Dedication9
Students carrying chairs at the memorial dedication ceremony on August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0</a>.
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Original Source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1175029020&context=set-72157601548585076&size=o">http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1175029020&context=set-72157601548585076&size=o</a>
null
2007-09-08
Haeyong Chung
eng
Concert-for-VT-9-6-07-106
A view of the crowd at A Concert for Virginia Tech on September 6, 2007.
Photo courtesy of Roger Gupta.
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Original Source: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/spector1/1340547164/">http://flickr.com/photos/spector1/1340547164/</a>
Roger Gupta
2007-09-07
Brent Jesiek
Roger Gupta (ragupta@vt.edu)
eng
Concert-for-VT-9-6-07-216
Fans on the field at A Concert for Virginia Tech, September 6, 2007.
Photo courtesy of Roger Gupta.
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Original Source: <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/spector1/1340533472/">http://flickr.com/photos/spector1/1340533472/</a>
Roger Gupta
2007-09-07
Brent Jesiek
Roger Gupta (ragupta@vt.edu)
eng
At The Vigil
2007.04.17.
Virginia Tech students on the steps of Burruss Hall...
Photo courtesy of Ivan V. Morozov
Ivan V. Morozov
2007-09-06
Haeyong Chung
eng
Status Anxiety Pt. 2: How Did We Get Here...How Do We Get Out
<b>Yesterday we talked about Status Anxiety and how it related to the Virginia Tech shootings. Today we continue talking about it and focus in on Alain de Button's book by the same title <i>Status Anxiety</i>.</b>
Part of understanding Status anxiety is viewing the transition from status that was given by heredity to a system where people who don't earn status are seen as failures. The example used in Alain de Button's book is that of Christianity the major religion of western societies and the one that the VT shooter ranted about in the infamous videos sent to NBC.
The gospels have three stories that Jesus told during his life time that provide an example of how people were viewed. The first story is summarized as, "The poor are not responsible for their condition and are the most useful in society." The second story says, "Low status has no moral connotations," and the final story says, "The rich are sinful and corrupt and owe their wealth to their robbery of the poor," aka, "It is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle."
Now contrast those with the stories that have emerged in our western societies. The first of these says, "The rich are the useful ones, not the poor." The second says, "One's status does have moral connotations," and the final alteration to the stories surmises that, "The poor are sinful and corrupt and owe their poverty to their stupidity."
This is a form of meritocracy. In this system, "all persons, however humble, know they have had every chance...If they have been labeled dunce repeatedly they cannot any longer pretend...Are they not bound to recognize that they have an inferior status, not as in the past because they were denied opportunity, but because they ARE inferior."
All of this plays into the recent shootings because something of this magnitude generates questions that demand answers. Questions like, how could this have be prevented? What causes people to act out in such a violent fashion? Is there anything that we can do to prevent these types of incidents in the future?
The shooter at Virginia Tech really doesn't stand out from other recent school shootings because in each case the shooters had similar personalities. Whether we are thinking of the killers from Columbine or the most recent shooting at Virginia Tech the common thread is people who are unhappy about their status in life. So how do we stop this from happening again? How do we beat this.
Alain de Botton shares some suggestions that have worked in the past and continue to work in various degrees. He lists these as philosophy, intelligent misanthropy, art, Christianity, and finally bohemia. The book goes into great detail on each of these solutions, but the common theme is that they help people find value in their lives despite what those around them might be saying or despite what society at large is pushing upon them.
John Ruskin is quoted in Button's book and in my estimation does a good job summing up the problem and the solution. He says, "There is not wealth but life, life including all its powers of love, of joy and of admiration. That country is richest which nourishes the greatest number of noble and happy human beings; that man is richest who, having perfected the function of his own life to the utmost."
My hope is that the few people that read this stop comparing themselves to everyone else and start living their lives. John Lennon famously said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. " Could this be translated as 'life is what happens when we're comparing ourselves to others?' I know I too have experienced this reality. The hope is that in the future we will learn to recognize more situations that are happening right here right now. Personally I would be fine with becoming successful or popular or even having money. In fact I think status anxiety in moderation is a good thing. I just don't want you and I to HAVE to get rich, famous, or powerful to view our lives as a success. I'm sure that the VT shooter was a disturbed person and might have needed hospitalization, medication, and more but there are other people out there right now who just want to be recognized for the person they are . Can't we do more of this? I for one am going to try.
