Shubha Debnath, a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, according to an email sent to the community Saturday night by University President Anthony Monaco and other members of the Tufts administration.
Debnath, who came to Tufts as a first-generation student, was an active member of the Tufts community. A community volunteer and member of the Bengali Association at Tufts, Debnath was described by his suitemates as “a brilliant and loyal friend, possessing a lightning-quick mind and an extraordinary wealth of information to engage nearly any topic,” according to the email.
“We know that Shubha’s sudden passing will be felt deeply by the many students, faculty, and staff he met during his time at Tufts,” the authors of the email wrote. “Thank you for joining us as we extend our deep compassion to Shubha’s friends, and our sincerest, most heartfelt condolences to his family.”
The authors of the email invited Tufts students to join in a gathering of support and reflection at the Interfaith Center at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24. The authors of the email encouraged community members to reach out to mental health resources at the university, including Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS), the Counselor-On-Call and the Chaplain-On-Call, which are available after hours over the weekend. They also presented other resources available to students, faculty and staff.
Resources available on campus include:
- Students can reach both the Counselor-On-Call and the Chaplain-On-Call by calling Public Safety at 617-627-3030.
- The University Chaplaincy provides pastoral care and support with grief and planning memorial services. All are welcome to reach out directly to any member of the University Chaplaincy or call 617-627-3427 Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
- CMHS is also open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Students can make an appointment by visiting their office or calling 617-627-3360.
- Tufts has partnered with two outside resources that provide students with access to licensed therapists from any location via text, live chat, phone and video: BetterHelp and iHope.
- Students may also seek support through the Dean of Student Affairs Office Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. by walking in or calling 617-627-3158.
- Faculty and staff may seek support from the University Chaplaincy, as well as Tufts’ Employee Assistance Program, at any time.
