The following message is on behalf of the Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, J.J. McMurtry:

On behalf of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies I want to offer our heartfelt support and sympathy to all those affected by yesterday’s attack at the University of Waterloo.

We are profoundly distressed by this unconscionable act of violence on campus.

Universities are spaces that celebrate the diversity of ideas, opinions and respectful debate. We must never become complacent about hate on our campuses and in our communities.

It is important to recognize that this attack took place in a philosophy class on gender issues. The unprecedented rise in violence against 2slgbtqia+ people coincide with divisive and hurtful debates and legislation related to gender and gender identity.

This has an immense impact on our community members. Please know that we stand with you and support you. We will continue to do everything we can to build a safer, more inclusive future for everyone.

We want to acknowledge how traumatic this event is for many members of our York family. If you could benefit from additional support, we encourage you to reach out to one of the following resources: 

• Employee & Family Assistance Program 
• Mental Health and Wellness at York
• SexGen York Committee - Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (yorku.ca)

Sincerely,

J.J. McMurtry

Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies