Dear Members of the Vanderbilt Community,
Today our support goes out to our colleagues, our peers, our brothers and sisters at Virginia Tech. Words fail to encompass a calamity of such magnitude. At this raw stage, we can offer our attention, our consideration, and our sympathy. We respond with the best part of ourselves.
At a moment like this, we want you to know that the Vanderbilt community stands ready to offer help and guidance to all who seek it through the Psychological and Counseling Center (2-2571), the Office of Religious Life and Affiliated Ministries (2-2457), and, for students, your Resident Adviser, Head Resident, or Assistant Director. In addition, All Faiths Chapel on the first floor of the Divinity School (below Benton Chapel) will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm for personal reflection, meditation, and prayer. In light of this incident, we are also evaluating Vanderbilt’s safety and emergency preparedness procedures. Please feel free to share this information with your parents and colleagues as well.
Universities empower humans to understand the world by gathering us together in an atmosphere of implicit trust, mature safety, and mutual discussion and exchange. May that power not be shattered or compromised by the horrible and aberrant events of this day. May we, as a community and as individuals, continue to create and support conditions in which acts of violence like these are less likely to arise.
Universities are strong of themselves, but we are stronger together. Individuals are strong of themselves, but we are stronger together. Please keep the people of Virginia Tech, and their families, and their friends and all who depend on them and know them, at the front of your minds and your hearts.
Cordially,
Gordon Gee