Posted on Thursday, May 3, 2007 at 12:29AM <a href="http://www.hiphoosier.com/display/ShowAuthorProfile?registeredAuthorId=47619&rootReturnUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hiphoosier.com%2Fthe-beat%2F2007%2F5%2F3%2Fstatus-anxiety-pt-2-how-did-we-get-herehow-do-we-get-out.html">AJ Meyer</a>
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Original Source: <a href="http://www.hiphoosier.com/the-beat/2007/5/3/status-anxiety-pt-2-how-did-we-get-herehow-do-we-get-out.html">http://www.hiphoosier.com/the-beat/2007/5/3/status-anxiety-pt-2-how-did-we-get-herehow-do-we-get-out.html</a>
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5</a>.
AJ Meyer
2007-08-05
Brent Jesiek
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
eng
Status Anxiety and What Happened at Virginia Tech Pt. 1
<p>By now the mass media has inundated you with coverage of the Virginia Tech massacre, but I don't want to rehash the details of the event. I want to take a deeper look at a possible motive. Some people will argue about gun control, or the failure of the mental health community. While these are salient issues they miss what I gathered from the videos to be an overarching reason behind his rampage. He like many school gunman before him felt inferior to his peers. He turned this "status anxiety" inward until it manifested in a maniacal rampage.
Status Anxiety, I'm pretty sure that the people living in <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4359904.stm">Rublyovo</a> know all about it. From what I've heard Los Angeles is right up there too (I'll let you know this summer). Increasingly and unexpectedly another type of high status local has begun to emerge in previously quite towns like Bloomington, IN. That's right, university towns are working hard to be included in the same breathe as other high status locals. It used to be that college was a time when people ate ramen and being "poor" was rite of passage. Not anymore. I'm sure that some students still have a tough time at college, but increasingly the term poor college kid is a joke. Youth and excess money make these towns the perfect starting place for status anxiety.
Before we go on lets give a quick explanation of status anxiety before I am labeled a communist and you quit reading. The basis of the problem can be summed up by William James's simple equation</p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;">Self Esteem = <u>Success </u><br /> Expectations</p><p id="nq">The problem is that in our modern society expectations continue to rise at rates that are unattainable for most people. This creates a rise in levels of status anxiety which translates into a rise in levels of concern about importance, achievement, and income. What happens then is that self-esteem suffers. People feel anxious about their lives. They feel that life is not amounting to what they expected. In the worst case scenarios like the one at Virginia Tech people take out their frustrations on others who they perceive as having the success they so desire. One University of Kentucky student put it this way "I think the biggest pressure would probably be social. Being at the right bars or parties on the weekend and then for girls the right fashion, outside the sorority I guess it would probably be the same."
These feelings are all part of a trend that has been going on for some time now. One author Alain de Botton in his book titled <em>Status Anxiety </em>identifies the ignominious nature of this problem. He notes that the sharp decline in actual deprivation found in many western societies paradoxically increases the sense of deprivation and fear of it. Even in America a nation blessed with riches and possibilities far beyond those imaginable to our ancestors we continue to believe that nothing is ever enough.
Now you might being say to yourself I have no desire to be Donald Trump, but what if one of your closest friends got rich. Take for example this weeks episode of the HBO uberstatus series <a href="http://www.hbo.com/entourage/episode/season03/episode38.html">Entourage.</a> In the episode Ari (rich Hollywood agent) has an old friend come for a visit. He believes that his old frat buddy is managing a Hooters somewhere back east. When he finds out that he made 65 million dollars from stamps.com and got a beautiful young fiance he gets jealous. Botton makes note of this psychological phenomenon that sees us comparing ourselves mostly to our closest friends our "reference group". It is their relative successes that creates the most status anxiety.
In Part 2 tomorrow we look more closely a Bottons reasons for how we got here and how we can break free from our status anxiety. <span class="sizeGreater20">Pt. 2 Tomorrow (<a href="http://www.hiphoosier.com/the-beat/2007/5/3/status-anxiety-pt-2-how-did-we-get-herehow-do-we-get-out.html" target="_blank">Click Here</a>)</span>
Posted on Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 12:26AM by <a href="http://www.hiphoosier.com/display/ShowAuthorProfile?registeredAuthorId=47619&rootReturnUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hiphoosier.com%2Fthe-beat%2F2007%2F5%2F2%2Fstatus-anxiety-and-what-happened-at-virginia-tech-pt-1.html">AJ Meyer</a>
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Original Source:
<a href="http://www.hiphoosier.com/the-beat/2007/5/2/status-anxiety-and-what-happened-at-virginia-tech-pt-1.html">http://www.hiphoosier.com/the-beat/2007/5/2/status-anxiety-and-what-happened-at-virginia-tech-pt-1.html</a>
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5</a>.</p>
AJ Meyer
2007-08-05
Brent Jesiek
eng
A group of friends from Blacksburg High attending the Candlelight Vigil the day after the tragedy.
