I’m sharing the unfortunate news that this weekend we were notified of the death of a valued member of our CU-Boulder community, psychology graduate student Sean Hudson. We are shocked and heartbroken by this tragic incident and our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.
While the investigation is ongoing and we do not yet understand precisely what led to this tragedy, we do know that another CU-Boulder student was involved. This is a difficult and challenging time for all who knew Sean, as well as the family and friends of the suspect and the larger campus community.
A tragic event such as this can be magnified by the stresses of finals, so I want to remind our community that free and confidential support resources are available at CU-Boulder.
- The Office of Victim Assistance offers advocacy as well as counseling for students, faculty and staff. Call 303-492-8855 (after-hours phone support is available) or visit the Office of Victim Assistance website.
- The Office of Counseling and Psychiatric Services serves all students. Call 303-492-6766 (after-hours phone support is available) or visit the Office of Counseling and Psychiatric Services website.
- The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is available for faculty and staff. Call 303-492-3020 or visit the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program website.
Keeping in mind that every family grieves differently, the University does its best to respond appropriately to family wishes and requests. We have not yet heard of plans for a public memorial, but we will share information with the community as appropriate. In the mean time, I would echo Chancellor DiStefano’s Saturday statement that we must do all that we can to avoid violence as a response to conflict.
I wish you all well as finals continue and we move toward Commencement this Saturday.
Sincerely,
Christina Gonzales
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
