Dear SPH community,

Like so many people, my heart goes out to the residents of Ukraine and their worried families around the world, such as Associate Professor Tetyana Shippee and others among our students, faculty, and staff (read about Tetyana’s family in today’s Star Tribune, “Fleeing Ukraine: One family’s story”). Early reports indicate that hundreds of civilians have been killed and about 660,000 refugees have fled Ukraine in this tragic situation that some warn could be Europe’s “largest refugee crisis this century.”

The University has been in touch with students and scholars from Ukraine and Russia offering resources and support. A page on the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance (GPS Alliance) website offers resources for students and information about the events in Ukraine, including the impact of recently imposed sanctions. The page will be updated as new information is available. Students with questions are encouraged to contact International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) at isss@umn.edu or 612-626-7100.

The Office of the Vice President for Research has been in touch with the University’s research community. Any research personnel having or planning collaborations in Russia or Ukraine should contact its Export Controls Office as soon as possible, and certainly before sending any commodities, software, or technologies to recipients located in these countries.

It’s easy to feel powerless in a global situation such as the fighting in Ukraine, but there are many ways to help by supporting well-known organizations, including UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders, and the Ukrainian Voices of Children among others. See a list of where and how to support Ukraine on National Public Radio’s website.

As we have seen over the past few days, the situation in Ukraine is changing rapidly and we will be in touch when appropriate.

With hope for peace and the freedom of Ukraine.

—

Tim Beebe
Interim Dean and Mayo Professor
School of Public Health