Dear Students,
My office has
received numerous telephone calls and e-mails asking questions and
offering suggestions on how we, as a campus, might respond to the
terrible tragedy
in Newtown last Friday. As we prepare to depart for the holidays
and perhaps an extended period of rest and relaxation, I want to
address three major areas of concern. I am happy to continue these
conversations during and after the semester break.
First, many of you
are looking for resources and support. As always, any SCSU student who
is feeling overwhelmed and would like to speak with a counselor should
contact
SCSU Counseling Services at (203) 392-5475. If you are looking for
resources to help you and your family manage the sorrow and distress you
may be experiencing, the American Psychological Association has put
together some excellent resources, available at:
www.apa.org/index.aspx.
In addition, for information on how to talk to small children about
this type of tragedy many are turning to the wisdom of the late Fred
Rogers (Mr. Rogers) at:
www.fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html.
Second, many of you
are interested in helping to organize a campus-wide response and have
raised important social and political issues that a national event such
as this
one is bound to bring to the forefront. The Dean of Students’ Office
will be working with individuals and departments on campus to address
these issues and to consider ways we, as a campus, might reach out to
the families of the victims. In the meantime,
a memorial services is scheduled for tomorrow, December 19, at 3:00
p.m. outside the Adanti Student Center Ballroom.
Finally, many of you have raised concerns
regarding safety on campus. I want to assure you that the safety and
security of every individual on campus is our most important concern.
University Police are highly trained to respond to
potential threats and emergencies and have established strong
partnerships with the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments, as well
as the State Police and FBI. These agencies have trained our personnel
to deal with a variety of situations, including incidents
that may involve an active shooter. SCSU has a comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan which is managed by the University Incident Management
Team, comprised of University Police, administrators, faculty and staff
from all segments of the campus. The plan
may be accessed at:
www.southernct.edu/emergencypreparedness and contains detailed instructions on what to do in a variety of
emergency situations.
In
addition, SCSU has several methods of communication used in campus-wide
emergency situations and drills, including the SCSU Alert system (text,
e-mail and voice) and a siren/public address system.
During a tragic time
like this, I think of the values that bind our university together.
One of the most important is our compassion for one another. Many of
you are
grieving, especially those of you who knew the victims. This is a time
to reach out to each other, talk to each other and try to help each
other cope with the senselessness that too often is a part of our daily
lives. Our thoughts go out to the families,
friends, neighbors and all the members of the Newtown community who are
so deeply wounded by this unspeakable tragedy. We pray for their
comfort and well-being, as we honor and remember the victims.
Dr. Peter F. Troiano
Interim Vice President for Student and University Affairs
Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street
New Haven, CT 06515
(203) 392-5550
