Message from President Casey on this Colgate Day

Dear Colgate Alumni,

On a typical Friday the 13th, we would have already sent out tweets and Instagram posts encouraging Colgate alumni to celebrate Colgate Day. By midday, we would have seen pictures of alumni wearing Colgate sweatshirts and scarves at work. Later, we would see posts showing babies in Colgate t-shirts (“Colgate Class of 2040!”) and lots of pictures of dogs wearing Colgate hats or ties.

Whereas most people think of Friday the 13th as being an unlucky day, we counter by saying, “No, it’s not an unlucky day … It’s our day.” Your co-workers and friends then have to put up with you telling them about the 13 founders, with 13 dollars, and 13 prayers.

This is, however, not a typical Colgate Day. In response to the coronavirus threat, we announced this week that we are moving all of our teaching online, and we have asked students to leave the campus as soon as they safely can. This morning, the campus was filling up with families coming to retrieve students and their belongings. By the end of the weekend, we expect the campus to be very empty and extremely quiet.

This is, of course, heartbreaking. While we will do all we can to maintain the academic program even as our students go home, and while we will do all we can to support our faculty and staff back here in Hamilton, for the students — especially the seniors — this is a profound disruption and a great loss. I ask that you keep them in your thoughts as you think about this Colgate Day.

I am writing to you as alumni because I recognize that, when the University is undergoing this level of challenge, it affects not just our students, faculty, staff, and parents. It touches our graduates as well.

So, in the weeks ahead, we will do what we can to keep the alumni informed about what is happening at Colgate. Until then, please take care of yourselves and your family members.

It’s Colgate Day. We’re in this together.

Yours,

Brian W. Casey
President