Meghan Day
2007-07-24
Meghan Day
eng
Business as usual at high school after Virginia Tech shootings
By Ryan Bray
GateHouse Media
Thu May 03, 2007, 02:22 PM EDT
Scituate - In the two weeks since the Virginia Tech shootings swept through the college town of Blacksburg, Va., people nationwide are still struggling to grasp and adjust to the tragic events that left 33 students and faculty members at the school dead.
But miles an miles away from all the mourning and controversy, it's business as usual at Scituate High School, as students and faculty members go about their daily routines. Students rush about the halls while seniors, many of whom are in the process of hearing back from colleges and making their plans for the fall, count down the remaining days of their high school careers.
"It hasn't impacted them at all," said Sherri Lewis, director of guidance at the high school, regarding the impact of the shooting on outgoing students. "They all seem very excited."
But while students have carried on with things as they otherwise would, that's not to say that the Virginia Tech shootings haven't had some effect on the school, however slight. Principal Donna Nuzzo-Mueller said the shootings are of greater concern to teachers than to students, whom have come to learn of the tragedies from a distance through television and the news.
"I think our educators dwell on this more than the young people do," Nuzzo-Mueller said. "Developmentally at their age, I think it's difficult to grasp the severity of it all at that stage of their lives."
However, students are reacting in their own ways. Nuzzo-Mueller said several school groups and clubs have rallied to raise money for a fund established for the families of the shooting victims. Others, she said, have likely dealt with the tragedy outside the school with friends and family.
"We certainly have kids who want to reach out and help, and that's natural," she said.
The shootings almost immediately brought attention to the issue of how to better prepare and respond in the event of a similar emergency in the future. Administrators and campus police officials came under fire from parents and the media in the days following the event for what some saw as an inadequate response to the shootings, while locally, Gov. Deval Patrick met with administrators from public colleges and universities across the state to discuss how to best safeguard students in the event of another shooting.
But Nuzzo-Mueller said at the high school, there isn't much the school can likely do to prepare for a similar attack beyond the school's current emergency evacuation plan. She said incidents of the scale and magnitude of Virginia Tech or Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., could never be fully prepared for in spite of the best efforts from faculty and administrators.
"It all just shows that it could happen to anybody," Nuzzo-Mueller said. "It's a problem that just exists. There's always a slice of humanity that struggles with this issue. No matter what plan are put in place, you'd likely have to adapt to the situation should one arise."
Superintendent of Schools Mark Mason said he would meet with security advisers next week to discuss the potential for increased security within the district's six schools. But while student safety is always top priority, Mason said a balance must be struck between what's too much and not enough.
"It's a philosophical question," he said. "We want to keep our schools safe, but do we want to keep the kids in lockdown mode throughout the year?"
Nuzzo-Mueller said she is uncertain if any outgoing seniors will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall. She said that while graduates have gone on to attend the school in the past, it is not common from year to year.
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Original Source: Scituate Mariner
<a href="http://www.townonline.com/scituate/education/x1592158543">http://www.townonline.com/scituate/education/x1592158543</a>
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0</a>.
Ryan Bray
2007-07-17
Brent Jesiek
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0
eng
Editor's Journal: Virginia Tech Shooting Hits Close To Home; The True Character Of A Generation Is Revealed
BY RICHARD McCORMACK
richard@manufacturingnews.com
On Thursday afternoon April 19, three days after the shootings at Virginia Tech, my wife and I put our dog in the car and headed south to visit our son, a senior engineering major at the university. As we drove four hours from Washington, D.C., through the Shenandoah Valley, I imagined what it must have been like for the parents of the slain children taking that same drive just a few days earlier, calling repeatedly to their children's cell phones, silently ringing: leaving messages you'd never want to hear. So thankful was I to the Lord that it wasn't me having to take that drive in a state of panic and delirium.
As we approached Blacksburg, I missed the exit for Main Street, a quicker road to my son's apartment. It bothered me. I was tired and anxious to get there and I had added another five minutes to the trip. I sighed and continued for another couple of miles to the main entrance to Tech.
