Leaders draft letter to Virginia Tech

Group offers condolences, solidarity; discusses candlelight memorial service

Kaitlynn Riely

Issue date: 4/19/07 Section: News

At their first meeting following the shooting deaths of 32 students and faculty members at Virginia Tech, the Student Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to send a letter to the mourning community to express its condolences.

Student body president Liz Brown wrote the letter after she received several e-mails from students and senators asking the student government to do something in the wake of the tragedy.

The letter, signed by Brown and vice president Maris Braun as representatives of the Student Senate, expressed Notre Dame's shock and sorrow after Monday's events, when Virginia Tech senior Cho Seung-Hui opened fire - first in a dorm and then in a classroom building - before turning the gun on himself.

"Despite the many miles that separate our campuses, the victims of this tragedy, as well as the entire Virginia Tech community, remain at the forefront of our thoughts and always in our prayers," the letter reads. "No amount of words will take away the pain and suffering of these events, but we pray that God will guide you through this difficult time."

The letter also describes several memorial events the student government intends to hold today and in the next few days.

The student government plans to send posters depicting the mascots of each of the 27 dorms, signed by members of the Notre Dame community. Included with the posters, Brown said, will be a note of solidarity to say that Virginia Tech is included in the Notre Dame community.

Students can sign the posters today from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the main television lounge in LaFortune. Students can also sign the posters on Fieldhouse Mall today and Friday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Each person who signs the posters will receive a maroon or orange ribbon - Virginia Tech's colors - as a sign to show their solidarity with the school, Brown said.

A rosary service is planned at the Grotto for Friday, although no definitive time has been announced.

Senators disagreed over whether to light 32 candles at the Grotto or 33 - to include the gunman. Brown's original letter stated that the Notre Dame community would light 32 candles entwined with maroon and orange ribbons.

But Morrissey senator Tom Bacsik asked the Senate to consider whether or not to change that number to 33 to include Cho. Zahm senator Nick McCollum said he believed the number should be changed.

"I feel as a Catholic university, we do stand for forgiveness, and I think we should still pray for him for what he did," McCollum said. "I think we should forgive him."

Residence Life committee chair Mariana Montes questioned whether people at Virginia Tech - which is not a predominately Catholic university - would find Notre Dame's forgiveness offensive.

Brown said she would make the decision to change or not to change the number according to the number listed on Virginia Tech's Web site, allowing the school to make the decision about how many victims there were.

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Original Source:
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Leaders.Draft.Letter.To.Virginia.Tech-2852850.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Leaders.Draft.Letter.To.Virginia.Tech-2852850.shtml</a>
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Leaders.Draft.Letter.To.Virginia.Tech-2852850-page2.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Leaders.Draft.Letter.To.Virginia.Tech-2852850-page2.shtml</a>

Kaitlynn Riely

2008-02-25

Kacey Beddoes

Christopher Hine <chine@nd.edu>

eng

NIU Boards on Alumni Mall

Message boards on alumni mall prior to a Virginia Tech candlelight vigil for NIU. Photo taken Monday, February 18, 2008. Lane Hall is visible in the far background.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2008-02-18

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

SLU supports Tech

Students at Saint Louis University sent nearly a dozen message board to Tech in the weeks following the tragedy. SLU also hosted a memorial mass in honor of the Tech students and professors who died.

Kathryn Kuhn

2007-08-14

Kathryn Kuhn

eng

Banners

Squires Student Center is filled with posters and banners that universities, colleges, and businesses have sent to Virginia Tech.

Photo Courtesy of Patrick Donohoe

Patrick Donohoe

2007-08-08

Chad Newswander

eng

Sports message boards find new use after tragedy

<b>Web sites such as Thesabre.com, Techsideline.com provide forum for discussion, communication after yesterday morning&#39;s shootings at Virginia Tech</b>

Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

In the wake of yesterday&#39;s tragedy at Virginia Tech, online sports message boards served a more important purpose, providing an outlet for people to report information about the shootings that killed 33 people.

With cell phone coverage limited yesterday in the Blacksburg area, many turned to sports message boards to communicate news reports as well as personal reactions to the day&#39;s events. In fact, the two largest message boards for Virginia and Virginia Tech sports -- Thesabre.com and Techsideline.com -- have become completely devoted to discussion of the shootings.

Sabre administrators posted a message on the Tech site to inform users that the message boards could help facilitate dialogue and updates about the shootings.

