Dear UAlbany Community,
Last week, our Great Dane community experienced unimaginable tragedies. I am writing to offer my deepest condolences to all those who have been affected.
A fire last Thursday at an off-campus apartment claimed the lives of two May 2025 UAlbany graduates, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, who earned her master’s degree in Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity, and a second recent alumnus whose family has asked for privacy. On behalf of the entire University at Albany community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to their family, friends, and all who are grieving.
The fire also injured two additional individuals and displaced 13 others, including four current UAlbany students. Nearly all others who were displaced by the fire are recent UAlbany alumni. We have marshaled significant university resources to support these members of our community.
UAlbany’s Offices of Residential Life, Community Relations, International Student & Scholar Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Dean of Students Office, and the Provost’s Office are among those that responded immediately to support those impacted by the fire and continue to offer resources.
On behalf of UAlbany, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Albany Police Department, the Albany Fire Department, and the American Red Cross for their quick, coordinated, and compassionate response. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, all displaced residents were promptly rehoused and provided with resources and the support they needed in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
We know this tragedy is being felt especially strongly within our graduate and international communities, who are an essential part of the UAlbany community. Your wellbeing remains our priority. The University is in close communication with the City of Albany to better understand what occurred, to partner with them and to support efforts that strengthen safety and oversight of off-campus rental housing.
In addition to this heartbreaking news, we mourn the sudden and unexpected death of Liam Gleason, UAlbany alumnus and former assistant men’s lacrosse coach. Beginning with his time as a player, Liam was an integral part of UAlbany’s athletics family and remained closely connected to UAlbany throughout his career. He had served as the head coach of the Siena University men’s lacrosse team for several years prior to his death and we join with our neighbors at Siena to mourn this monumental loss.
Experiencing these tragedies in quick succession has been profoundly difficult for many members of our community. I urge you to support each other and find strength in this community as we move forward.
Sincerely,
Havidán Rodríguez
President