<p>Could I ask a favor--I am teaching a course in writing (EFL) and would like to show my students some letters responding to a tragic event--if your college president sent out such a letter, could you copy paste and PM it to me? To be clear, I mean letters from other colleges.</p>
<p>Thanks very much,
Pyewacket</p>
<p>My President's letter is linked from our homepage (<a href="http://www.iastate.edu%5B/url%5D">www.iastate.edu</a>) but I'll PM it to you</p>
<p>Cards4Life,</p>
<p>Thanks very much for your help!</p>
<p>TO: the USC Community</p>
<p>Like Americans and people around the world, we at USC are shocked and pained
by the terrible events at Virginia Tech University. The killing and wounding
of students and professors - the attack on a sister institution - affects us,
as well as colleagues at other colleges and universities, in a special way.
Whatever sense of dwelling on an oasis of rationality and order we have
carried into the 21st century has been severely compromised by the sound of
bullets and screams and tears.</p>
<p>Where shall we turn at such a time? To one another, to the leaders of our
academic community, and for some of us, to God. Clearly, all of us connected
to American higher education need to reaffirm our commitment to reasoned
discourse, to building a civil society, and to relating to one another with
kindness.</p>
<p>For several years now, the Office of Religious Life has sponsored an
Interfaith Memorial Service honoring those who passed away and are being
mourned by graduating students, as well as other members of the Trojan Family
who died in the past year or years. After deliberation, we have decided to
expand that service to include a special memorial to the students and faculty
who died at Virginia Tech, and prayers from us for their academic community.
President Steven B. Sample will offer a tribute to those whose lives were
lost, and will lead us in reflection and in solidarity with Virginia Tech.</p>
<p>The Interfaith Memorial Service will take place on Thursday, April 19, at 5:00
pm in the sanctuary of the United University Church, located at 817 W. 34th
Street, just west of the JEP House. There will be short readings, prayers and
music; and those present will be invited to light memorial candles.</p>
<p>The names of those who have died will be listed in the program and read aloud
during the service. If you would like to add a name or if you have questions,
please contact me at 740-6110 or <a href="mailto:Laemmle@usc.edu">Laemmle@usc.edu</a>, or the senior associate dean
of religious life, Reverend Elizabeth Davenport at <a href="mailto:ejld@usc.edu">ejld@usc.edu</a>.</p>
<p>May USC, our loved ones and all of us, our country and all countries, be
protected and spared further violence. And may we be strengthened in creating
a more peaceful world.</p>
<p>Rabbi Susan Laemmle
Dean of Religious Life</p>
<p>if you go to the VT website there is a place with all the colleges who responded with letters of support.</p>
<p>email sent to Rensselaer parents:</p>
<p>On Behalf Of Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., President
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 8:34 PM
To: RPI Community List
Subject: Incident at Virginia Tech </p>
<p>To the members of the Rensselaer community,</p>
<p>On behalf of the entire Rensselaer community, I extend my deepest
sympathies to all who have been affected by today's heartrending events
at Virginia Tech. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the
victims who lost their lives or were injured in this horrifying tragedy.
I am reaching out to the president of Virginia Tech to offer our
assistance and support.</p>
<p>Many at Rensselaer undoubtedly have ties to Virginia Tech, and events of
this nature are sure to heighten emotions on university campuses across
the country. I encourage members of the Rensselaer community to seek
counseling through the offices of Student Affairs and Human Resources.</p>
<p>We have learned that four members of our faculty and four students are
currently at a meeting at Virginia Tech. We have heard from the members
of the group and received assurance of their safety. They were attending
the annual conference of the Center for Power Electronics Systems, a
National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center headquartered at
Virginia Tech. The meeting has been canceled and the Rensselaer group
plans to return to Troy on Tuesday.</p>
<p>An event such as this makes us all pause and reflect upon how our
institution might respond to a crisis of this nature. Just over two
weeks ago, Rensselaer faced a harrowing incident of our own when, after
a full-day investigation, the tragic death on campus of one of our
former students was ruled a suicide. When circumstances were still
unclear, we took a conservative approach and closed the campus to ensure
the safety of all students, faculty, and staff.</p>
<p>As this incident demonstrated, we are fortunate to have a strong
relationship with the Troy Police Department and other local
authorities. We have developed procedures and participated in a number
of training exercises, some of which led to the steps we took on March
29. Over the past few months we also have examined our response to a
potential incident of the type that occurred at Virginia Tech, including
several meetings with local authorities on the topic.</p>
<p>Moving forward, we will continue to use the lessons learned from our
experience as we work with local authorities to enhance our
preparedness. We are accelerating our plan with the Troy Police
Department for emergency drills, and they have offered their help to
address any concerns members of our community may have about their
safety.</p>
<p>Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D.
