Dear Students,
In recent days, our community experienced a terrible act of violence and, in its aftermath, many of us are feeling sad, vulnerable, and shaken. While the immediate threat passed quickly, these feelings might not. We empathize with the victims and their friends and family. Some were at the scene. Some of you may have known the suspect.
Processing all of this—the loss of life on our campus and the proximity to this violent act – comes as finals arrive. This event or other academic or life stressors right now may have you feeling confused, angry, numb, irritable, anxious or even ambivalent right now. And that list is just a start.
With classes and activities limited right now, I encourage you to find time to study and also to make the time you need to find strength in community. Support one another and seek out shared resources.
The Sanger Learning Center is offering free tutoring for the remainder of the semester. Sign up here.
All students should know about (and have in their phone contacts) these campus resources
- The UT Counseling and Mental Health Center - 512-471-3515
- CMHC Crisis Line (available 24/7) –512-471-2255
- Behavior Concerns Advice Line (available 24/7 for concerns about students, staff, or faculty) – 512-232-5050
Finally, if you feel you need a safe space to talk as a friend or classmate of either the victims or the suspect, I encourage you to reach out to Amy Trinh, who is the Counselor in Academic Residences (CARE Counselor) for the College of Natural Sciences. She can be reached via email at atrinh@austin.utexas.edu or by phone at 512-471-7162.
Please make sure to take care of yourselves. Make sure to eat, rest, and connect with those you care about, and know that we are here for support. My hope is that we'll close the semester and go into the summer (or, for graduates, the next chapter) with a feeling of togetherness and support.
Dr. Vanden Bout
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