Community Support in the Wake of El Paso, Dayton, Gilroy Tragedies

SDSU President Adela de la Torre shared the following message with students, faculty and staff following mass shootings in Texas, Ohio and California.

Many of us were shocked and saddened by this weekend’s tragedies in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. These follow the recent mass shooting in Gilroy, California. To those who lost loved ones, we send our deepest condolences.

We also condemn actions leading to the deaths of dozens of people. These types of tragedies, including hate-motivated shootings, impact many, including our own community.

Yet, in the face of violence and loss, we will continue to come together. These events must strengthen our commitment to foster a culture of compassion and inclusion. We must continue to value, honor and respect all members of our community, and appreciate our binational and global relationships. And we must continue appreciating the benefits that come from rich interactions, divergent perspectives and new ideas — all of which come with being a member of a diverse community.

Through tragic circumstances such as these, please know that the university maintains a number of programs and resources supportive of students, faculty, staff and visitors. Those include:

• Resources for members of our undocumented community, including students and employees. Learn more via the FAQs found via the Faculty Advancement site and the Undocumented Resource Center site.
• Implicit bias training sessions, where SDSU's Professors of Equity in Education will be hosting beginning this month. Information is available online.
• The SDSU Pledge, which is an ongoing initiative by which campus community members commit to actions toward creating a welcoming and safe climate for SDSU's African-American Community. Information is available on the Pledge site.
• An active shooter training produced by University Police, with information on the department’s page. The 11-minute, comprehensive, SDSU-specific training video, available here, details possible ways to respond during active shooter incidents.
• Dean of Students, Randy Timm, who is offering support to any student who needs help. He may be reached via [email protected] or 619-594-5211.
• Counseling and Psychological Services is available to offer support to students, and may be reached via 619-594-5220 or [email protected].
• Employees are being encouraged to contact the Employee Assistance Program as they need support by calling 1-800-342-8111 and visiting the Employee Assistance Program website.

Please rely on these resources as you need them.

Also, I urge each of you to continue to come together with compassion and care. We each hold a powerful responsibility to support one another and to learn from one another as we continue to imagine and build a future far different from what we have seen this weekend and in the years past. Together, we will continue to affirm that freedom from discrimination, harassment, and violence is a basic right. This freedom is essential for learning and for personal and community growth.