President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</p>
<p>This is a letter posted on UNC's website...</p>
<p>Virginia Tech tragedy</p>
<p>Dear Carolina community,</p>
<p>I know that all of you join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of the victims and the entire Virginia Tech community following the unthinkable tragedy that occurred on their campus Monday. In times like this, it’s important for us to pull together, to support one another and reflect on all that we hold dear.</p>
<p>For some of you, the tragedy strikes especially close. Many of you know students in Blacksburg. Some of you earned degrees there. And although we do not yet know the names of all of the victims, we do know that one of them, Christopher James “Jamie” Bishop, Virginia Tech instructor of German, worked here at Carolina from 2001 to 2005. His wife, Stefanie Hofer, obtained her Ph.D. in Germanic languages from Carolina and also is on the faculty at Virginia Tech. Our hearts go out to her and to all of you who worked with Jamie while he was here.</p>
<p>It is difficult to make sense out of an event like this, but please know that there are resources on campus to help you. Student Affairs staff and campus ministers will be available in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union to provide support. Students may also seek help at Counseling and Wellness Services (966-3658). Students in residence halls can seek out their community director or resident adviser.</p>
<p>Faculty members may find that their students want to discuss the tragedy in class. Kathy Hotelling, director of Counseling and Wellness Services, is available to talk with faculty members about approaches to use in discussing this tragedy with students. The University's Employee Assistance Program is available for employees with concerns, and provides a variety of counseling services. Employees can call 929-2362 for confidential assistance.</p>
<p>No campus is immune from what happened at Virginia Tech. At Carolina, we are always looking for ways to improve campus safety. And just as we always do in the wake of a security issue on this campus, we also will learn from the Virginia Tech tragedy. We are committed to providing the safest campus environment that we can for the University community.</p>
<p>Our students who planned Tuesday's vigil said it best: For now, we are all Hokies.</p>
<p>James Moeser
Chancellor</p>
<p>Northeastern even sent emails on Tuesday to parents whose email addresses they had on file (am a member of the parent assoc):</p>
<p>Dear Parents and Family Members:</p>
<p>The following announcement was sent today to our campus community. If your student has been affected by this tragedy, please let them know resources in University Health and Counseling and Spiritual Life are available. You or your student may also contact Amal Shumar in Student Affairs at 617.373.7518 for any additional assistance.</p>
<p>Members of our community are invited to share a time of silence and prayer over the tragedy at Virginia Tech today at 3:30 at the Sacred Space. Chaplains will be present and services will include candle lightings, prayers and readings.</p>
<p>Dear Students and Colleagues,</p>
<p>As we watch the tragic events unfold at Virginia Tech, I feel it is important to remind the members of our community that your safety is paramount to us. It is a sad fact that random acts of violence occur. We have taken steps to minimize the extent of that possibility on our campus. Measures like 24 hour identification checks in the residence halls are in place for your protection. We also staff a large, well-trained police force and we collaborate closely with the Boston Police Department. You can help in this preventative effort. Should you ever see anyone behaving in a manner that you deem suspicious, trust your instinct and call the Northeastern Police Department at 617-373-3333. They are there to help.</p>
<p>Today we are reminded in a very sad and vivid way of just how precarious life is. Our thoughts and prayers are with those in the Virginia Tech community. We have many students from Virginia who may know people directly involved in today's attack. Should you or anyone you know be impacted by this tragedy, please contact University Health and Counseling Services at 617-373-2772. The Spiritual Life Office is also available at 617-373-2728.</p>
<p>Gettysburg College</p>
<p>
[quote]
Students, faculty, and staff:
The entire nation is in shock over the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech. All college campuses are especially affected, as we mourn the loss of so many innocent lives and the violation of an institution dedicated to the values of freedom, inquiry, and personal growth. We send our most heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the shootings. </p>
<p>To express our profound sympathy for the entire Virginia Tech community and to support those on campus who mourn these tragic events, Gettysburg College held a candlelight vigil and prayer service April 17. </p>
<p>There may be students, faculty, or staff on campus who have friends and relatives at Virginia Tech. Please know that counselors and college life staff are here to support you. Contact Counseling Services at 717.337.6960. </p>