I had not expected to be on campus -- anticipating a route that bypassed the school to my son's townhouse. We took a right turn onto campus, drove a quarter mile past the visitor's center and approached the big "VT" letters on the left of the road. And I shuddered. Here we were, suddenly at the site of calamitous pain and bloodshed, the uninterrupted focal point of the global media for the past three days. It knocked the air out of my lungs. I struggled to take a breath. My chest constricted; speechless, dizzied.
These events -- Columbine, Waco, Jonesboro, Oklahoma City, 9/11, the Washington sniper, the Amish elementary school, the Iraq war and now Virginia Tech -- are no longer an aberration but are defining the new American culture: one of unfathomable loss of innocents at the hands of suicidal maniacs. What nightmare awaits us next?
We drove slowly through the quiet campus, feeling beat up from the week's events. We arrived and hugged our son and his roommates. They are all incredible people; struggling with the incomprehensible, but maintaining a sense of humor, one of them hilariously mocking the killer's idiotic video performance.
Thank God for the youth of today. Our politicians, business leaders and academicians should stop castigating them for being indolent or ill equipped for the future, because they are neither.
In the days following the tragedy, the students at Virginia Tech defended themselves with the utmost rectitude from a second wave of snipers -- this time the press corps -- and they gallantly rallied around their beloved university, around each other and around their embattled leaders. In the face of despair and in a state of shock, they showed us the future of our nation: one of hope, inspiration and tolerance.
I have three children, ages 23, 22 and 18. For 23 years, I have resented criticism about the deplorable state of our youth and our educational system. There are an incalculable number of extremely bright, energetic and infinitely talented, motivated children and young adults, none of whom have ever been "left behind." Need evidence? Only 12 percent of the applicants to MIT were accepted for the 2007 school year, or 1,533 out of 12,433. "It was very, very hard to select such a small number of students in such a large and stellar applicant pool," said former MIT dean of admissions Marilee Jones. Or how about Stanford, which sent letters of acceptance to 1,715 of the 23,956 applicants, 7 percent. Even a huge school like Virginia Tech received 19,000 applications for a freshman class of 5,000.
Read the obituaries of the fallen Virginia Tech students and you know how much worse off the world will be without them, and that is only 32 students in a school of 26,000.
Our children have been flailed by politicians and armchair critics and pundits, self-fashioned smarter-than-anybody-else people, none of whom were in my house as my children stayed up until 1:30 a.m. on weeknights completing their AP history papers, studying for tests in calculus, physics and chemistry, writing stories on deadline for the high-school newspaper or -- this very night -- reading "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley. And it wasn't me pushing them, either. They did it on their own.
It is time for the critics to shush up. We have put a lot on our children: the real-life specter of a calamitous death at the hands of madmen; a seemingly terrorized future with regards to a "generational" global war on terror; the specter of an ecological catastrophe; and enormous budget and trade deficits that they will have to pay off someday, somehow. And dare not mention the cost and sacrifice involved in providing and getting an education today. Our society has pulled the rug out from under them. They're on their own, yet they exude a collective and refreshing sense of optimism and confidence.
The burden of the war in Iraq is also falling squarely on their shoulders. Our young soldiers are courageous and heroic. Their entire generation will be carrying the scars from this conflict for the remainder of their lives together. No other generation is currently carrying such a heavy load. Yet do you hear them complain? Ever?
If you need to experience the future of this country, to gauge the character of our youth and the inspiration and hope that they provide for mankind, then log onto the Virginia Tech Web site and watch the convocation that was held the day after more than 170 bullets were shot in four classrooms. President Bush's benediction was among his finest showings in six years.
Watch the event through to the end, for the final minutes capture for eternity one of the great moments in American history. When the Earth is waste and void, when the darkness is upon the face of the deep, the human spirit does prevail.
At the end of the convocation, after the grieving students have listened to the adults, they get to have their collective say -- in a cathartic, unplanned and exhilarating 30-second burst of energy; a release of unfathomable tension and grief; a redemptive moment that burns itself to memory. As my wife observed, it is as if they were opening the gates of heaven to their fallen peers.
Thank you young Hokies for showing us the true character of your generation. We needed that. You will prevail.
<a href="http://www.hokiesports.com/convocation.html">http://www.hokiesports.com/convocation.html</a>
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Archived with permission of the author.
Original Source: Manufacturing and Technology News, April 27, 2007, Volume 14, No. 8
<a href="http://www.manufacturingnews.com/news/07/0427/art1.html">http://www.manufacturingnews.com/news/07/0427/art1.html</a>
Richard McCormack
2007-06-11
Brent Jesiek
Richard McCormack (editor@manufacturingnews.com)
eng
Local students express concerns
By STEPHANIE HARRIS THOMAS, Hope Star Writer
Published: Friday, April 20, 2007 6:21 PM CDT
Students at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, as well as universities across Arkansas, are feeling the pain of the Virginia Tech student body.
