Earlier this evening, we received an e-mail about a “We are all Hokies” sort of event tomorrow, “Orange and Maroon Effect” Day:
Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20th, an “Orange and Maroon Effect” day to honor those killed in the tragic events on campus Monday, and to show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. “Orange and Maroon Effect” was born several years ago as an invitation to Tech fans to wear orange and maroon to Virginia Tech athletic events. We invite everyone from all over the country to be a part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday, to wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost, and to support the school and community we all love so much.
We are all part of the Hokie nation now, touched by their tragedy and one in their healing.
We also received an e-mail containing Father Jenkins’s letter about Notre Dame’s emergency plans in the event (God forbid) of a Virginia Tech-style event here (or any other campus emergency, really). Particularly interesting is this paragraph:
We all recognize that communication is an important component in responding to an emergency, and our crisis plans include separate provisions for communications. Of particular note, our Office of Information Technology has been exploring a variety of technologies for some time to improve communication, especially with students. One of those technologies would enable the University to send text messages to all students who provide their personal cell phone numbers to the University. The system could be used during campus emergencies and provide other vital information quickly. The University recently reached an agreement with a firm to pilot the text messaging technology. The pilot version of the service will be put in place this spring and summer, with the goal of implementing the full service by next fall, if satisfactory. As our plans are finalized, we will be in touch with students to ask them for their cell phone numbers, and we encourage them to participate in this important and innovative communications initiative. Other methods of communication remain in place, including land-line phones, e-mail, the Web, and a campus cable television system.
This is the sort of thing — as opposed to overreaction and zero-tolerance nonsense — that qualifies as a positive development, in my book. Better communication is always good. Read the whole thing.
Also, this is interesting: the Virginia Tech administration’s procedures for finishing the semester academically.
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Categories: News, Notre Dame
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April 20th, 2007 at 12:10:06 am
I think the text message thing is a great idea, so long as it is used solely in an emergency situation and not for “important messages” from the University. I think anyone who went here as an undergrad and remembers the silent voice mails in the dorm will understand my sentiments.
April 20th, 2007 at 1:56:37 am
I like the idea and commend the University for seeking to implement such an innovative communications option, but given the pastoral approach of Residence Life at Notre Dame, I doubt that a ticking time-bomb like Cho Seung-Hui would slip through the cracks at Notre Dame in the first place. Of course you can never be too safe, and having the technology is probably worthwhile regardless. However, I think that the one-in-a-million, crazed college kid inclined to rampage through campus murdering people is less likely to reach his breaking point (or remain on campus as an ND student) given the nurturing environment and interventionist approach cultivated by Notre Dame’s Residence Life.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:07:27 am
Patrick, ResLife’s ‘nurturing environment and interventionist approach’ doesn’t do much to lessen the possibility of a crazed person pulling stupid stuff. In fact, I don’t think it contributes to this at all. Students move off campus, and grad students don’t need to have anything to do with ResLife. Different things can make attacks like this less likely, sure, but I don’t think ResLife is one of them.
April 20th, 2007 at 6:08:48 pm
I have no problem with showing support, but We are all part of the Hokie nation now, touched by their tragedy and one in their healing is laying it on a little thick. I heartily agree with this:
There’s something fraudulent about this eagerness to latch onto the grief of others and embrace the idea that we, too, have been victimized. This trivializes the pain felt by those who have actually lost something and pathologizes normal reactions to tragedy.
The first time in my life I noticed this was when Princess Diana died, but I’ve seen it many times since.