Published: March 23, 2021

Graduate and Professional Â鶹ÒùÔº at CU Boulder,

We are once again writing to you about another extraordinary trauma. Ten members of our community have been murdered and taken from us in the most violent and horrific way. We know many of you call South Boulder home and frequent the grocery stores, shops, and restaurants on Table Mesa & Broadway. The shooting at King Soopers is another living nightmare for us, striking in the places where we live, work, and conduct business. 

This violence is not new to Colorado. The memories of Columbine, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch, and others weigh heavy on our hearts. We mourn the lives lost this week in Boulder and Atlanta and the many lives we have lost in prior tragedies. However, we will not insult the memories of the victims by offering thoughts, and no action. We can and must do more.

This endless cycle of violence must stop. The United States tolerates gun violence on a scale that is unprecedented and is not acceptable in any other developed country. We echo President Biden’s calls to ban assault rifles and high capacity magazines. We also call on legislators at the state and federal levels to go further to enact common sense gun control reforms that we know can reduce gun violence on our campuses and in our communities. The recent court ruling overturning Boulder’s assault weapons ban means that our advocacy must take place in every branch of government. There is no reason for students and faculty to have guns on our campus, or on any other college campus.

Please reach out and check in on your friends, co-workers, and students. Take the time that you need and seek assistance if you need it. Campus resources include the Office of Victim Assistance (303-492-8855) and Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) (303-492-2277). 

Sincerely,

Bobby Vondrasek, President

Emily Nocito, Vice President of Internal Affairs

Anthony Pinter, Vice President of External Affairs

Updated: 24 March 2021 at 10:40am