I want to make sure to recognize and appreciate the heroic actions of those in our community who responded quickly, bravely and professionally in the early moments of the horrific attack and throughout the day. 

I know you all join me in offering our tremendous gratitude to the courageous officers of Louisville Metro Police Department who rushed into the Old National Bank Building, saving lives while putting themselves at great risk.

Within minutes, officers from our own UofL Police Department arrived to support LMPD. These brave members of our community worked quickly with LMPD to secure the scene itself as well as throughout the hospital district. I cannot say it often enough how greatly I appreciate our colleagues – the officers of ULPD – as each day they work tirelessly to keep our community safe.

We all recognize with deep gratitude the efforts of our colleagues at UofL Health – UofL Hospital – the trauma doctors, nurses and staff – who provided outstanding emergency medical care to those injured in the attack and continue to care for them. In our darkest moments, these heroes, as well as other first responders, exhibited true bravery and professionalism in serving their fellow citizens. I feel, as I know we all do, humbled by their actions and grateful to all of them. 

I want to remind everyone that asking for help, especially in times of trauma and stress, is a most important part of recovery. Help is available for those needing additional support. Students can call our  at 502-852-6585 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or access  other options at . Counseling for our faculty and staff is available through our Employee Assistance Program provider, Anthem EAP. Call 800-865-1044 or go to  > Select “Member Log In” > Type “University of Louisville.”  

As we all work to find a path forward in the midst of this tragedy, although I have only been a part of UofL for less than three months, I have great faith in our Cardinal and Louisville communities. I have quickly learned that Cardinals stick together, especially when they need each other most. Please take an extra moment to care for yourself, your classmates and your colleagues, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the university for support.

Sincerely,

Kim Schatzel, Ph.D.
President

The University of Louisville is deeply concerned about the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Absent Congressional action during the next six months, this decision could harm many members of our university community, their families and their loved ones.

We want you to know that we cherish every member of our campus community, and we will explore ways to ensure that a UofL education is accessible to all.

As our diversity slogan clearly states, “You Belong.”

For students, faculty and staff who are anxious or concerned about how DACA will affect them, the university is offering resources to help you cope:

• The UofL Counseling Center will be accepting drop-in appointments Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can find more information at 852-6585.
• The Cultural Center and its Hispanic/Latino Initiatives office are available to offer student support and resources. Call 852-6656 for more information.
• Our campus Undocumented Student Resource Council is a group of students, faculty, staff and friends who work on improving the experience of undocumented students. The next meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m. in the Cultural Center. For more information or to get involved, send an email.

Again, we want to stress that we value and will continue to support all members of our university family.

Sincerely,

Gregory Postel, MD, Interim President

Dale Billingsley, PhD, Interim Executive Vice President and University Provost