<p>Sincerely, </p>
<p>Julie Ramsey, Dean of Students and Vice President for College Life</p>
<p>An April 17 blog entry by Gettysburg College philosophy professor Steve Gimbel about Monday's tragic events appears below. Titled, "It is the 'real world,'" the piece offers a perspective that students at college and universities are already in it. </p>
<p>"It is the 'real world'" by Prof. Steve Gimbel </p>
<p>We adults love to remind college students that things will be different when they get out there "in the real world." But as a very wise colleague of mine is always quick to point out, college is very much the real world. People work and eat and sleep here. People fall in love here. And as we were tragically reminded by yesterday's horrible events in Blacksburg, people die here. </p>
<p>That is not to say that the loss of these young lives is not particularly heart wrenching. There is something special about one's years in college. Friendships have an intimacy that few are fortunate enough to experience afterwards. Late night conversations about philosophical topics are likely
never to be repeated. Passions are uniquely fevered. And world events take on a special sense of urgency. Never again will pizza fill your soul as well as your stomach. </p>
<p>Aristotle held that all beings had within them a "telos," an end goal, a potentiality that we actualized through living. The process of life unfolded who we would be from who we could be. A block of unhewn marble contains within it infinitely many statues, works of unsurpassed beauty, elegance, and depth that simply have yet to be carved. College is that magical period when we are freed from many of the more mundane tasks in life in order to focus on one's individual telos, when our potentialities reveal themselves to us and our paths of self-actualization begin. We not only find out who we are, but begin to create who we would become. Students at university are both marble and artist. For those of us who are privileged enough to spend our adult years in contact with young, and not so young, people standing before this existential intersection, it is always tender and joyful to watch them struggle with the intensity of that coming to be. Even the most insignificant decision holds for them possibility in the chaos of living, the future still amorphous, but taking form in both concrete schedules and shapeless dreams. </p>
<p>It is that open-endedness of life that leaves your soul to weep for those students from Virginia Tech. While we mourn all unnecessary loss, to have the future taken from those who were so actively engaged in creating it is especially sad. </p>
<p>As a father myself, I cannot fathom the sense of loss that the parents are now enduring. As a philosopher, I have no concepts that can make sense of this horrific event. As an empathetic being, I cannot pretend to have any words that could soothe such pain. But I hope that it is of some comfort to their loved ones to be able to think of all of the beautiful statues that these young people were in the process of creating from themselves, that their dear ones may remain forever in their minds the multitude of potentials they were bringing to the world, to this world, to the "real world."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>UCR Response to Virginia Tech Tragedy</p>
<p>(April 16, 2007) — Students, faculty and staff at the University of California, Riverside are stunned and saddened by today’s shootings at Virginia Tech.</p>
<p>In a letter to Virginia Tech President Charles Steger faxed today, Chancellor France C</p>
<p>Wake Forest's President: Nathan O. Hatch:</p>
<p>April 16, 2007</p>
<p>A letter to Dr. Charles W. Steger, President, Virginia Tech</p>
<p>Dear President Steger:</p>
<p>From the Wake Forest University community, I send to you, your students, your colleagues, and the families of today's victims our profound sympathy. When the unimaginable happens, as it did on your campus today, our collective vulnerability looms large. Because of the special relationships that exist between our two universities — through our biomedical engineering program as well as our ACC competition — this tragedy weighs especially heavily on the hearts of Wake Foresters. The people of Virginia Tech, our neighbors across the Blue Ridge, are in our thoughts and prayers.</p>
<p>Please know that we stand ready to assist you in any way you deem appropriate. In particular, I offer the services of our counseling faculty and staff, some of whom went to New York after 9/11 and to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Professor Samuel Gladding, chairman of our Counseling Department and a grief-counseling specialist, spoke on your campus very recently, and he is most willing to return if needed. There may be other needs that you will identify; be assured that we will help you in every way possible.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Nathan O. Hatch</p>
<p>Wake Forest University</p>
<p>UC Santa Cruz:</p>
<p>April 17, 2007</p>
<p>To: Campus Community
Fr: Acting Chancellor Blumenthal
Re: Tragedy at Virginia Tech University</p>
<p>In the wake of yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech University, UC
President Robert Dynes has issued the following statement, expressing the