The tragic deaths at Virginia Tech have them feeling anxious about a place where they have always felt safe. But, UACCH students did not mind sharing their feelings and reactions about the shootings on Monday which left 33 people dead.
"It makes you take a second thought about coming to school every day," Lacey Brent, a nursing student said.
One student showed an expression of disbelief and sorrow when asked what was his reaction to the tragedy at Virginia Tech.
"I don't really know what to say about it," student Jason Lamb said after a long silent pause. "It is taking its toll on everyone, especially everyone going to a university.
"It also has parents worried about their sons or daughters being at a university," he said.
"It was a horrible thing that happened...a tragedy. It is kind of scary too," LPN student Quana Ellis said. "It is really an eye-opener."
"It makes you think," Chelsea Johnson, also a nursing student said.
"Anything can happen at any given time," Lamb said.
Another nursing major again reacted with fear.
"Red flags were raised. They had warnings and they did not take heed. It is scary," Chelsea Johnson said.
"I hope it does not happen here," Rebecca Allen said.
Some students simply did not understand.
"When they found two people shot they should have closed the school," said Ashley Linzy.
Reacting to the accusations he had heard about the shootings, another student, James Stuart, said, "There's a lot of second guessing going on right now."
Stuart said he did not really see that tightening of security would make a big difference in such a situation.
"You would have to have guard shacks at every entrance and door," he said. "I think if someone wanted to do something like that they would some way, somehow to take out there frustrations."
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Original Source: <a href="http://www.hopestar.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/news1.txt">http://www.hopestar.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/news1.txt</a>
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5</a>.
Stephanie Harris Thomas
2007-06-01
Brent Jesiek
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5
eng
Salem State rallies behind Virginia Tech
By Lisa Guerriero/salem@cnc.com
GateHouse Media
Fri Apr 20, 2007, 04:30 PM EDT
SALEM - The flags at Salem State College flew at half-mast for three days this week in a show of solidarity for the 32 victims of the tragic shooting at Virginia Technical University on Monday. The gesture was perhaps the subtlest undertaken on a campus that was deeply affected by the shootings in Blacksburg, Va., the deadliest campus massacre in the nation's history.
"It's sad and kind of shocking, because you don't know if it could happen here," said SSC sophomore Jenn Runyan.
Police have identified the shooter as Cho Seung-Hui, a South Korea native and VT senior who went on a brutal shooting rampage and then turned the gun on himself, bringing the death toll to 33.
The tragedy hit home for Salem State's faculty and students, as it did at other colleges, and even more so because one of the victims was a Saugus resident, 20-year-old Ross Alameddine, a graduate of Austin Preparatory High School in Reading.
A number of SSC students have friends at Virginia Tech, and one professor taught there before coming to Salem State, said Bruce Perry, the director of the SSC campus center.
"So there's ties and connections," he said.
The president of the Student Government Association, Michael Mitchell, helped coordinate several events and tributes in response to the tragedy and received some 50 e-mails from students offering to help organize a memorial.
"We had a meeting (of the Student Government Association) and it came up that we, as students, can't sit by and let this go unnoticed," said Mitchell.
Salem State was on break for Patriots Day when the shooting happened on Monday, and when students returned Tuesday, campus was buzzing as students exchanged information and pieced together what had happened in Blacksburg. By Wednesday, the effort to support Virginia Tech was already under way.
Perry received an e-mail from Julie Walters-Steele, the director of university unions at VT, asking colleges and universities across the country to send cards and messages. A spot had been cleared at VT to display the tokens of support, and Salem State is doing its part to fill that spot.
"I think people were looking for something positive to do, some way to express their emotions around it," Perry said.
Salem State rolled into action, setting up posters at hotspots around campus. Large posters bore the outline of the Virginia Tech logo, with ribbons decorating the inside of the letters "VT." The posters read, "4-16-07 Today We're All Hokies," in honor of the name of Virginia Tech's turkey-like mascot. That day, students in the dining hall crowded around one of the posters to write messages and pin on flowers and white ribbons.
"To the Virginia Tech community - Salem State will keep you, the victims and their families in our hearts," one wrote. Students in the dining hall on Wednesday evening told the Gazette the shooting summoned feelings of sadness, sympathy and even a degree of fear.
