ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ

March 23, 2021

Dear members of the faculty, our graduate students, and academic staff,

As our campus and ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ communities try to comprehend Monday’s horrific act of violence at the King Soopers in South ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, I wanted to pass along my support and care for all of you in the classroom, laboratory, and studio and in all of the places where you carry out CU’s vital academic work. 

Words are inadequate at the moment. This event comes on the heels of equally horrific events in the Atlanta area last week that pierced the hearts of our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and struck at the consciences of all who desire that our nation live up to its professed values. As we confront this incident, we likewise need to support our Middle Eastern communities, who may be targeted or further marginalized given early media reports of the suspect’s heritage. As the investigation into the crime continues, I would urge all of us to refrain from judgments and assumptions about the suspect and his possible motive(s), and focus on providing comfort to our community.

Now in our community, we are struggling with what too many communities in Colorado and across the nation have had to struggle with: a mass shooting that has taken from us members of our families, our friends and our neighbors. As you cope with the scope of this unimaginable loss, please do not engage this struggle alone. I invite you to read the chancellor’s Monday night message and especially to avail yourselves of the campus mental health resources listed there: the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA), which offers 24/7 phone support for students, faculty and staff; Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), which offers 24/7 phone support for students; and the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP).

In carrying out the academic mission this week, I echo the chancellor in asking you to hold classes even if they are optional. This is not asked lightly. I want you to know we are distinctly aware of the pitfalls of normalizing mass violence in America. What we have come down to, after careful discussion, is that in times such as these, holding classes—even remotely—can provide students with a vital human connection to one another and to you. Your most important role right now is to be a listener, and to provide a space for our students to process what has happened.

With this in mind, I urge you to approach this week with maximum care and sensitivity, and, as the chancellor noted in his message, be flexible if students and faculty need to miss class to cope with the personal impacts of this tragedy.

I have also taken action on the campus level to provide students with more flexibility. Tomorrow, March 24, was originally the full-semester spring 2021 deadline for several important academic actions for students, including dropping a class, choosing to take a class pass/fail, and requesting grade replacement for a class they’re retaking this semester. CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ is extending those deadlines by a week, to March 31, to offer our students support and give them additional time to think through any of these choices. The Office of the Registrar is communicating these changes to our students.

To give our community time to focus on the challenges of this week, we will delay our announcement of returning to fall until next week. Also, I have encouraged our deans to reach out to you to reinforce your incalculable value as mentors, teachers and human beings, and to support the approaches you might take this week. You have my and their deepest thanks for all that you are doing for our students, staff, and for each other.

Warmly,

Russ

Russ Moore, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs