Dear College Community,
I was heartbroken to learn of the senseless deaths of three generations of a Canadian-Muslim family in London, Ontario; only survived by a nine-year-old boy who has become an orphan as a result of this tragedy.
Loyalist College stands in solidarity with the Muslim community in our region, and the Canadian-Muslim community across the country and world. We strongly condemn all acts of Islamophobia, hatred and violence of any kind, and join Canadians in mourning as we send our deepest condolences to the victims’ family.
As an agent of transformative change in society, Loyalist College takes very seriously our role and responsibility in facilitating student and employee experiences which are free from all forms of hatred, discrimination, violence, and harassment. Our collective actions are guided by our five core values of inclusive, caring, accountable, creative, and engaging, and as such, we are continually looking at College policies and procedures to further foster equity, diversity and inclusion.
We know many of our Loyalist College community members are grieving right now, and I am grieving with you. The following support services are available for students and employees in need:
- Crisis Support Line
The Crisis Support Line is staffed by a Traumatic Event Support Team and provides professional emotional support and/or referral to community resources. Accessible to all members of the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-844-751-2133.
- Mental Wellness Student Support
My SSP provides mental health support, including access to counsellors by telephone or text, anywhere in the world and in multiple languages. Accessible to all Loyalist College students 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-844-451-9700 or by downloading the My SSP app through the Google Play or the Apple App Store.
- Faculty and Staff Resources
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services are accessible to all Loyalist College employees and their families to provide support in processing the impact of this traumatic event. Please visit the People and Culture section on the myLoyalist portal.
For more information on self-care following a traumatic event, please reference this guide, provided by LifeWorks.
Please take care,
Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan
President and CEO
Loyalist College