extreme disbelief and profound sorrow that all members of our University of
California community share. The president's statement can be read at:
<a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2007/apr16.html">http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2007/apr16.html</a><a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2007/apr16.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2007/apr16.html</a></p>
<p>I would also like to take this moment to personally reassure you that
providing for the safety of our students, staff, and faculty is the
campus's highest priority. Toward that end, in the days, weeks, and months
that follow this tragedy, we will review our prevention and response
mechanisms to ensure that they are as complete as is humanly possible.</p>
<p>I would also like to encourage any students on campus who are experiencing
stress as a result of this incident to make use of services available from
our Counseling & Psychological group at the Student Health Center. Contact
information is available at:
<a href="http://www2.ucsc.edu/counsel/">http://www2.ucsc.edu/counsel/</a><a href="http://www2.ucsc.edu/counsel/%5B/url%5D">http://www2.ucsc.edu/counsel/</a></p>
<p>This kind of critical support is available to faculty and staff through our
Employee Assistance Program. Information is available at:
<a href="http://shr.ucsc.edu/topics/benefits/eap/%5B/url%5D">http://shr.ucsc.edu/topics/benefits/eap/</a></p>
<p>Please join with me in extending our deepest condolences to the families of
the victims and to the students, staff, and faculty of the Virginia Tech
campus.</p>
<p>From St. Olaf College:</p>
<p>Dear members of the St. Olaf Community;</p>
<p>It is a beautiful spring day on campus...taiko drums are beating on the
Mellby lawn, students are relaxing or studying in Adirondack chairs and
in benches on the Buntrock Plaza. Others are going for a bike ride,
taking a walk downtown or a long run through the natural lands. It is a
typical Minnesota spring day for which we are greatful....for the sun,
and simply to be here, in our college community.</p>
<p>We are shockingly mindful though, of the tragedy that has befallen our
colleagues at Virgina Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia.<br>
Currently, news reports list that 33 people are dead, most of them
students, as well as the gunman. Details will certainly emerge in the
next several days, and we are sure to know soon exactly what happened.</p>
<p>But, the question of "why" may never be fully understood. We asked that
question after Columbine, after 9/11, and after every other seemingly
senseless tragedy that captivated the nation. We ask, "Could it happen
in our community?" No one, it seems, is immune, and thoughts naturally
come back to our campus...our home.</p>
<p>There are no easy answers here. What we do provide is community that
expects mutual support of each other, that elebrates daily life, that
bears on, and that works to serve as an example of civility and caring
in a world that can be really, really conflicted. Virginia Tech is one
example of this...but unfortunately the world is full of other examples.</p>
<p>Tonight we have the Cantorei home concert. Tommorow, as every day, we
have Chapel. We have each other, and we have our extended families. In
each of these, we can find community, comfort and a sense of security
that is more lasting than locks and hardware.</p>
<p>As we come together wherever we are, we can pray for the people of
Virginia Tech and for those affected by this tragedy. If you or anyone
you know in our community is affected personally by the events in
Virginia, please contact the Counseling Center, Pastor's Office, Dean of
Students Office or anyone else who can assist you.</p>
<p>God's Peace to all of us, and to our brothers and sisters at Virginia Tech.</p>
<p>Greg Kneser
Dean of Students</p>
<p>Not a letter, but the speech from the President at W&M:</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am reluctant to add words—cheapened words—to touch the unspeakable tragedy that strikes our brothers and sisters in Blacksburg this day. All other questions pale when compared to the killing of innocent women and men—young and old—daughters and sons, sisters and brothers, husbands and wives, lovers and friends, students and teachers, colleagues and competitors—born in hope, tempered by challenge, clothed in faith, anxious for a future yet unrevealed, now unrevealable—children of God, who more than any other thing, were loved and needed by others of God’s children. Fallen in violence and terror. Gone too soon. Gone brutally. Violence that in your young lives you have seen too much. Almost as if the shocking thing, the thing never to be anticipated, never to be borne, is expected. The thing never to be contemplated is foreseen. In New York, in Washington, in Pennsylvania, and now in Blacksburg; in our Commonwealth, amongst our family, in our home. </p>
<p>Aeschylus wrote that “In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom, from the awful grace of God.” </p>