"We relate to it more. Just because we're on a campus, and it could happen here," said Emily Marte, a sophomore who will be a resident advisor next year. She noted that an RA was one of the first killed during the Virginia Tech shooting.
"It makes you feel different when you look at people," added Stephanie Baez, a sophomore.
Students and faculty found another outlet to express themselves and show support through Facebook, the social networking Web site used by colleges around the country. Mitchell, the Student Government Association president at SSC, had seen a Facebook group created after the 1997 high school shooting in Bowling Green, Ky. Mitchell took the lead from them and created a Facebook group called "Salem State Remembers Virginia Tech." The image for the group is a hybrid of the Salem State and Virginia Tech logos.
Mitchell sent out a message to about 300 people affiliated with his Facebook, who in turn passed the information along to their friends and peers. Within a day, 700 Salem State students had joined the group, posting messages of sympathy for the VT community and making suggestions for how Salem State could contribute.
"It's really powerful to see in one day, one-fifth of the campus come to stand behind Virginia Tech," Mitchell said.
SSC student Pat Reidy said many Salem State students changed the images on their Facebook profiles from their own photos to the VT logo. "It got around really quick," Reidy said.
One of the most important messages shared was a call for the college to organize a vigil. Just as quickly as the posters were created and the Facebook group formed, faculty and students at SSC organized the vigil, which is scheduled for Monday, April 23 at 7 p.m. outside the Central Campus residence hall. Organizers made the decision to open the vigil to the public, to anyone who wants to show support and reflect on the tragedy.
"It's a time for the community to come together to express their emotion in regard to the tragedy that happened," Perry said.
The student government and the college pooled some money to purchase 1,100 white T-shirts that say the VT logo and the phrase "4-16-07 Today We're All Hokies," as well as 1,000 white ribbons for participants to pin on their shirts or bags.
The college plans to line up participants to spell out the VT that is the Virginia Tech logo, and take an aerial photo to send to the university. SSC President Nancy Harrington will attend, and several student leaders will offer brief remarks. Mitchell hopes one of the deans, who is also a pastor, will lend his services.
Perry said his office teamed with the Residence Hall Association, faculty members and the Student Government Association to coordinate the events, but students were the driving force.
"The whole idea has sprung from the students," Perry said.
Mitchell said he hasn't seen the student community so collectively moved since the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He sees a few core reasons for the outpouring of support. It hits home that a victim was from a neighboring town and that students and a professor have ties there.
"That, coupled with the fact that the victims are all their age," Mitchell said, "and it happened on a campus - it could have happened here. It really could have."
The public is invited to a vigil for the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting and their families, hosted by Salem State College. The vigil will be held Monday, April 23 at 7 p.m. outside the Central Campus residence hall.
A memorial fund has been established to remember and honor the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting. The fund will pay for counseling, memorials and other expenses. To contribute, visit www.vt.edu/tragedy/memorial_fund.php.
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Original Source: <a href="http://www.townonline.com/salem/homepage/x1160276354">http://www.townonline.com/salem/homepage/x1160276354</a>
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5</a>.
Lisa Guerriero / GateHouse Media
2007-05-30
Brent Jesiek
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5
eng
Leslie Cirineo, a Salem State freshman, signs a tribute poster for Virginia Tech at the college's dining hall on Wednesday [April 18]. Several of the posters were placed around campus for students to write messages to the VT community. They bear the message '4-16-07 Today We're All Hokies.'
Photo by Lisa Guerriero
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Original Source: <a href="http://www.townonline.com/salem/homepage/x1160276354">http://www.townonline.com/salem/homepage/x1160276354</a>
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5</a>.
Brent Jesiek
2007-05-30
Brent Jesiek
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5
eng
VA Tech shooting - Collegiate Newspaper - class takes cover
Students gather in Holden Hall during the massacre at Virginia Tech
License
The statement below was made by the photographer:
I hereby license the attached photo under the GNU Free Documentation License with the following statement:
Copyright (c) 2007 William Chase Damiano. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
Chase Damiano
2007-05-24
Chad Newswander
License
The statement below was made by the photographer:
I hereby license the attached photo under the GNU Free Documentation License with the following statement:
Copyright (c) 2007 William Chase Damiano. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
eng
Emails to VT STS 2154 students dated Mon Apr 16 to Sat Apr 21, 2007
On 4/16/07 12:21 PM, "jlehr@vt.edu" <jlehr@vt.edu> wrote:
Subject Line: DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS
All, please do not attempt to drop off the paper that is due today. I will send an update.
