Tragedy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dear Students and Colleagues,

As many of you may already know, earlier today the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suffered the loss of a faculty member in a fatal shooting on the school’s campus. UNC officials have not yet identified the victim or suspect, who is in custody.

While details of motive and circumstance are not yet known to the public, this tragic news from one of our peer institutions sadly echoes the loss of Dr. Thomas Meixner here in Tucson nearly a year ago. Today’s tragedy in Chapel Hill is a painful reminder of our loss, particularly for those of you who knew Dr. Meixner best. You continue to have my support and that of our community, and we are doing everything we can to address the needs of the departments and individuals most affected by the tragedy on our campus.  

As you know, we have resources available to faculty, staff, and students, details of which are below. I encourage you to reach out if you need help. 

I know many in our community will have feelings of solidarity and empathy for the faculty, staff, and students of UNC. In the days to come, I will offer our support to leaders at UNC, in the hopes that what we have learned over the past year can be of some benefit to their community.

Sincerely, 

Robert C. Robbins, M.D.

President

The University of Arizona

Resources Available to Our Community

Please Seek Help if You Need It:

Free, confidential, one-on-one counseling is available 24/7 through ComPsych to all benefits-eligible employees nationwide, their dependents and members of their households. Visit the Employee Assistance Counseling webpage for more information. 

Students in need of mental health support can contact Campus Health Counseling and Psych Services (CAPS) by calling 520-621-3334, schedule online or drop in at one of CAPS locations during operating hours. Visit the CAPS website to learn about available help. 

Safety Resources

Additional resources and safety information can be found at safety.arizona.edu. 

This email was sent to: all students, faculty, staff, and DCCs.