Dear Students, Faculty and Staff

We were deeply saddened to learn today that a student has died after falling from a campus parking garage. While the details of this tragedy are still unknown, there is nothing more painful for our university community than losing one of its members. The heartbreak of his family and friends cannot be overstated, and I know that all of you join me in sharing our most profound sympathies with them during this time.

As you may be aware, the university convened a task force in the spring to review suicide prevention efforts and mental health support services. This group of students, faculty and staff — co-chaired by Senior Vice President for Student Life Javaune Adams-Gaston and Interim Chair of the Wexner Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Eileen Ryan — has provided several recommendations to enhance Ohio State's broad network of support services. They can be viewed here.Police are still investigating. In the meantime, I want to remind everyone to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room should you or someone you know be at risk of harming yourself or others. Additional resources offered through Ohio State and elsewhere are available here and here.

We continue to work toward implementing many of these actions, which include further diversifying support resources, enhancing screening procedures and continuing to evaluate campus safety measures. We welcome your feedback and encourage your continued engagement in advancing our culture of care and support at Ohio State as we work to make our system even stronger.

Thank you for all you do to support your fellow students, faculty and staff.

Sincerely,

Michael V. Drake, MD

President