BE SAFE. I AM SO SORRY.
Please be safe. I hope that you are all okay.
Jane Lehr
--
Dr. Jane L. Lehr
Department of Science & Technology in Society
Virginia Tech, Mail Code 0247
Blacksburg, VA 24061
IM/IChat: janengcult
On 4/16/07 7:57 PM, "jlehr@vt.edu" <jlehr@vt.edu> wrote:
Subject Line: today's events
Students,
I am very worried about you all. If you have a moment, and if I have not already spoken with you by IM/phone/email, I would very much appreciate it if you would send me an email letting me know that you are alright. I very much hope that you all are. I wish there were something I could do. And if you wish to talk, etc., if I can be of any assistance, feel free to call at the number below.
JL
-----
Blackboard Announcement [Posted by Jane Lehr at 1:55 pm]
Mon, Apr 16, 2007 -- Papers, etc.
Students, your primary responsibility today is to yourselves, your friends, and your family. Please do not come to campus to drop off your papers. You can turn in hard copies on Thursday in class (assuming classes are not canceled). I understand if you are unable to turn in electronic copies by 5 pm. Please just do so as soon as possible.
I have spoken with a number of you by IM. I sincerely hope that all of my students are safe, as are your friends. My thoughts are with you. If for any reason you need to speak with me, you can call me at 540-320-5137. You can also reach me by IM/I-chat at janengcult.
I also understand that may need to reschedule your online chat.
--
Dr. Jane L. Lehr
Department of Science & Technology in Society
Virginia Tech, Mail Code 0247
Blacksburg, VA 24061
IM/IChat: janengcult
On 4/19/07 4:48 PM, "jlehr@vt.edu" <jlehr@vt.edu> wrote:
Subject Line: Thu, Apr 19, 2007 -- Procedure for the Completion of the Spring 2007 Academic Semester
Dear Students,
I can only begin to convey my sorrow and grief regarding the events of last Monday. Like many of you, I have struggled to find words -- and found it a nearly impossible task. My attention is now focused on developing a plan of action for the rest of the semester. You will find a copy of university procedures for the completion of the Spring 2007 academic semester below. I will be posting an updated schedule and list of assignments shortly, for students who wish to complete all or a portion of the Humanities, Technology and the Life Sciences class.
Our challenge, as a class, is to determine how, if at all, perspectives and tools we have explored and/or were scheduled to explore in this course can assist us in beginning to imagine the post-April 16th world. We are also encouraged by many to return to 'everyday life' and 'everyday tasks' -- even though there is nothing 'everyday' about the situation in which we find ourselves. Building off of Dr. McNamee's statement below, I want to emphasize that I recognize that different students will have different needs and desires -- as well as differing abilities to return to campus or to our class. I am committed to a policy and practice of flexibility. I am committed to supporting you in any way in which I am able. I am committed to you and this university. We all are -- amidst all the diversity of this campus and within our course -- Virginia Tech.
If you did not attend the convocation, and have not done so already, I strongly encourage you to read the transcript of Nikki Giovanni's convocation address: http://www.vt.edu/tragedy/giovanni_transcript.php
Finally, Governor Kaine has declared Friday, April 20, 2007 a statewide day of mourning for the victims of Monday's tragedy. In many communities, this will include prayer services beginning at noon. In many cases, these prayer services will be predominantly or fully-oriented within the Christian faith. I recognize that there are some students who either are not involved in a faith community or who do not identify as Christian. I recognize that these students may feel particularly challenged in locating resources or support options. Thus, again, I wish to state that my door is open to all, whether or not you continue in the course; that my door is open to students of all faiths, practices, and philosophies; and that I will work with you to assist you in locating the resources you need, no matter what these are.
With much sorrow ...
--
Dr. Jane L. Lehr
Department of Science & Technology in Society
Virginia Tech, Mail Code 0247
Blacksburg, VA 24061
IM/IChat: janengcult
On 4/21/07 3:55 PM, "jlehr@vt.edu" <jlehr@vt.edu> wrote:
Subject line: Important Update: Humanities, Technology & the Life Sciences
Dear Students,
In the past day or so, I have begun to reflect on how privileged I am, in a way, that I, as the instructor of 2 Spring 07 classes, have been forced to turn my attention away to logistical considerations.
I realize that, to date, I have responded to this tragedy primarily as an 'educator at Virginia Tech' -- seeking to track down all of 'my' students, feeling immense relief each time I hear from one of you, crying when I read your IM away messages (my poor student from Engineering Cultures who was lab partners with Henry Lee ...), even starting a website for other educators entitled 'Teaching After April 16th'.
