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Mourning for Virginia Tech
UB community comes together at memorial service for shooting victims
By ARTHUR PAGE
Assistant Vice President
The importance of the UB community coming together at times of sorrow—as well as at events of celebration—was stressed yesterday by President John B. Simpson as UB students, faculty and staff gathered for a memorial service for the victims of the shootings on Monday at Virginia Tech.
"Today's gathering is at a moment of sorrow. It's a moment for the UB community to show our solidarity for the students, faculty, staff, alumni and families at Virginia Tech, and a moment for us to try, at least, to take some small measure of solace from the company of those around us," Simpson told more than 250 people who attended the university-sponsored service in the Student Union Theater.
"Universities, like all communities," Simpson added, "are at their best when people engage one another—when they talk, laugh, cry, debate, argue and create."
Referring to the shootings that took the lives of students and faculty at Virginia Tech, Simpson said it's difficult, if not impossible, to "understand the senselessness of the act that brings us together this morning."
"Even though it's difficult, I think it's important that we have come together as a university this morning," he added. "For centuries, societies in all corners of the world have gathered at times of both sorrow and joy."
Simpson said the gathering demonstrated that "our hearts are with our friends in Blacksburg."
While the shootings have placed a pall over Virginia Tech and higher education in general, he emphasized: "Universities are magical places, and the violence perpetrated by a single individual will not—and cannot—diminish the power of universities to bring people together, at good times and bad, for the benefit of all people."
The service was the second time this week that Simpson addressed the UB community on the Virginia Tech shootings.
Shortly after the shootings on Monday, he issued a statement in which he noted: "At the University at Buffalo, our hearts are heavy at this terrible news, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and the entire Virginia Tech community. Colleges and universities should be—and generally are—safe havens, places where the currency is ideas—not violence. That such a horrendous act took place at one of our nation's colleges is nearly impossible to comprehend. Our UB family feels deeply for our colleagues, and we stand ready to provide whatever support possible."
Those participating in the service received memorial lapel ribbons in honor of the Virginia Tech victims. The ribbons will be available free to the university community through tomorrow in the Student Life Office in the Student Union, at the Student Union information desk, the Harriman Hall information desk on the South Campus, in the Leadership Development Center, 235 Student Union, and in the Intercultural and Diversity Center, 240 Student Union.
Yesterday's service was the first of two memorial services for the Virginia Tech victims planned for the university community. The second, sponsored by the Newman Centers at UB, Catholic Campus Ministry, will take place at 8 p.m. Sunday in St. Joseph's University Church, 3269 Main St., adjacent to the South Campus.
Thirty-three lit candles, one for each victim of the Virginia Tech shootings, were featured at the service and will be displayed in the Student Union lobby until tomorrow.
The Student Union lobby also is the location for a Virginia Tech Memorial Site where students, faculty and staff wishing to express their concern and sympathy may create memorial cards or sign a memorial message banner through tomorrow. Cards also may be created in the Leadership Development Center and the Intercultural and Diversity Center. The cards and the signed banner will be shipped to Virginia Tech on Monday.
American flags on campus have been lowered to half-staff in memory of those killed at Virginia Tech. The UB Memorial Flag in Lee Loop on the North Campus is flying at half-staff, along with a Virginia Tech flag.
UB Counseling Services in 120 Richmond Quad is reaching out to students feeling affected by, or having strong emotional reactions to, the tragedy, offering one-on-one support, as well as Web-based self-help information.
Counselors are available in Counseling Services from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. The phone number is 645-2720. After hours, an on-call counselor can be reached by calling University Police at 645-2222 or 2222 from any campus phone, or by picking up any campus blue-light phone.
Information about trauma, grief and coping is available on the Counseling Services Web site at http://ub- counseling.buffalo.edu/tragedy.shtml.
Simpson on Tuesday communicated through an email message to the university community that "the University at Buffalo places the highest priority on making our campus a safe place to study, live and work."
He noted that "the responsibility for making UB a safe place lies foremost with the university administration and campus police, but also with each individual member of the community. Together, we own responsibility for making the community both an open place and also a secure place—a safe haven for all members of the community and visitors alike."
Simpson stressed that the university has emergency plans in place for acts of violence on campus. "While what happened at Virginia Tech appears to be an isolated incident, like every university across the country," he noted, "we will be reviewing these plans and looking for areas to strengthen them further."
He added: "While the university works closely with law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels, the core of our emergency plans is the UB Police Department and its 61 police officers. Twenty-four of these officers have received specialized training as members of the department's Civil Disturbance Team. The entire patrol division has received training as first responders to an active shooter.
"In an active shooter situation, UB's officers would be the first responders. The Town of Amherst Police Department and the Buffalo Police Department, with which the university has memorandums of understanding, also would be called in for assistance in such a situation. The staff of the UB residence halls and apartments, and UB's University Police are well trained in emergency response and communications, including lockdown and evacuation procedures."
Noting that each member of the university community has a responsibility for keeping UB safe, Simpson added: "I would be remiss not to note that there are steps we all must take to ensure personal safety and maintain our campus community as a safe environment. As individuals, we should not place ourselves in dangerous situations, and we should always be acutely aware of our surroundings.
"Any suspicious behavior should be reported immediately to the UB Police Department at 645-2222 or 829-2222, or by using blue-light phones located at key locations on the North and South campuses."
Specific building and office security tips are available on the UB Police Department's Web site at http://www.public-safety.buffalo.edu/campustips.shtml.