<p>No easy lesson joins this day. For our brothers at Virginia Tech, for our community at this College, for young women and men, filled with hope, and failing to approach, much less to comprehend, the injustice and the horror of such acts. No lesson except, perhaps, our faith, as Dr. King wrote, that “unearned suffering is redemptive.” As we believe—that love, not hate, is the strongest power on earth. That as the ancient Greeks claimed, we are charged “to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.” And that “they who mourn are blessed, for they shall be comforted.” For they shall be comforted. For we shall offer comfort.</p>
<p>No lesson except that life, and each precious moment of it, is to be treasured. That we should hold tight to one another, hold fast to our dreams. That the world we inherit needs much. But nothing so much as our love, and commitment, to make steady the way before us; to lighten and enrich the lives of our fellows. To live each day as if its grace and its beauty were a gift—a gift to mark our souls, to open our eyes, to lift and to soothe our hearts. A gift to be received and, when received, regiven. To push back against hatred and violence, and their more subtle companions—companions that tear at the fabric of our common lives, on this small planet. That deny the sanctity of human existence. That cast aside the treasure and the dignity of what we rightly claim as our own. Recognizing that we are bound to one another—as the poet says—all men and women, in sister- and brotherhood, that we are bound and we are bound.</p>
<p>I ask you, as I know you will, to reach out to your brothers and sisters in Blacksburg, and in Williamsburg, and at the destinations that will soon unfold before you. Living each day with hope—hope not as a mere description of the world around you, or as a prediction of the future, but hope as Vaclav Havel described it—a predisposition of the spirit, a habit of the heart. A conscious choice to live in the belief that we can make a difference in the quality of our shared lives. The nobler of hypotheses. Honoring those unjustly taken. Casting our lot on the side of beauty and grace and forgiveness and courage and commitment and selflessness and hope, and, finally, love.
[/quote]
</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wm.edu/news/index.php?id=7628%5B/url%5D">http://www.wm.edu/news/index.php?id=7628</a></p>
<p>Here's from Ruth Simmons to Brown</p>
<p>April 18, 2007</p>
<p>Dear Members of the Brown Community,</p>
<p>In the aftermath of the event at Virginia Tech, the Brown community
and the entire nation is experiencing a sense of shock, sadness, and
grief.</p>
<p>As we continue to think of the families of the victims, and the
students, faculty, and staff at Virginia Tech, I want to communicate
with you about Brown’s own preparedness for emergency situations.
Although nothing may be able to prevent such an act of random violence
as the one that occurred in Blacksburg, Vice Presidents Walter Hunter
and Russell Carey have prepared a summary of our procedures and plans
that you will find below. We recognize that many parents and other
family members of college students are concerned about safety and
security on campuses across the country, so I encourage you to share
this information with your families, friends, and colleagues.</p>
<p>On Monday night, members of our community gathered at Manning Chapel
to reflect on the many lives that were lost at Virginia Tech. In the
days ahead, I am sure that the University will develop other
opportunities for us to demonstrate our concern and sympathy for those
who were affected by this tragedy.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Ruth J. Simmons</p>
<p>Safety, Security & Support Services at Brown University</p>
<p>We would like to make you aware of current safety protocols and
several ongoing public safety initiatives that are part of our overall
comprehensive security plan and preparedness at Brown.</p>
<p>The University’s Department of Public Safety is a professional,
nationally accredited law enforcement agency. Campus Police Officers
are graduates of the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy, authorized
to carry firearms and highly trained and experienced. They are trained
and authorized to take action to protect the lives and safety of
community members. During the last several years, we have made
significant investments in public safety training, staffing,
equipment, and technology to enhance safety on campus.</p>
<p>Public Safety coordinates and trains with the Providence Police
Department on a regular basis. Last December, for example, Brown
Public Safety command staff and Providence Police officers conducted a
joint tabletop exercise simulating and assessing response procedures
to a shooting incident on campus. The Providence Police Department
maintains a substation on campus, and both agencies have the ability
to communicate instantly via police radios. Colonel Mark Porter met
this week with Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman to review and
enhance protocols and preparedness and command staff are conducting
roll call reviews with DPS officers of departmental policies and
procedures governing hostage or barricade situations. It should also
be noted Brown policy prohibits the possession on campus of a firearm
regardless of whether or not the individual holds a permit. The only
exception to this policy applies to sworn law enforcement officers.
