42
20
1884
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010453b_a52ddf9430.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:23:58
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
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Brent Jesiek
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
A massive crowd gathered on the drillfield for the dedication of the intermediate memorial on August 19, 2007. Many spectators escaped from the heat under shady trees. Hokies United Memorial T-Shirts were a very common sight.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
Language
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
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We Are Virginia Tech
crowd
dedication ceremony
Drillfield
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
we are virginia tech
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010491_9c4aaf27cb.JPG
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:55:23
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
A cadet carries one of the victim's hokie stones back to the seating area while spectators - including many members of the Marching Virginians band - look on. The stones were taken from the original memorial that sprang up after the events of April 16. Photo taken at the intermediate memorial dedication ceremony on August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
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Cadet, Stone, and Crowd
cadet
crowd
dedication ceremony
hokie stones
intermediate memorial
marching virginians
memorial dedication
-
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Sara Hood
Creator
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Rick Krumreig
Date
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2007-08-16
Description
An account of the resource
Former Buckeyes retell events of VT massacre
By: Rick Krumreig
Posted: 4/25/07
Locked down in an office. Shades drawn, lights off, TV on, laptops humming. Ambulances screaming down the street with police scattered all around, guns drawn. This is the scene associate professor Beth Waggenspack witnessed last Monday on the Virginia Tech campus.
"It was more surreal than you can imagine," she said.
Waggenspack is an associate professor of communication at VT and a 1983 Ohio State graduate. She was locked down in her office - two blocks from Norris Hall where the second shooting took place - for almost three hours after word of the shooting spread.
"Loudspeakers were going off saying, 'this is an emergency, lock your doors and windows,'" Waggenspack said. "You just don't expect to hear that."
Nearly a week and a half after the incident, Waggenspack said the university is doing everything it can to get things back on track. Counseling is being offered to any student who needs it and the Red Cross is on campus to offer assistance.
Waggenspack said the semester is almost over at VT and some students have decided not to return, but many are staying the course and banding together.
"You have never seen hugging on a college campus like this in your life," she said.
Waggenspack also said the local media has covered the story thoroughly, including showing the outside support that VT is receiving.
Julia Reusch is a 2003 OSU graduate and the 6 p.m. producer for WSLS, the NBC affiliate in Roanoke, Va. Reusch said when the story broke, the newsroom was in awe.
"Things like that don't happen around here, it was just shocking," Reusch said.
Reusch said the station made a decision to pull the footage that NBC received from the shooter. Reusch said it was important to get some of the questions surrounding the incident answered, but after they were answered, the footage did not need to be shown again. She also said students for the most part have been willing to talk about the situation to the local media.
Waggenspack said the national media, however, has been an intrusive presence.
"They are going up to crying students and sticking a microphone in their faces," Waggenspack said.
Waggenspack also said there are flyers posted on all classroom buildings asking the media to stay out.
Despite being in the national spotlight and having such a media presence on campus, Reusch said the resolve of the VT community has been incredible.
"They are so proud of where they are from and who they are and I think that has really helped them so far," Reusch said.
Aside from that, Waggenspack said the amount of outside support has been tremendous. She said VT's student center is full of banners from colleges and universities across the country. Waggenspack has heard from people that she has not spoken to in years. Everyone from her OSU adviser to her high school boyfriend has been in contact with her.
"Every bit of this support is appreciated," Waggenspack said.
Now that some time has passed, Waggenspack said campus is starting to return to normal.
"I can no longer think of the 'what ifs.' Now I am thinking of what's next," she said.
Waggenspack said campus is as close to normal as possible, but there is a different feel. People are still somber and there is a large police presence on campus, but the mood is generally optimistic and the VT community wants to move forward.
"One victim who was shot three times forgave Cho two days after the incident," Reusch said.
Waggenspack is confident that VT will not waver and the Hokie spirit will continue to stay strong.
"This is something that we will recover from, but we will be changed by," Waggenspack said.
Rick Krumreig can be reached at krumreig.2@osu.edu.
