Gary Stinnett oral history interview, 2020 February 3
Description
Gary Stinnett began his post-retirement career at UNC Charlotte in 1996 as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources. Gary shares his involvement on the evening of April 30th, 2019 coordinating efforts to connect students and families at a nearby Harris Teeter grocery store after news of an active shooter on campus, but also speaks to anticipating how the event may have affected UNC Charlotte employees and how to quickly offer counseling services. Mr. Stinnett was grateful for UNC Charlotte's contract with ComPsych, a nationwide vendor who coordinates counselors. Two counselors from the Charlotte area, Denise and Henry Ford, led individual counseling services and also group sessions from McKnight Auditorium and continued their services into the summer. Mr. Stinnett feels Chancellor Dubois deserves credit for managing the crisis and establishing roles for the policy group the morning after the tragedy. He also speaks to outreach from colleagues; how the event affected campus as a whole; and his feelings on the Remembrance Commission's thoughtful, deliberate, and inclusive suggestion for how to remember the event, yet not let it define the campus and community.
