To the Williams community,
Maud sent an all campus message last night, informing you all of the death of a student. Please know that staff are planning to hold space today and also to host a community-wide vigil tonight. We will share details about the vigil in a followup message.
If you need or want immediate support, we encourage you to reach out to Integrative Wellbeing Services, Chaplains, Deans or Davis Center staff. People from those and other offices are clearing time to be available for everyone today. And we know that everyone needs to grieve in their own way. So if you have concerns about your college obligations, please talk to your faculty member or your class dean.
If you want to be with people:
- The Davis Center (located for now in Bascom House) is open and welcomes any member of our community if you want to gather.
- The chaplains will be in their offices on the second floor of Paresky much of the day, and they encourage you to come to Paresky 201 if you want to hold space and connect with others.
- If you believe you or someone you know is in danger, please call Campus Safety at 413-597-4444 and they will connect you with the right resources.
We are not informing the whole community of the identity of the student for now, out of respect for the family. We need to give them space and time to mourn.
Right now, I and all my colleagues are thinking of our community and want to create opportunities to help people be with each other at a sad time.
We will be in touch again as soon as we have further news to share.
Jim Reische