Please report any violation of this policy immediately to the
Department of Public Safety.</p>
<p>The University has a campus Emergency Action Plan online at
<a href="http://www.brown.edu/Administration/EHS/emergency_preparedness/">http://www.brown.edu/Administration/EHS/emergency_preparedness/</a>. We
encourage members of the community to review the plan, particularly
the instructions regarding “shelter in place” situations. The Core
Crisis Committee, chaired by Walter Hunter, continuously reviews our
plans and preparedness, and we are currently evaluating various
aspects of our readiness in light of lessons learned from this week’s
events.</p>
<p>The University has the capacity to communicate quickly to all members
of the campus community via e-mail, Web, voice mail to campus phones,
and directly to students through Residential Peer Leaders in residence
halls. We were already evaluating available technologies to
communicate to private phones and instant messaging, and we are
exploring other, more conventional methods of emergency broadcasting,
including public address systems and sirens.</p>
<p>In the event of a hostage or barricade-type situation, Brown would
immediately call upon the Providence Police Department to take command
and control of the scene. Providence police have trained tactical
personnel and hostage negotiators for such incidents. While the
response to and actions taken in any incident depend on the facts and
circumstances at hand, the coordinated training and communications
mentioned above are intended to prepare Brown’s Department of Public
Safety and the Providence Police Department for such an occurrence.</p>
<p>A number of resources and offices are available to provide support to
members of the community who have concerns, questions or feelings
raised by these events and for students with family or friends at
Virginia Tech or in the surrounding community. These include the
following offices which are open and available to students during
normal business hours:</p>
<p>Psychological Services 863-3476
Regular Appointments
Crisis Clinician available daily for urgent situations</p>
<p>Office of Student Life 863-3145
Regular Appointments
Dean of the Day available daily for urgent situations</p>
<p>Office of the Chaplains 863-2344
Regular Appointments
Drop-ins accepted</p>
<p>In addition, an administrator on call or a chaplain can be reached 24
hours a day through the Office of Public Safety at 863-3322. The
Psychological Services clinician on call can be contacted after normal
business hours through Health Services at 863-1330. Psychological
Services has a link on its Web site –
<a href="http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Psychological_Services/%5B/url%5D">http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Psychological_Services/</a> – to
information prepared by the American Psychological
Association, ‘Managing your stress in the aftermath of the Virginia
Tech shootings.’ Information about assistance available for faculty
and staff can be found at the following website:
<a href="http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Human_Resources/emprel_i_assist.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Human_Resources/emprel_i_assist.htm</a>
.</p>
<p>Finally, we are aware that it is very difficult to predict violent
behavior. However, there are some signs that, taken together, can
serve as an alert for concern. Among them are: a history of violence,
abuse of alcohol or drugs, loss of temper on a daily basis,
significant suspiciousness or paranoia, and escalating aggressive or
agitated behavior. If you become concerned about the potential for
immediate violence in an individual you should contact the Public
Safety emergency line at 863-4111. If you have more general concerns
about a member of the community you may contact the Office of Student
Life at 863-3145 or Psychological Services at 863-3476 or Human
Resources at 863-7519 for information and support.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Walter C. Hunter
Vice President for Administration</p>
<p>Russell C. Carey
Interim Vice President
Campus Life and Student Services</p>
<p>From UC Irvine:</p>
<p>Dear Students:</p>
<p>We are enormously saddened by today's events at Virginia Tech. Our
heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost family
and friends, and to all members of the Virginia Tech community who
have been scarred by this incident. </p>
<p>I want to assure all UC Irvine students, faculty, staff and their
families that, while we cannot always anticipate or prevent acts of
violence on campus, maintaining a safe environment is our highest
priority. </p>
<p>We strive to develop a culture of safety among our students, our
staff and all members of the campus community. Our violence
prevention programs are designed to identify and resolve issues
before they become serious. And the University of California is
giving increased attention to student psychological support services
and to expanding financial support for them. </p>
<p>In light of today's events, we will be taking an even closer look at
our training and preparedness efforts to make sure that all
appropriate preventive and responsive measures are in place. Again,
the safety of every member of our campus community is our top
priority. </p>
<p>Michael V. Drake, M.D.
