| Messages
Dear Alumnus/Alumna: We have all watched in sadness and disbelief the terrible tragedy that befell Virginia Tech this week. It is a vivid reminder that university campuses are much more than places of teaching and learning. They are communities in the truest sense of the word. Moments like these compel us to turn to one another, to reassure, and to comfort. Although you may not be present on campus, as a graduate, you are very much a part of our community. Very likely, your thoughts over the past few days turned to Northeastern and to how students here were coping. As you might imagine, they have united to show their support and compassion for those at Virginia Tech who have been directly affected by the tragedy. I want to share an update with you some of the activities that have taken place this week. - On Monday, April 16, I wrote to our students and colleagues to remind them that their safety is paramount to us and that services and support are available for anyone who needs them. You can find a copy of that letter here. - On Tuesday afternoon, the Northeastern community was invited to the Sacred Space on our campus to share a time of silence, lighting of candles, readings and prayers as we grieve with Virginia Tech. - Vice President Klotzbier from Student Affairs sponsored a Facebook site for members of the Northeastern community mourning the loss at Virginia Tech. Within hours it had several hundred members. - On Wednesday evening, our students organized a Candlelight Vigil for the students at Virginia Tech, with a board to write messages and a space to leave flowers and candles. - We have reminded our entire community that resources at University Health and Counseling Services and the Spiritual Life Office are available for anyone who needs them. - We have made a special effort to reach out to those Northeastern students who are from Virginia, and those students who may have known the Virginia Tech student who was from Saugus, Massachusetts, and who became one of this tragedy's victims. - We have posted messages about the tragedy on our Web portals for the parents of our students and for students who have been admitted to Northeastern but are not yet enrolled. - I have also had the opportunity to send a personal note to Charles Steger, president of Virginia Tech, to express our condolences. - We have been meeting with Northeastern officials and staff from Public Safety, Student Affairs, Residence Life, and other offices, to review all the protocols that would be evoked in the event we were faced with the possibility of violence on our own campus. - Northeastern Public Safety officials are actively collaborating with the Boston Police as they lead an effort to create a unified response to campus threats among all the colleges and universities in Boston. I am proud of how the Northeastern community has responded to news of the tragedy at Virginia Tech. I am especially proud of our students, who are facing this news while at the same time completing their spring courses and preparing for their exams. This is a stressful time of year for our students under any circumstances, so it is especially critical that we provide them with any support they need. If you have any questions or concerns about this situation, please feel free to contact me or another member of the Northeastern administration. Joseph E. Aoun | |