Obtained by The Monitor, this email was sent from the Student Assembly to President David Wippman, a variety of administrators, and all academic department chairs
Dear President Wippman, Campus Deans, and all Department Chairs,
We (the members of Student Assembly) are requesting that classes on Monday, April 17th, 2023 and Tuesday, April 18th, 2023 are canceled due to the active shooter threat this evening, Sunday April 16th. Acts of gun violence in spaces of learning are not only horrific, but have lasting effects even as threats on individuals. We have received numerous reports of students being rattled, heartbroken, and scared for their lives by this. In particular, students who have encountered the armed police units sweeping the academic buildings. No student will be in a proper mindset to learn tomorrow, and many will feel unsafe attending classes, particularly those held in Kirner-Johnson. If classes are not canceled, students may feel obligated to attend even optional classes in a space they feel unsafe in, which will only exacerbate the trauma and anxiety caused by this situation.
With this in mind, we request that students be granted these two wellness days in order to focus on our physical and mental well-being. These wounds, especially those caused by encountering armed and armored men and messaging stating there is an active shooter on campus, do not heal overnight. However, having dedicated time and space to heal and process today’s events will help in this process. This can only be accomplished when students are given the time away from classes and formal obligations, such as assignments. Because of this, we also request that students be given extensions on assignments and exams scheduled to be turned in or taken tonight or tomorrow to be pushed back to no closer than the next day of classes. This will help give students the opportunity to process without the added stress of academics.
Additionally, during these wellness days, we would like to request that additional counseling services be made available to students in lieu of classes tomorrow due to the traumatizing nature of this situation.
Thank you,
Student Assembly Central Council