Dear Parents and Families,
As shared in President Ono’s message to U-M community members this morning, our campus community is devastated by the shooting that occurred at Michigan State University (MSU) last night. U-M stands with the Spartan community as they grieve and navigate through the impact of the active shooter situation that occurred on their campus.
We recognize that many in our community have close ties to MSU and that this situation has deeply impacted our students, faculty and staff as well as the parents and families of our students. We also recognize that many of you may want our assistance in knowing how to best support your student here in Ann Arbor. Please know that we are here to support you, too.
Campus safety
Student Life is working closely with university leadership, including the Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS), to keep our campus community as safe as possible. Out of an abundance of caution, DPSS is taking enhanced security measures, including deploying additional officers across all three U-M campuses and Michigan Medicine.
DPSS will continue to work closely with our local, state, and federal partners to provide for the safety of our campus while also supporting our colleagues at MSU.
Campus is open today and there will be an increased police presence and security from DPSS.
Support for our students
At U-M, support is available to students who have been impacted by this incident. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is offering a range of individual and group support options today, February 14, for impacted students. More resources will continue to be added throughout this week.
- Individual Support
- Increased individual counseling support and consultation is available today (February 14th) regarding the MSU tragedy. Students can access this support by calling CAPS (734) 764-8312 or coming to the CAPS office on the 4th Floor of the Michigan Union.
- Students do not need to sign up through the online scheduling system; they can call CAPS directly to get a meeting with a counselor virtually or in-person (student’s choice).
- After-hours support for U-M students is available by calling 734-764-8312 (Press 0).
- Group Support
- Drop-in group support today at 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. (students can come without an appointment to join one of the groups). These are in-person support groups.
Your student also received information earlier today about a vigil planned for 7 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 15) on the Diag sponsored by Central Student Government. This event provides an opportunity for our community to come together and support one another in this time of grief.
Other support events on campus
- Support Day at Pierpont Commons Atrium today, February 14, from 1-3 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to talk with CAPS staff and their fellow students in a supportive environment.
- Wolverine Wellness is sponsoring an event today in the IdeaHub with Hawkeye the Wellness Dog.
Other general support is available for students from the Dean of Students Office. Students can call 734-764-7420, schedule a virtual appointment or walk in to meet with a staff member on call in the Dean of Students Office on the third floor of the Michigan Union from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Emergency planning at U-M
DPSS has published a response to the incident on its website that includes information about emergency planning and procedures at U-M that is available on the DPSS website.
If a major active emergency were ever to occur in the future on the U-M campus, DPSS will issue a UM Emergency Alert. Students, faculty, and staff are automatically enrolled to receive UM Emergency Alerts via email and text message/SMS. Students can login with their uniqname and password at alerts.umich.edu to verify or update the mobile number currently registered in the system. Individuals who are unaffiliated with the university may receive alerts on their mobile device by downloading the U-M Public Safety App or the Michigan App and enabling notifications.
Finally, we understand the extraordinarily difficult position this news places so many of you in as you work to support your student. Whether you are supporting your Wolverine from afar, whether you are down the street in Ann Arbor or several time zones away, your job as the parent of a college student in a time like this is challenging and our staff in the Dean of Students office are here to support you as well. Our colleagues from Michigan Medicine published a resource that many of you may find helpful as you speak with your student about the recent shooting at Michigan State University.
With heartfelt empathy and support,
Martino Harmon, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Life