"We at The Sabre understand that you may have periodic problems accessing the TSL and VT Web sites," the message stated. "When this happens, you are welcome to use TheSabre.com&#39;s off-topic message board to communicate and retrieve necessary information on today&#39;s tragic events. You have our support and prayers during this trying time. Please pass the link around to your friends."

News of the shootings first spread on the two boards around noon yesterday.

"Breaking news -- shooting on VT campus!" one user wrote.

Soon after, a number of bloggers reported the status of family and friends at Tech.

"All family members at VT accounted for. I&#39;m praying hard for others less fortunate," one said.

Some individuals also expressed relief upon learning that loved ones had not been victimized.

"Little bro is ok..... phew..... locked down in one of the dorms...," another wrote.

Many posted information reported on news broadcasts and gave their own reactions to the shootings. Soon, sports conversation had ceased altogether.

"Everyone is a Hokie today," another blogger wrote. One Virginia fan suggested that Virginia students wear maroon and orange in support of Tech students and families.

As the day progressed, the two sites were crowded with comments expressing the powerful emotion evoked across the country. Commentary touched on the political fallout of the killings, as many users posted messages conveying frustration with reporters and pundits who accused Tech administrators of mishandling the tragedy as it unfolded.

Fans from other schools have used the message boards as a platform to offer their prayers to Virginia Tech, while local communities of Hokies across the country announced planned vigils.

"What a horrendous day for not only Virginia Tech but the entire state," wrote one blogger on the Tech Sideline site. "You can count on prayers from Lynchburg from the Liberty University family for all of the victims, their families and friends."

Virginia students also posted messages relaying information about vigils to be held around Grounds this week.

Cavalier fans have put their rivalry aside and are calling themselves "brothers" with fellow students and alumni at Virginia Tech.

"Never thought I&#39;d say this, but Go Hokies," wrote one blogger on the Sabre board.

Virginia Tech has canceled all athletic activities today. Neither the University nor the ACC have announced any plans to cancel other athletic events.

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Original Source:<a href=http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=30164&pid=1582>The Daily Cavalier - April 17, 2007</a>

Eric Kolenich

The Cavalier Daily

2007-07-31

Sara Hood

Meggie Bonner <meggiebonner@gmail.com>

eng

Memorial Ribbons

Memorial ribbons hang outside the tent that holds the signed message boards.

Orginial Source: <a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/molliebug/489294185/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/molliebug/489294185/in/photostream/</a>

Photo courtesy of Mollie Adams

Mollie Adams

2007-07-11

Chad Newswander

Permission:
Mollie Adams
http://www.flickr.com/people/molliebug/

eng

Virginia Tech Memorials

I&#39;m not sure the memorials will still be on the drill field when we get back from Missouri, so Mara and I went over to see them one last time afternoon in case the aren&#39;t there when we get back.

Orginial Source: <a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/molliebug/489120906/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/molliebug/489120906/in/photostream/</a>

Photo courtesy of Mollie Adams

Chad Newswander

2007-07-11

Chad Newswander

Permission:
Mollie Adams
http://www.flickr.com/people/molliebug/

eng

Squires Hall

Squires Student Center is filled with posters, message boards, flowers, and other items that universities, businesses, and other places around the country have sent to Virginia Tech.

Orginial Source: <a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/soilrocks/468955846/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/soilrocks/468955846/in/photostream/</a>

Photo courtesy of Jarrod Miller

Jarrod Miller

2007-07-11

Chad Newswander

Permission:
Jarrod Miller
Jarrod@uky.edu

eng

VT support sign

Squires Student Center is filled with posters, message boards, flowers, and other items that universities, businesses, and other places around the country have sent to Virginia Tech.

Orginial Source: <a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/soilrocks/468955758/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/soilrocks/468955758/in/photostream/</a>

Photo courtesy of Jarrod Miller

Jarrod Miller

2007-07-11

Chad Newswander

Permission:
Jarrod Miller
Jarrod@uky.edu

eng

Drillfield memories moved inside

The messages boards were moved indoors after the semester ended in May.

Orginial Source <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellybeth7/476264469/in/set-72157600091083431/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellybeth7/476264469/in/set-72157600091083431/</a>

Photo courtesy of Kelly Harris

Kelly Harris

2007-07-06

Chad Newswander

Permission:
Kelly Harris
kellybeth7@gmail.com

eng