Dear Campus Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Thomas Heard, Associate Professor of Law Library Sciences and Associate Director for Information Technology at Chase College of Law. Tom passed away Sunday evening and is survived by his mother, sister and brother who reside in Indiana. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom’s family, friends, students and colleagues.
Tom has been a longtime member of the Chase faculty since joining the college in 1986 as the Assistant Professor of Library Services. Tom went on to earn his J.D. from Chase, graduating in 1990. He impacted countless numbers of students in his 35 years with the university, most recently teaching the Basic Legal Skills- Research class. Tom was interested in legal history and loved to bake. He was well known around Chase for the cookies and brownies he shared. His colleagues remember Tom as a kind person who always reached out to those in need.
Tom’s passing will be felt across the university and especially at Chase. 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, University Wellness provides the Employee Assistance Program through Aetna. It offers online resources and counselors available anytime.
This is a loss for our campus community so close to the start of an academic year. My sympathies go out to the faculty, staff, students and alumni of Chase and to his colleagues across NKU. Tom will be missed and warmly remembered.
Sincerely,
Ashish
