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Dear Campus Community:

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of one of our faculty members, Dr. Jeff Ward, Associate Professor of Computer Science in the College of Informatics. Jeff passed away Wednesday morning at his home in Fort Thomas with his family by his side. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jeff’s family, friends, students and colleagues.

Jeff’s connection to NKU runs deep. Not only was he a faculty member since 2004, Jeff was also an alumnus, receiving his Mathematics and Philosophy degrees from NKU.  After earning his Master’s degree in Computer Science, Jeff worked in industry as a game programmer specializing in artificial intelligence. He had a passion for applying formal logic and theory to artificial intelligence and made his mark on the curriculum with pioneering topics courses on cutting-edge programming languages. Jeff served as Interim Chair of the Department of Computer Science from 2011-2013.  He also served on the Faculty Senate Budget Committee and as a mentor to students as part of the NSF-Funded SOAR program in 2010.

Jeff is remembered as a thoughtful and supportive colleague, with a deep and caring commitment to NKU. His loss will be felt across the university, and we encourage our campus to ask for the help and support they need. For our students, Health, Counseling, and Student Wellness’ counselors and support services can be reached by calling 572-5650. We also have a 24-hour crisis line at 859-572-7777, in addition to the national crisis line available at 1-800-784-2433 or by texting 741741. For our faculty and staff who knew Jeff, University Wellness provides the Employee Assistance Program through Aetna. It offers online resources and counselors available anytime.

My sympathies go out to the many students, alumni, faculty and staff who Jeff impacted in his time with NKU. This is a great loss for our campus community, and Jeff will be missed and warmly remembered.

Sincerely,
Ashish Vaidya