Mar. 23, 2021
Dear SRS Staff,
I write with a heavy heart in the aftermath of yesterday’s act of senseless violence to offer my support to you, your families, your colleagues and to our entire CU Boulder community. I know many of you have been personally impacted by the loss of friends, family or neighbors and a shattered sense of safety and security.
University of Colorado Boulder Police Department (CUPD) officers responded to the Table Mesa Shopping Center yesterday to assist the Boulder Police Department (BPD), and we are very grateful to our officers and to BPD officers for their interagency collaboration and everyday work to protect our campus and the broader Boulder community. We have partnered with BPD on many occasions and express our deepest condolences to Chief Maris Herold, her entire department, to Officer Eric Talley’s friends and family, and to the friends and families of all who lost their lives yesterday.
Boulder is a tight-knit community, and many of you may have been impacted in direct and unseen ways. This tragedy comes on the heels of last week’s shooting in the Atlanta area, recent acts of violence on University Hill, and a very long year of unanticipated hardship due to the pandemic, which makes it more difficult for us to process what is happening in our community this week.
These are the times that we all want to keep our loved ones close, and for many that may be difficult right now. I urge you to take the time to check in with your colleagues and your loved ones to let them know you are safe and to take advantage of the many campus resources available to you as members of the CU Boulder community.
The (FSAP) and the (OVA) are available to assist employees who may have been affected by this incident. FSAP and OVA can provide free, confidential counseling and psychological support. Additionally, if you or someone you know is experiencing a psychiatric emergency or need to speak to someone after work hours, please call the Real Help Hotline at 833-533-2428 to access a free and confidential crisis counselor around the clock.
Please know that the decision to continue holding classes today was not made lightly. In times such as these, holding classes—even remotely—can provide students with a vital human connection to one another and to you. The same principles hold true for our continued work in support of the campus’s academic and research missions. Even so, I ask supervisors to be flexible if employees need to take time away from work to help process this unimaginable and collective loss to our community.
Finally, I want to implore our community to not make assumptions about the suspect, his heritage or his motives. We must give authorities the space and time they need to gather the facts in this case. It’s important for all of us to understand that CU Boulder is committed to creating a welcoming and safe campus community and to ensuring that people feel safe regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability or another protected-class status. Anyone who experiences discrimination in the aftermath of this incident should immediately report these incidents to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance. Please Don’t Ignore It.
We are all in this together.
Warmly,
Pat