Message from the Chancellor

Dear Students and Colleagues,

We lost a member of our University community this weekend. Jeannine Skinner, assistant professor of gerontology/psychology in the Department of Psychological Science, passed away at age 35.

According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Dr. Skinner’s death was a homicide, in a probable case of domestic violence.

Dr. Skinner joined our faculty two years ago and was known as a well-regarded and dedicated teacher and mentor who fostered an inclusive and open classroom learning environment. She was an active and caring scholar whose research focused on physical, psychological, social, and environmental predictors of cognitive aging, particularly in minority geriatric populations.

We grieve for Jeannine’s family, and we hope that joyful memories of her life will sustain them in the days to come. I hope those of you who were her students and colleagues will remember Jeannine for her accomplishments and for the influence she had on your lives.

As you return to campus activities after this long weekend, you will quite likely discuss the news of Dr. Skinner’s death. Sadly, many among us live in situations marked by interpersonal violence, and we often have no idea that a student in our classroom or a colleague in our office suite may be struggling. Our Center for Wellness Promotion offers a thorough directory of campus and community resources for victims of interpersonal violence, among them our own University Counseling Center. The Counseling Center also has staff available to assist anyone who would like support in the wake of Dr. Skinner’s death, and faculty and staff members may contact the ComPsych program as well.

Sincerely,
Phil