At the suggestion of a Student Assembly initiative, faculty and staff received an email from the William & Mary’s College administration Thursday reminding them to be more conscientious of their language — specifically to avoid using the word “retard.”

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“Dear Colleagues,
As part of our ongoing effort to create a collegial learning environment, please remember to consider the terms used in lectures and class discussion. For example, the word retarded has returned in slang usage to mean dumb or stupid, but this is not an appropriate way to use the word in class. It reinforces stereotypes of people with intellectual disabilities, suggesting that they are less valued members of society.

“Thank you for your continued efforts to create a positive and creative learning environment for William and Mary students. Your thoughtfulness and commitment to undergraduate education makes William and Mary the unique liberal arts campus that it is.” — Dean of Undergraduate Studies Kelly Joyce