While not yet announced, the wiki section of this site will be located at:
http://www.cddc.vt.edu/after.april.16/wiki/
This has protected me, I think, from being overwhelmed by my response to these events as a former student -- as someone who spent 8 years here earning two degrees; as someone who surprised herself while living in London by answering that she was "from Virginia, from Blacksburg, from Virginia Tech" ... As someone who was thrilled when the men's basketball team was invited to play in the NCAA tournament this year ... How surprising to me, a northeast girl who grew up mainly in PA who eschewed Penn State as an undergraduate college because it was "too big," because it was "too football," because it was "too ..." to find that I, in fact, love this university.
That said, I am writing with an update on our course.
* We will meet on T Apr 24 at our regular time. I encourage all of you, whether or not you believe you will complete any more assignments, to come to class.
* Many of you have already submitted Analysis #2 in Blackboard, and I have received a number of hard copies in my mailbox. If you have not done so already, please, if you are able, bring a hard copy to class when you return. If you have not yet completed Analysis #2, it would be fantastic if I could receive these by F Apr 27th -- however, I am also flexible on this, so please get in touch to discuss.
* If you decide to not complete any additional assignments, for most of you your grade will be based on:
1) Blackboard Homepage 1 point
2) Class Lead 5 points
3) Analysis #1 (5-7 pages) 5 points
4) Analysis #2 (5-7 pages) 10 points
5) Online Discussion 1 (IM) (2) 4 points
6) Blog: Reading/Class Discussion Responses 15 points
7) Blog: Film Diary 7.5 points
8) Blog: Participation Journal 5 points
9) Blog: Responses to Cohort Members 7.5 points
10) In-Class Participation 10 points
That means that, for most of you, 70 points are currently possible.
Some of you may have already posted responses in your blog about one or more cultural event(s). Each cultural event is worth an additional 2.5 possible points.
Some of you have not yet done a class lead. If you were scheduled to do a class lead after April 15, your total possible points, to date, are 65.
* Remaining Assignments: As you know, you have the option of choosing to complete any or all remaining assignments. These include:
1) Class evaluations: 1.5 points
2) IM Chat 2: 3.5 points
3) Feminist/Anti-Racist Sci-Fi Project: 10 points
4) Analysis #3: 10 points
5) Blog: Cultural Events: 5 points
Any additional blog postings will only boost your grade. I encourage you, if you wish, to transform your blog into a site of reflection regarding recent events. They are your blogs -- you own them. Do with then what you will.
* Sci-Fi Presentations: On Tuesday, you will have the opportunity to talk with your cohort, if you have not done so already, about whether or not you wish to complete this assignment either as a cohort or individually. So far, I have come up with a number of different completion scenarios. These include:
1) You can choose to present in class on either Th Apr 26 or T May 1;
2) You can choose to present to me (and any other members of our class who want to come) on Reading Day (Th May 3) -- off-campus location TBA;
3) You can create a webpage or powerpoint presentation by Fri May 4, that I will make available/link to on our Blackboard site for other people to look at.
* 2nd IM Chat -- again, on Tuesday you can discuss with your cohort.
* Current grades: I need to go through all of your blogs as soon as possible to determine your current blog grades. If you have been completing all your required postings and responding to your cohort members, your blog grade will be in the B+ to A+ range. I will do this as soon as possible.
I also expect that grades on Analysis #2 will be no lower than a B/B- (based on past work) and that a large number of you will receive As, as was the case with Analysis #1.
* Updated reading schedule: Please see Blackboard. If you are scheduled to do a class lead, please let me know as soon as possible if you plan to do so. (If you have not yet done a class lead and are not scheduled, yet want to do one, please let me know, too.)
Students, you each are so precious -- I can only begin to imagine the pain and grieving of those who have lost someone close.
I am so sorry.
I very much hope to see each of you again in class. If you cannot come to class, please remember that you are still welcome to come speak with me.
I am so sorry.
--
Dr. Jane L. Lehr
Department of Science & Technology in Society
Virginia Tech, Mail Code 0247
Blacksburg, VA 24061
IM/IChat: janengcult
Jane Lehr
2007-05-04
Jane Lehr
eng
In Honor and Remembrance
Memorial to nine student victims from Virginia Tech's Department of Political Science and International Studies Program.
Karen Nicholson
2007-04-26
Brent Jesiek
eng