(I just sent this to my own students: UBC colleagues, please feel free to share any part of it or the resources herein, they might be helpful to others too.)

Dear students, colleagues, fellow citizens of the UBC community,

I’m writing this because I promised a colleague that I would say something to students, and because, like many people at UBC, I care about UBC and about students; I also spend a lot of time on campus due to working and living here, and what I’m going to write about is something that matters to this community as a whole. I’ll probably not say the right things or say them properly so I hope you get the general underlying ideas and forgive me for expressing them clumsily and too hastily.

Yesterday, a violent assault—an attempted murder—happened here on your, our, campus. At the time of writing, we have all received our President’s  message of shock and concern. I hope that this present message will only be one of many that you receive today, and that it (or another message, and hopefully as many of them as possible) might be helpful to you.

If you were a witness to this assault or know any of those involved, you may be in need of help and support. Here are some people who can help; even if it is “just” talking to someone with whom you feel comfortable and whom you trust, who will listen to you, that alone is already a vital service.

The same goes for any need to talk and to find support, whether something has happened to you or to someone you know, and also if nothing has happened but you worry that it might. Even if sometimes this seems like an overwhelmingly large university, and impersonal through its size and complexity: UBC is a compassionate caring community, made up of individual human beings.

HERE TO HELP, IN IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY

Undergraduate residential advisers, and other student leaders who have had bystander & ally training

Neighbours, friends, and classmates

Faculty and other instructors (graduate-student teaching assistants, for example): you see us a lot, and we are here for you

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY RESOURCES

See AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre > Resources: community-based counselling, community support centres (ex. WAVAW, EVA), safety & reporting

YOUR AMS

• Speakeasy: AMS Nest 1314
  Tue: 12.00-13.00 & 15.30-16.30
  Wed: 11:00-17.00
  Thu: 12:00-13:00
  + by appointment
• Sexual Assault Support Centre: offer crisis and emotional support: AMS Nest 3127
  Monday-Friday 10:00-5:00
  (From 11 October: Monday-Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.)
• Resource groups: Colour Connected, Pride, Social Justice Centre, Women’s Centre

UBC – SUPPORT SERVICES

• Academic advising, here’s a link for all Faculties and Schools: through talking with them about academic matters during your time here, you may have already formed relationships with individuals with whom you would consider talking about other matters
• Academic advising at the departmental level may be another set of people to talk to: for example, here are the Academic Advisers in French, Hispanic & Italian Studies; students regularly talk to us about many things, all of which (and pastoral care) form part of any individual’s whole well-being
• Arts Student Support: students.arts.ubc.ca/student-support
• UBC Student Services: students.ubc.ca
• UBC Wellness Services
  Barber Learning Centre 183
  Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 10:00-5:00
  Tuesday 10:00-4:00

UBC – THE “GREEN FOLDER”

• The Green Folder : Student services > Assisting students in distress
  = a very useful resource for faculty and for students, as everyone plays a role in supporting student wellbeing: we are all one community
• Step 1: Observe
• Steps 2 and 3: Reflect and respond
• Step 4: Use Early Alert
• Talking to a student in distress
• Where students can go for help
• Encouraging a student to seek support
  
• downloadable PDF 

UBC – EARLY ALERT

• Student Services – Faculty & Staff Resources > Early Alert
  = a one-stop shop for help, that brings together all of UBC’s support services under one virtual roof. Faculty and other instructors may use this to refer you for help and expert advice. (We’re all fabulous but we’re not superhuman: yes, there are limits to academic faculty expertise and abilities!)
• Early Alert > Information for students
• The faculty version, FYI: because all this information is open to all, and it’s always good to see all perspectives in order to understand something better

LOOK AFTER ONE ANOTHER

• Information for students, and for students concerned about other students