Chancellor</p>
<p>Cornell University</p>
<p>Dear Cornellian,</p>
<p>The tragic and incomprehensible loss of life that took place yesterday on the campus of Virginia Tech has stunned everyone throughout the Cornell community. Many of our students, faculty and staff have strong ties with members of the Virginia Tech family and, in our grief and sympathy, we are united in our thoughts, especially for the families and friends of the victims. To honor their memories, we will hold a gathering for reflection and remembrance at 12:30 PM on Thursday, April 19 in Sage Chapel. The event will be streamed live at <a href="http://www.cornell.edu">http://www.cornell.edu</a>.</p>
<p>While there can be no guarantee against such horrific behavior, there is much we are doing to prevent such an occurrence on our campuses. Thanks to our counselors who support individuals throughout the university community in Ithaca, New York City and wherever Cornellians work and study, we are working with each of the university's departments to help our faculty and staff learn to recognize when a person is in distress and provide her or him the necessary support. Our police department devotes considerable time and effort to emergency preparedness, which regrettably encompasses strategies for handling similar situations. And, our students are doing a lot to support their fellow Cornellians through a variety of student-run programs.</p>
<p>The significance of a helping hand cannot be overemphasized. When we are aware of someone who is in distress, we demonstrate compassion by extending ourselves to that person, rather than ignoring the need. And when we allow others to help us when we are in trouble, we ease our own burdens and defuse potentially devastating circumstances.</p>
<p>To help promote the entire community's safety, there are actions you can undertake that will make a big difference. For instance, you could program your cell phone to be able to speed dial 911 and the university's own police hotline at (607) 255-1111 to reach out for help whenever you believe someone close to you needs assistance. Or, you could update your emergency contact information and add your cell phone number to <a href="http://www.whoiam.cornell.edu">http://www.whoiam.cornell.edu</a> so that you can be contacted more readily in the event of an emergency.</p>
<p>In the days and weeks ahead, we will look for answers to the many questions surrounding the Virginia Tech tragedy. This is a time when by reaching out to one another, we can find the strength to understand and grow as a community.</p>
<p>David J. Skorton
President</p>
<p>Wheaton College (MA)</p>
<p>To the campus community,</p>
<p>The tragedy that unfolded yesterday at Virginia Tech shocks and saddens us all. I am certain that you join me in sending thoughts and prayers to the students, families, faculty and staff who are struggling with the weight of the disaster that has taken place in their community.</p>
<p>Yesterday's tragic events might cause some to wonder about safety here on our own campus. I want to assure you that the college takes the safety and welfare of our students, faculty and staff very seriously. Like many colleges around the country, we will be conducting a review of our procedures and plans in response to this horrific event. But safety is an ongoing issue. The college works daily to ensure security and public safety on campus, and continually reviews the plans and resources available for responding to emergencies.</p>
<p>Every day and night, public safety monitors parking lots, residence halls and other buildings on campus. Public safety officers pay particular attention to visitors, parked cars without Wheaton permits and the security of residence halls. They regularly test the emergency telephones and security lighting around campus. In addition, the department provides information and education on personal safety practices, and it alerts the community when an event occurs.</p>
<p>Residence hall staff are also trained in promoting security, particularly in keeping residence hall doors securely locked. You can do your part by never ''propping'' open residence hall doors. (You also can review personal safety measures at <a href="http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/PublicSafety/Safety/Personal/%5B/url%5D">http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/PublicSafety/Safety/Personal/</a>.)</p>
<p>In addition, the college has a critical incident plan that has been designed for responding to a wide array of emergencies. Administrators regularly review the plan, and in recent years, the college has participated in training exercises with the area's public emergency services agencies. </p>
<p>In fact, the college has been investigating emergency notification this year. We currently use email, the campus voicemail system and the Web to communicate with students, faculty and staff in emergency situations. We are also investigating an emergency notification system to supplement these existing forms of communication. Such a system would allow us to reach students by cellphone or text message and communicate simultaneously with parents and families .</p>
<p>The tragedy in Virginia has naturally caused many of us to reflect on our own vulnerability and to experience feelings of shock, grief or fear. I encourage students to check in with parents, friends and family members, and, as mentioned in our earlier e-mail, I hope all members of the college community will feel free to talk with one of the trained staff members on campus, Dean Vereene Parnell or the counseling center staff.</p>
<p>Ultimately, our concern for each other, our strength as a community willing to help each other, represents an important source of security. I am interested in your thoughts and ideas on campus safety, and I urge you to do your part to keep Wheaton safe.</p>
<p>Sincerely,
Ronald Crutcher
President</p>