President's Statement on Tragedy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Adam W. Herbert, Indiana University President
April 17, 2007

Today I sent a letter to Virginia Tech President Charles Steger on behalf of the entire Indiana University family. I did so because I know each of you would want to express your deepest condolences to those most directly affected by the senseless acts of violence in Blacksburg.

As members of a university family, we feel a kinship with others in similar communities dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. Many of us have direct ties to Virginia Tech. As a former Virginia Tech faculty member, I have many special memories of that campus. But whether we have a direct connection or not, our sense of being part of the larger higher education community causes each of us to experience the impact of this great tragedy very keenly. Sadly, senseless acts of violence such as those at Virginia Tech cannot be predicted. Yet we can take steps to prepare for occurrences such as these. Please rest assured that IU places a very high priority on such preparation. An overview of our plans can be accessed on Indiana University's Emergency Preparedness page at http://www.indiana.edu/~vpur/preparedness.shtml. This page also links to individual campus emergency preparedness plans.

While I sincerely hope that our emergency preparedness strategies never need to be implemented, events such as these remind us of their importance. They also prompt us to enhance our vigilance about all safety issues. Each of us must take these reminders to heart.

The extended IU family has recent experience with grief over lives of great promise being cut short. As we gathered last spring to express our empathy with the families of the five students from the Jacobs School of Music who perished in an airplane crash, so this week through campus vigils and moments of silence at university gatherings, we will hold the members of the Virginia Tech community in our hearts and keep them in our thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Adam W. Herbert

» View statement from IUPUI Chancellor Charles Bantz