We are writing to you today to provide an update on recent events at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and the steps we have taken in response.

As many of you know, in December and early January, the Board of Regents were made aware of a number of concerns that had emanated from the Dugoni community. In keeping with our role as Regents and our fiduciary responsibilities, we immediately launched a review  to determine whether a violation of law or University policy had occurred. As we laid out in our past communication, we determined that no such violation had taken place.

Nevertheless, we were deeply concerned about the significant breakdown in communication that had clearly occurred – and we formed an ad hoc committee of Regents to examine what had taken place and how best to chart a route forward. We tasked the committee to receive input from any and all interested parties – and to do so promptly, without delay.

Several key concerns expressed by the Dugoni community have already been addressed. The school and its operating processes remain whole. Expansion of the San Francisco class sizes, a key concern of the community, was put on hold in November and will remain so indefinitely. The financial and development operations and reporting lines have not changed. And further consultation will take place before any such changes are made.

Meanwhile, over the past few weeks, the ad hoc committee met in person with seven stakeholder groups, including members of the Dugoni faculty, staff, student body, alumni, and donors. The committee thoroughly reviewed hundreds of pages of documents submitted to them, as well as numerous messages, emails and letters. In addition, two Regents traveled from Stockton and New York, respectively, to meet with the dean to hear directly from him in person.

As Regents, our job was not to debate those who expressed their views; it was to listen to them. Many opinions were shared – often with great passion – and every one of them was heard and given weight and consideration. It is clearer now than ever to the Board of Regents that not only does Dugoni contain many of the finest dentists and educators in the world today, it is also an institution filled with individuals of great principle, dedicated to our shared student-centered educational mission. We are deeply thankful to everyone who devoted their time to meet and share their thoughts with us.

The work of the ad hoc committee has now concluded. The Board of Regents believes it is time to look to the future and to plot a way to move this University that we all care about so deeply beyond this recent unhappiness. There are exciting opportunities ahead for the school, including the possibility of building an ambulatory surgical center in San Francisco. These endeavors will require not only a desire by all to act in good faith but also an obligation that everyone engage with one another with collegiality, courtesy and mutual respect.

It is inevitable that some will disagree with the decisions we have made to move forward. It is important to stress, however, that the Board remains very confident in President Callahan. He has taken the feedback he has received from this process extraordinarily seriously and is entirely committed to moving forward in exactly that spirit.

Both President Callahan and the Board of Regents are eager for trust and communication between the administration and Dugoni to improve – and to do so immediately through implementation of consultative practices among and within President Callahan, Provost Edwalds-Gilbert and members of University leadership and the Dugoni community. Regents will, as ever, be kept informed to ensure those practices serve in the best interest of both Dugoni and the University as a whole.

The histories of both Dugoni and University of the Pacific are illustrious; our future is bright. While there will always be disagreements – as befits any community composed of highly intelligent and passionate people – about the specific choices available to us, we believe strongly that it is now time to reunite around our shared desire to make this incredible place all that it can be, both now and in the decades to come.

We thank you all for your support in that endeavor.