College’s Senior Tutor’s Office has told staff and students that “there are people in Trinity offering support to you”, following the death of a student.
The body of Mark Melnychuk was found at approximately 8:50pm yesterday.
An email to students and staff today, signed by Pro-Senior Tutor Gerry Whyte, said: “We appreciate that Mark’s death is a shock and that it will take time for those who knew him to come to terms with this sad news.”
“Please remember that there are people in Trinity offering to support you”, Whyte said. “You will find a list of useful contact numbers at the end of this e-mail. In particular, the Student Counselling Service has indicated that they will receive both individual students and small groups on request at this time.”
“A class meeting to remember Mark and reflect on his life and time with us will be held tomorrow in St James’ Hospital at 10am. The Head of School and the Senior Tutor will be writing to Mark’s family to extend the sympathies of the School and the whole College community.”
Our thoughts are with the entire College community today following the tragic incident in the @tcdlibrary last night.
We would like to remind all students and staff that supports are available to anyone who require them at this time. pic.twitter.com/p4MXKyMZmd— Trinity College Dublin (@tcddublin) February 24, 2022
Campaigning for the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) sabbatical elections will be suspended today and tomorrow as a mark of respect. Media hustings will also not take place as planned this evening.
Candidates can campaign online tomorrow if they wish, but have been told by the Electoral Commission that they are under no obligation to do so.
The campaign is expected to resume as normal on Monday and the timeline for voting will not be changed.
The EC has said that candidate welfare will come “first and foremost” in the coming days.
The deceased individual was a medical student. Students in the School of Medicine have been contacted signposting them to crisis supports.
An email statement to The University Times from the Garda Press Office said: “Gardaí in Pearse Street are currently at scene of an incident in the library in Trinity College, Dublin that occurred this evening at approximately 8.50 p.m. Wednesday 23rd February, 2022.”
“A male was discovered deceased and Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding his death.”
“A post mortem will be conducted in due course and the results of same will determine the course of the investigation.”
If you have been affected by, or would like to discuss any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact the Welfare Officer of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union by emailing [email protected]. Emergency appointments with the Student Counselling Service are also available. You can phone Niteline, the student listening service, every night of term from 9pm–2:30am on 1800 793 793, or the Samaritans at any time on 116 123. You can also text TCDSU’s crisis line 24/7 on 50808. In an emergency, call 999 or 112.
