Safeguarding Student Learning

October 3, 2025

Dear Faculty Colleagues, 

Thank you for the care and dedication that you bring to your teaching at LMU. In partnership with you, we strive to maintain the highest standards of academic excellence and ensure our students receive the full benefit of their academic experience. With that in mind, I want to take a moment to reaffirm our shared commitment to student success.
 
Our recent Community Conversations provided an important forum for open dialogue. I am grateful to be a part of a university where we recognize the importance of creating space where voices can be heard openly and directly, and where freedom of expression is upheld and respected. Together, we must balance these principles with our shared responsibility to provide students the continuity and quality of instruction they deserve.

On September 30, SEIU Local 721 announced a call to strike at LMU. Strikes do not serve LMU’s students or faculty and will not change LMU’s decision. For clarity, LMU does not recognize SEIU 721. No one is obligated to participate in a strike. While no date has been set, the university is prepared to minimize disruptions to student learning.

LMU deeply values the contributions of our faculty, and we remain committed to supporting an environment where academic excellence and student success thrive. Central to that environment is freedom of expression, which shapes a community where differing views are welcomed and where open dialogue and respect for diverse perspectives enrich the academic experience. While this may include protest, we believe our faculty and our community members can voice their concerns without striking, which disrupts student learning and academic progress. We ask all faculty to continue putting their students first and not strike, miss, or cancel any scheduled classes. 

LMU has already made commitments to our faculty that are backed with real action, including improving compensation with immediate raises. We’ve launched a plan to expand full-time faculty positions, strengthen contract stability across campus, and invest in professional growth. We are committed to continuing this progress through shared governance and will keep working with the Faculty Senate to advance these priorities. 

Updates will also be posted on The Path Forward website. 

Your partnership is essential in upholding LMU’s commitment to our students during this time. Thank you for your continued dedication to our LMU community.

Sincerely,

Kat Weaver, Ph.D.
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost
Vice Provost for Faculty, Research, and Strategy