Office of the Provost

Update on shuttle accident; community gathering at 11 a.m.

November 20, 2022

Dear Brandeis community members,

This has been a difficult night for our community; we know that many students have been up much of the night waiting for information about their friends who were on the Boston/Cambridge shuttle that crashed on South Street. If you are a student and you have not done so already, please reach out to your family and close friends as soon as possible to let them know that you are safe.

We realize it’s not easy to deal with incomplete information. Given the number of injured people and the different hospitals to which they were taken, it is taking time to determine the status of everyone involved, including which passengers are Brandeis students. Please also understand that due to privacy concerns, the university will not be releasing a list of those who were injured.

Based on preliminary information we have gathered from several hospitals, we believe 17 people have been released and 11 have been admitted for further care. We are working with the hospitals to determine the status of other patients, and where possible have provided emergency contact information. We are working with Waltham police to identify the individual who tragically passed away.  

Members of Brandeis leadership and the Student Union invite you to gather in community this morning at 11 in the Shapiro Campus Center. As we shared in an earlier email, the Brandeis Counseling Center can be reached 24-7 at 781-736-3730 and is available to assist students at any time. The Counseling Center will also be open for in-person visits Sunday from 12 to 4; students are encouraged to drop in for support. The Dean of Students Office, the Office of Graduate Student Affairs, and the Center for Spiritual Life will be open Monday-Wednesday this week, and we are planning to make drop-in spaces available through the week. Staff and faculty who may be struggling can get help through the Employee Assistance Plan.

We will continue to keep the community updated; please take care of yourselves and each other as we all process this terrible event.

Sincerely,
Carol Fierke, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Stew Uretsky, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Andrea Dine, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs