June 29, 2023
Dear Members of the Community,
You have received President Salovey’s recent statement affirming Yale’s commitment to creating “an inclusive, diverse, and excellent educational environment” in the wake of today’s Supreme Court decisions regarding the consideration of race in admissions.
The David Geffen School of Drama affirms its unequivocal support for this proposition. While we must comply with the Supreme Court decisions, our graduate conservatory’s dedication to inclusive admissions processes will not waver from its focus on applicants’ artistry, self-awareness, collaborative skill, curiosity, resilience, and ambition.
We will continue to rely on the deep expertise and experience of our distinguished and diverse faculty for the selection and training of the extraordinarily talented artists and managers who comprise our student body from year to year.
Throughout the history of the United States, race, as a social construct, has been used to promote oppression. In our view, these Supreme Court decisions regrettably may herald more of the same and may undermine some of the nation’s most significant achievements in education.
But history also shows us that the teaching and practice of art-making can shed light on inequities and open minds to new ideas. Always keeping that prospect in sight, the David Geffen School of Drama will continue to train and advance leaders who make art to inspire joy, empathy, and understanding in the world.
James Bundy
Elizabeth Parker Ware Dean
Florie Seery
Associate Dean
Chantal Rodriguez
Associate Dean
Carla L. Jackson
Assistant Dean