Tuesday night marked the close of one of the most contentious, buzzworthy and polarizing elections in decades. Given how divided the United States has appeared within the past year, there is concern about post-election violence and unrest in the event of Donald Trump winning.

But regardless of Donald Trump being set to take the Oval Office in January, it’s important that the campus community, citizens of New York State and the U.S. respect the outcome of the election in order to preserve the country’s order, safety and reputation as a model for the globe.

The hallmark of a democracy is that citizens accept the results of the election, in order to peacefully transition into the next administration. And as citizens, we should do everything to ensure that the view of the U.S. as a role model for democracy isn’t tarnished. It is in this way that the country can continue to set the tone by not succumbing to chaos after the election.

Especially given recent conversation about contesting certain candidates’ victories after the debates, it is crucial to abstain from senseless violence and disruption. No matter which party takes over the White House, respecting the results is the only way the nation can move toward progress.