Dear UMA Community,
Yesterday’s tragic event in Lewiston reminds us how we are all intricately connected in each other’s lives. The past 24 hours have been challenging for all of us, because we all have been impacted. We are especially mindful of our students, faculty, and staff who work in Lewiston and surrounding areas.
Out of an abundance of caution, UMA has decided to cancel all classes (f2f and online), close all locations, and cancel University events for tomorrow and through the weekend. This will provide a needed respite for all members of the UMA community. We regret the inconvenience this may cause our students, faculty, and staff, but we feel this is necessary and appropriate given the circumstances. We will reopen all locations on Monday.
The mass shooting event in Lewiston is unprecedented in Maine, but now we face a similar situation that other communities in the U.S. have had to experience. Like them, we wrestle with how to deal with a terrible tragedy, comfort our children and families and coworkers, and still carry on with our day-to-day responsibilities. It’s far from easy. I encourage you to consider that:
- We are all feeling some shock and pain.
- We have feelings that might trigger a connection to some earlier loss.
- We are all closely connected in our beloved state.
- Our university has resources to help us bridge this challenge.
If you are concerned about a faculty or staff colleague, or need assistance yourself, you can access the Human Resources Employee Assistance Program: Cigna EAP (877-622-4327).
UMA’s Counseling & Wellness Center is committed to providing immediate mental health services to students in our community who have been impacted in any way. If you would like to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment, please email uma.counseling@maine.edu. If you would like to speak to someone immediately, please call (207) 621-3344.
I encourage faculty and staff managers to exercise increased flexibility with students and team members, respectively, to spend time with their families and support their communities during these unprecedented and very challenging times.
I ask that we all support each other, recognizing that we may react and feel this differently – but we all feel it. We can help others by showing we care about our colleagues, and that we strive to keep the UMA community safe and healthy.
I will continue to send further updates as they become available.
Thank you,
Jen Cushman
President