Purdue News
Purdue News
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September 13, 2001 Purdue unites with memorial service, forum; offers reward in hoaxWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will interrupt the class day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and hold a noon memorial service in the Elliott Hall of Music Friday (9/14) for the campus community, in response to the call for a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks.
The university community also came together in several ways – with a public forum, a candlelight vigil and yellow ribbons – to look for answers and begin healing. It also has postponed the Saturday (9/15) football game against the University of Notre Dame until Dec. 1. In response to recent bomb threats on campus, the university also has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved with recent bomb threats on campus. Approximately 5,000 people attended a candlelight vigil on the Purdue campus Wednesday night (9/12) in remembrance of victims and others affected by Tuesday's terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon. Purdue President Martin C. Jischke spoke at the Purdue Student Government sponsored vigil, which was at Slayter Center on the West Lafayette campus. He encouraged people to fight hatred with understanding and terror with tolerance.
"Intolerance, bigotry, and hatred are the roots of all terrorism," Jischke said. "In response to this week's horrific events, many of you are asking what you can do. "One thing you can do is fight intolerance, bigotry, and hatred wherever you find it. We must ensure that attacks, such as those we witnessed Tuesday, will not victimize us by corrupting our individual and national spirit. We cannot fight hatred with hate. "Dr. Martin Luther King said: 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. The chain reaction of hate begetting hate ... must be broken, or we shall all be plunged into the abyss of annihilation.'" Purdue held a free public forum on coping with terrorism Thursday night (9/13) in Stewart Center. In addition to sponsoring the vigil, PSG members are handing out yellow ribbons and tying them around trees on campus. Purdue flags are flying at half-staff, and officials have placed the campus on a heightened state of alert to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff. "We will do everything possible to protect our students, faculty, staff and visitors," Jischke said shortly after Tuesday's attacks. "At Purdue, we have representatives from many countries, ethnic groups and religions. Each of us is here because of a desire to build a better life through education. I want everyone on every Purdue campus to feel confident that he or she is welcome and safe." University police have increased campus night patrols, said Joseph L. Bennett, vice president for university relations. Police have requested that the campus community notify them if they see suspicious objects or packages. Any unauthorized vehicles parked on campus will be towed, he said. In addition, building staff are conducting safety walk-throughs of all university buildings. Counseling staff from the Office of the Dean of Students is available to work with students who need assistance, Bennett said. Students can contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for assistance and support in dealing with the personal and emotional impact of this tragedy. Students should call (765) 494-6995 on weekdays to speak with a counselor, or (765) 494-1724 for telephone consultation during the evening and on weekends. CAPS also will collaborate with other campus agencies to provide various services and programs to address needs as they emerge. The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airports closed in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Airlines and airports were required by the FAA to implement additional security measures before flights could resume. The Purdue Airport will resume some commercial aircraft operations today (Thursday, 9/13), said Betty Stansbury, airport director. Commercial airline service, provided by Northwest Airlink, will resume this evening, with the first expected flight to arrive from Detroit at 11:15 p.m. Northwest Airlink, with daily service from the Purdue Airport to Detroit, had canceled its Tuesday and Wednesday flights. Ticket holders whose flights were canceled should contact the airline for rebooking. Writer: Brian Zink, (765) 494-2080, bzink@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu PHOTO CAPTIONS: A publication-quality photograph is available at the News Service Web site and at the ftp site. Photo ID: Candlelight.jpeg
Kathy McNew, a Central Indiana Regional Blood Center technician, receives blood from Purdue University clinical psychology graduate students Michele Collins of Kansas City, Mo., and Sara Pettinger of Flint, Mich. The students were donating blood Tuesday (9/11) on the West Lafayette campus in response to the suspected terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon. Response to the blood drive, which had been previously scheduled by the Purdue Cooperative Council, overwhelmed the staff working on the Bloodmobile. Many students waited more than two hours to make a donation. (News Service Photo by David Umberger) A publication-quality photograph is available at the News Service Web site and at the ftp site. Photo ID: student.blood
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