graduating students. In these young people we see our best hope to lead change for a better world.

With great love and concern that I know we share for our community and our nation,

L. Rafael Reif

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