Student leaders and the Office of Student Affairs have coordinated an event this evening to bring the community together to reflect on, and openly discuss, reactions to the death of Tina Bu. Tonight from 7:30-9pm in Earl Hall, you will find representatives from Columbia Psychological Services, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, ResLife, Student Development and Activities, the Office of the University Chaplain and religious life advisors.

Later on, students are invited to stop by a more intimate discussion with Advising Deans and Cristen Scully Kromm from Residential Programs. They will be hosting students in Wallach 9B, from 10:30 pm – 12:00 am. You should have just received the following email from Dean Shollenberger detailing the different kinds of resources, and how they might be relevant to each of us.

Dear Students,

As we continue to cope with the loss of one our valued community members, we remain committed to ensuring the health and well-being of our Columbia family. As such, we wanted to bring to your attention some additional support resources and programming available to you.

Community Events

Members of the community are invited to attend an open discussion this evening from 7:30 – 9:00 pm in the Earl Hall Auditorium. The Student Governing Board (SGB) and Columbia College Student Council (CCSC), together with Student Affairs staff, will host this community gathering.

Later this evening, students seeking a more intimate space to reflect among friends and several of our Advising Deans are welcome to stop by the apartment of Cristen Scully Kromm from Residential Programs, located in Wallach Hall 9B from 10:30 pm – 12:00 am.

CPS Hours

The office of Counseling and Psychological Services (212-854-2878) on the 8th Floor of Lerner Hall will remain open again this evening until 11:00 pm and will maintain regular evening hours for the remainder of the week.

In addition, Counseling and Psychological Services will hold their residence hall office hours tonight as follows:

600 W 113th: 5:30 – 10:00 pm

Hartley Hall: 7:00 – 10:00 pm

For additional support at any time, the Residential Programs Graduate Hall Director (GHD) or Associate Director (AD) on-call can be accessed through Public Safety . To connect with the Resident Advisers (RAs) or Community Advisers (CAs) on-call in your building, please contact the RA on-call by phone after 9:00 pm during the week and 24-hours on weekends.

Sincerely,

Kevin G. Shollenberger
Dean of Student Affairs
Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Student Life
Arts and Sciences

Update, Tuesday, 8:00pm: Deans Valentini and Peña-Mora sent out the following email to thank SGB and CCSC for organizing the community gathering yesterday. They encourage students to continue these kind of dialogues, care for yourself, and reach out to fellow members of our community.

Dear Students,

We want to express our deepest condolences for the loss of Tian (Tina) Bu, a third year Columbia College student. From all accounts, Tian was a kind, compassionate and creative person – the type of student who always waved hello when she passed you on campus. Her friends and classmates remember her as a young woman with an enormous heart, a bright disposition, and a gentle way with friends and strangers. Tian’s life touched many on this campus.

Tian’s death impacts all of us, whatever our place at Columbia. In recent days, the community has come together to share memories of Tian, to reflect, and to support one another. These gatherings, opportunities to simply be together, are an essential part of the healing process. We want to thank the Columbia College Student Council, the Student Governing Board, and other student groups for coordinating these efforts. We often gather as a community in times of celebration, but in times of sadness, it is equally important. We are truly appreciative of the thoughtful efforts our students have led.

When we see such outpourings of support on campus, we are reminded of what Columbia is all about. You are truly a talented and caring group of people, willing to listen and help when someone is in need. We encourage you to continue these dialogues, to take time for yourselves, to care for those around you, and to remember what it means to be part of a community.

Sincerely,
James J. Valentini
Dean of Columbia College and Vice President for Undergraduate Education (Interim)
and
Feniosky Peña-Mora
Dean of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science

Staff, administrators and professors are here to support you. As a reminder, the following resources are also available:
Counseling and Psychological Services – 854-2878
Center for Student Advising – 854-6378
Office of the University Chaplain – 854-1493
Members of the Residential Programs staff are available and may be reached by contacting the RA on-call in your building.