October 30, 2020
Dear Trojan Community,
With the election just days away, we want to remind you that the Galen Center on our University Park Campus and the Soto 1 building on our Health Sciences Campus are now open for in-person voting through Election Day, November 3 . Both locations will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., starting today through Monday; and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. If you have not already voted, please take the time to do so. Your vote matters.
We know this has been a very intense few months with emotions running high, coupled with a pandemic that is keeping us from gathering together in person with classmates and colleagues. Our priority throughout this election season has been to help our community feel informed and engaged. In the coming days and weeks, the university is hosting a number of virtual events to help bring our community together for open dialogue, to break down the important issues surrounding the election with leading political thinkers, and to help reduce the anxiety many are feeling.
- Annenberg will host a community Election Day town hall on November 3 to offer a forum to discuss election fatigue, the current state of play, where we are headed, and what we hope to create for the future.
- Annenberg Media will offer comprehensive, multi-platform coverage of the election, which you can follow here. Working with county health officials, we obtained approval for a small number of our student broadcast journalists to be in the Media Center. A livestream of ATVN’s Election Night coverage will be available at uscannenbergmedia.com from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (PT).
- Dornsife’s Center for the Political Future will offer a number of post-election events, including:
- A Post-Election R&D Dialogue on November 5 with Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy, during which they will unpack Election Day with a panel of experts; and
- A day-long conference, The Making of the President 2020: What Happened and What’s Next, on November 13,featuring leading political figures, journalists, and scholars offering their perspectives on the presidential election and its aftermath.
- USC Student Health, Counseling and Mental Health Services is offering Election Stress Workshops twice a week to help students manage stress during an uncertain time. We invite all students to join the Post-Election Let’s Talk Community Gatherings on November 4 at noon and 5:00 p.m.
As we go into election week, it’s a good time to celebrate our diverse community of students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds – each with a unique set of experiences. Our views of the world run the gamut, and we relish a robust intellectual debate. In these debates we always treat each other with respect and dignity. Listening and engaging with the diverse range of perspectives in our community is at the core of the intellectual environment we build and maintain at USC.
In our democracy we speak through our votes. The details of how these votes are counted are, especially during the pandemic, important and may delay the time we know the election results. This is American democracy. We must respect it and be patient.
If you need support in the coming days, there are many resources available. Students can reach out to USC Student Health’s Counseling and Mental Health Services. Private, anonymous reports can be made to Trojans Care 4 Trojans (TC4T) if you have concerns about students, staff, or faculty. The Center for Work and Family Life offers support for faculty and staff.
Most importantly, if you are out in your community, please stay safe – socially distance and wear a face covering.
Fight On!
Charles F. Zukoski
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Winston B. Crisp
Vice President for Student Affairs
cc: Office of the President
Academic Deans
President’s Senior Leadership Team
Provost’s Leadership Team
Academic Senate
Staff Assembly
GSG President
USG President