Feb. 7, 2019
Message to CWU Faculty: Assist Students, Yourself
CWU Faculty,
Yesterday we experienced a collective trauma. The time spent in lockdown and evacuating buildings was terrifying. While yesterday will be etched in our memories, we have made the decision to keep the university open. We believe reuniting our campus community will provide us an opportunity to come together at work and in classes to talk and share. Our experience is that it is better to be in the company of others in a normal environment than it is to be separated and possibly alone.
As a faculty member, you have the double challenge of coping personally while also helping your students heal. Bear in mind that you can’t help others if you don’t first seek help for yourself. Our advisors and counselors will be there to help.
Some of you are cancelling classes. We understand and support your decision. We hope, however, that most will keep their schedules to help restore a sense of normality. Our students will arrive with varying levels of stress. We are confident that you will adapt exam and presentation requirements accordingly.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to discuss responses with colleagues, your chair or your dean. We also encourage you to seek counsel to help yourself address the stress you may be experiencing.
We will soon begin a university-wide discussion of our responses to this terrifying event. We are fortunate to have avoided injury or worse. As healing progresses, we must use the experience to improve our responses.
Jim Gaudino
President
Central Washington University
Katherine Frank
Provost
Central Washington University
Amy M. Claridge
Faculty Senate Chair 2018-2019
Central Washington University