We know many of you are struggling, and we write to offer our sympathy, empathy and support.

Yesterday, we witnessed yet another tragedy, this time in our backyard; 10 people were killed at the Table Mesa King Soopers in south Boulder. We know many of you are struggling, and we write to offer our sympathy, empathy and support.

Too many times before, we have seen this terrible sequence of events. Mass killings are so common that they can seem to be a fixture in our lives. But this is not ok. We must not normalize this violence. What happened yesterday in our community is a horror that none of us should have to accept, overlook or tolerate.

As the chancellor said in his message to the campus yesterday, we should recognize the horror and gravity of what we have witnessed and what the victims’ families now are forced to endure. And we—all of us—are called upon to treat each other with extra care, concern and empathy.

One way we can show such care and compassion is to be flexible with colleagues, students and others who need flexibility if they miss class or work to cope with the impacts of this tragedy. 

We encourage anyone who needs support to use the resources we have here on the CU Boulder campus. Those resources include:

• Counseling and Psychiatric Services, which offers 24/7 phone support for students, faculty and staff,
• Trauma and advocacy support through the Office of Victim Assistance, which offers 24/7 phone support for students, 
• The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), and,
• The Raimy Clinic at the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience,
• Embedded therapists for the College of Arts and Sciences. 

We know this crime leaves more than just a gaping hole in the lives of the victims’ families. It burdens us with sadness, confusion and unanswerable questions. We want to help, and we encourage you all to help each other. If you see ways in which we could help more than we are, please contact us. We will do our best to respond quickly and helpfully.

We stand with you in this time of grief and sorrow.

Sincerely,

James W.C. White
Interim Dean

On behalf of of the college administration

Sophia Duax and Mariah Chao

Vice President and President, Arts and Sciences Student Government 

Image at top of page: A mourner pays her respects at a memorial in front of the Table Mesa King Soopers in Boulder. Photo By Glenn Asakawa.