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November
12, 2003
Dear
Parents:
Two
violent incidents involving students have occurred in the past two
weekends near the University Grounds. In one case, a student has
been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 22-year-old
resident of the Charlottesville area. In the second case, two students
have been charged with felonious assault of another student. Investigations
are being handled by the Charlottesville Police, with the University
providing full information and assistance as needed.
In
accordance with the University’s Standards of Conduct, the
Dean of Students
immediately issued an interim suspension to the student charged
with murder. The suspect remains in police custody without bond.
Alleged
acts of violence with such grave consequences are rare among U.Va.
students. In the wake of these incidents, the University is taking
steps to support students and ensure that student safety remains
a priority.
Students
most closely affected by these two incidents are receiving support
and meeting individually with professionals from the Division of
Student Affairs.
Members
of the Counseling and Psychological Services team are available
by appointment and after hours for any student seeking counseling.
In addition, association and school deans are working with those
students most closely affected and helping them make special arrangements
for missed coursework.
Although
nothing firmly indicates that physical violence is increasing among
U.Va. students, anecdotal information and the prevalence of societal
violence suggest this is an area we need to address. These two recent
incidents have prompted us to take some immediate steps, and we
currently are working on programs to help students recognize how
to deal with potentially inflammatory situations and make rational
choices when faced with conflict. We also will continue to remind
students of the numerous services available to them:
•
Office of the Dean of Students, 924-7427, www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents
•
Counseling and Psychological Services, 243-5150 Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 972-7004 after 5 p.m. on weekdays or on weekends
and holidays, http://www.virginia.edu/studenthealth/caps.html
•
University Mediation Services, 982-4638, http://www.student.virginia.edu/~mediate/
•
University Police, 911 in case of emergencies, 924-7166 at other
times, http://www.virginia.edu/uvapolice/
Please
help us by having a conversation with your daughter or son about
these issues. Take time to remind them of basic measures to ensure
their safety and the healthy resolution of conflicts:
•
Above all, remind them to let common sense prevail. If they sense
danger to themselves or to others, they should get away from the
situation and get help.
•
Impaired judgment, aggressive behavior and physical injury often
result from alcohol abuse. Continue to talk with your student about
the risks associated with irresponsible drinking. Without a clear
head, common sense cannot prevail.
•
If they find themselves in the midst of a confrontational situation,
they should look for ways to defuse the situation instead of allowing
the conflict to escalate. If they perceive a risk to their personal
safety, they should remove themselves from the situation and immediately
call 911.
•
If students witness acts of violence, they should call 911.
•
If they are with friends who have had too much to drink, they
should not leave those friends alone or allow them to endanger themselves
or others. Again, help is available by calling 911.
•
Students with any concerns, especially if they have been personally
affected by these two recent incidents, should not hesitate to contact
the Office of the Dean of Students or the Center for Counseling
and Psychological Services.
We
are grateful for your support as parents, and we remain as committed
as ever to ensuring a safe and productive learning environment for
your daughters and sons.
If
you have questions or information, please feel free to e-mail me
at vpsa@virginia.edu.
Sincerely,
Patricia
M. Lampkin
Vice President for Student Affairs
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