This past year, the nation witnessed two major public shootings in the United States. Both the movie theater shooting in Aurora Colo. and the Newtown Conn. school shooting sent waves of emotion and despair through the country.

Subsequently, issues such as gun control and mental health were thrust back to the forefront of the political sphere. These important issues affect all aspects of the country, with universities like Brandeis being no exception.

This past week the Association of American Universities, of which Brandeis is a member, issued a statement calling for President Obama and Congress to act swiftly to pass legislation to curb the increasing gun violence in the country. This can be achieved through potential reform, including initiatives designed to ban assault weapons, issue background checks on potential buyers and limits on ammunition stockpiles.

The letter also criticized the mass media for having an "addiction to violence." With this letter, the AAU joined a group of more than 300 college presidents who have signed an open letter to Congress demanding stricter gun laws.

This board fully endorses the AAU's letter, and more specifically, Brandeis' participation as a member in its mission. College campuses naturally seem safe as close-knit communities.
However, campuses are not exempt from the dangers of loose gun laws, evident by occurrences such as the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, which left 32 people dead.
In the realm of mental illness, this board is proud to see the vast array of resources available to students on campus through the Counseling Center and the various student-run programs.

According to a recent Boston Globe article, there is an immense shortage of mental health professionals in the greater Boston area.

In this vain, we hope that the University continues to take steps to effectively provide enough mental health resources for students.

This board encourages the University to continue to show support for gun control reform and national mental health programs through the means available to it.

We hope this AAU letter is taken seriously, and that serious government legislation will follow.  
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