This is a time of great concern for the world and the UC Berkeley community. We had all hoped diplomacy would prevail, but now war seems inevitable.

In the days to come, we shall draw on the unique mission and resources of the university to educate us on the issues confronting us.

There will be a great deal of discussion and debate in the coming days and weeks. It is my hope and expectation that three principles will guide us:

• Classes will convene and education will continue.
• Our scholarly and intellectual resources will be brought to bear for the benefit of all.
• Civil and tolerant conduct will prevail in our community.

I hope we will all respect and preserve what the university is: a free and open space where differing points of view are addressed and where individuals engage in rational debate. Obviously, there will be demonstrations on both sides of this issue and I urge participants to carry these out in a peaceful manner.

A special advisory committee on Iraq has been preparing for several weeks to help campus leaders prepare for the potential on-campus repercussions of a war with Iraq. This committee consists of faculty, staff, students, community leaders, a local religious council, representatives of the city of Berkeley, and others.

I invite you to attend two campus events, scheduled immediately after spring break, when students have returned to campus:

On Monday, March 31, there will be a vigil on Sproul Plaza at 8 pm, sponsored by the University Religious Council and the ASUC. The event will include speakers and music. We ask that you bring flashlights instead of candles, for safety reasons.

The next day, April 1, a forum will be held on the implications of war with Iraq. A panel of UC Berkeley experts will discuss issues including the regional implications of war and its effect on U.S. foreign policy and the nation's economy. The discussion will take place at 7:30 pm at Zellerbach Hall.

It is not the role of a university to choose sides in a debate, but rather to assure a place for free and open exchange of ideas. Success in the days ahead will be measured in many ways. At UC Berkeley, we will measure our success by the quality of our discourse and the civility we bring to it.

I encourage all of you to take advantage of the excellent resources this university has to offer. Information on many of these resources, including counseling at University Health Services, is available on the campus's comprehensive Web site on Iraq at http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/iraq/ The UC Berkeley NewsCenter, at http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/ will provide you with the latest campus news related to the impending war.

Robert M. Berdahl
Chancellor