October 24, 2001

Dear Colleagues:

Over a month has passed since the tragedy of the September 11 attacks; and, each day we are challenged by more news that creates new uncertainties and stresses. In spite of this, the University community continues to demonstrate the very best of our common values and beliefs. I extend my deep appreciation to each of you for helping us move forward together during this difficult time and to assist our students in special ways.

To help us better share information in the days ahead, administration staff have created a new web page. Called "After September 11:  Updates and Campus Safety," it first focuses on safety because that is foremost in everyone's mind. But the page actually provides a wide range of information.

I particularly want to ask that you contribute to the "Events and Educational Programs" section of this web page. With your help we can make the sharing of knowledge the hallmark of our response to these challenging times. You may be offering lectures or seminars or events that can help us understand the context and implications of recent events as well as our choices as a nation. If these programs are open to a University- or community-wide audience, please send information for posting to webmaster Pat McAuliffe at [email protected]

With informed perspectives, we all can better prepare for what lies ahead. Many of our areas of expertise can benefit public dialogue-governance, public health, religion, psychology, criminal justice, economics and business, social welfare, foreign policy and international relations, literature, cultures, urban and population issues, communications, and many other fields.

Related to this, we will soon add a section to the web page called "Faculty as a Resource" to help reporters and community groups find relevant expertise.

I hope you will look through the other resources we have made easily available on this document to help students, faculty, staff, and parents. Students can find out about counseling services, how they can address safety concerns, donate blood, volunteer, or report a rumor. There is easy access to news sources at home and abroad provided by a linked library web page. We have also gathered together our responses to the events of September 11.

Information will be updated regularly and features will no doubt evolve as we move forward. If you have suggestions, you can e-mail them to [email protected]. Again my deep appreciation for all the ways you have demonstrated the meaning of "community."

Karen R. Hitchcock, President