--
Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/04/25/Campus/Bucks.Recount.Experiences-2879714.shtml>The Lantern - April 25, 2007</a>
Language
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eng
Rights
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GERRICK LEWIS <lewis.1030@osu.edu>
Title
A name given to the resource
Bucks recount experiences
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010510b_8a4feff35f.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-20
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-20 00:07:22
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
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Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-20
Description
An account of the resource
A young man and woman - likely students - are locked in an extended embrace after the close of the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial. Photo taken August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
Language
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
A name given to the resource
After the Ceremony
dedication ceremony
embrace
hug
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010506b_88afd05f0e.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-20
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-20 00:03:54
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-20
Description
An account of the resource
After the intermediate memorial dedication ceremony, interviews such as this one were commonplace. But while there was clearly a media presence at this event, it was subdued in comparison to the immediate aftermath of April 16.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
A name given to the resource
Post-Dedication Interview
dedication ceremony
Drillfield
intermediate memorial
interview
media
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010490b_4690e0cf05.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:49:09
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
Some of the friends and family members of April 16 victims, including the cadet shown here, wait with hokie stones in hand during the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial. The stones were taken from the original memorial that sprang up on this same site after the events of April 16. After a bell was tolled for each victim, the stones were carried back to the seating area. Photo taken August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
Rights
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
A name given to the resource
Stones in Hand
cadet
dedication ceremony
hokie stones
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010487_883b19c7e2.JPG
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:45:01
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
Some of the friends and family members of April 16 victims wait with hokie stones in hand during the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial. The stones were taken from the original memorial that sprang up on this same site after the events of April 16. After a bell was tolled for each victim, the stones were carried back to the seating area. Photo taken August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
Language
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eng
Rights
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
A name given to the resource
Waiting with Stones
dedication ceremony
hokie stones
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010479_3edb01580c.JPG
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:38:52
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
During the dedication ceremony, victims' friends and family pick up pieces of hokie stone from the new intermediate memorial. These stones were taken from the original memorial that sprang up on this same site after the events of April 16. After a bell was tolled for each victim, the stones were carried back to the seating area.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
Rights
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
A name given to the resource
Lifting the Stones
dedication ceremony
hokie stones
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010465b_8aeb2ca787.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:30:54
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Brent Jesiek
Creator
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Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
Wide view of crowd, tent, and speakers' stage at the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial. The War Memorial, which was another popular spot for spectators, is on the far left. Photo taken August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
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Wide View of Dedication Ceremony
crowd
dedication ceremony
Drillfield
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
war memorial
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010425b_654c4e60a9.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 23:08:16
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
A steady stream of people, many clad in orange and maroon, make their way across the drillfield prior to the dedication of the intermediate memorial on August 19, 2007. As suggested by this photo, many spectators watched the ceremony from the top of the War Memorial.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
A name given to the resource
From One Memorial to Another
dedication ceremony
Drillfield
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
war memorial
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010421_16621f0aaa.JPG
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
The metadata element set that, in addition to the Dublin Core element set, was included in the `files` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all Omeka files. This set may be deprecated in future versions.
Capture Date
2007-08-19 22:59:09
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
A Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets color guard stands watch behind the intermediate memorial, prior to the dedication ceremony on August 19, 2007. A large bell that was brought in for the occasion sits directly in front of them. The gathering crowd is visible on the drillfield.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
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Guard, Bell, and Crowd
bell
color guard
corps of cadets
dedication ceremony
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010411_eb7af123b1.JPG
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
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Capture Date
2007-08-19 22:52:17
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
Prior to the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial, a WDBJ7 cameraman scans the crowd. Members of the Marching Virginians stand in the foreground. Photo taken on August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
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Camera, Band, and Crowd
dedication ceremony
Drillfield
intermediate memorial
marching virginians
memorial dedication
wdbj7
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010408b_89213a0ea5.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
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Capture Date
2007-08-19 22:44:17
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Contributor
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Brent Jesiek
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brent Jesiek
Date
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2007-08-19
Description
An account of the resource
A Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets color guard stands watch at the intermediate memorial prior to its dedication on August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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eng
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Title
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Color Guard
august 19
color guard
corps of cadets
dedication ceremony
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010373b_86b5193159.jpg
null
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-19
Omeka Legacy File
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Capture Date
2007-08-19 22:34:24
Still Image
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Brent Jesiek
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Brent Jesiek
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2007-08-19
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Friends and family of the victims visit the intermediate memorial prior to its dedication. The color guard stands at attention behind the memorial while another member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets stands watch nearby. Photo taken August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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Pre-Ceremony Moment
august 19
color guard
corps of cadets
dedication ceremony
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
-
https://www.april16.vtlibraries.net/files/original/P1010359_f2abee0144.JPG
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2007-08-19 22:18:48
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Brent Jesiek
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Brent Jesiek
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2007-08-19
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The crowd on the drillfield begins to gather and grow prior to the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial. Photo taken August 19, 2007.
Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.
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Dedication Gathering
august 19
dedication ceremony
intermediate memorial
memorial dedication
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Sara Hood
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Chammarra Johnson
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2007-08-19
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<b>SHOOTING: Study shows that often many common myths about school shootings are not necessarily correct.</b>
By Chammarra Johnson
Staff Writer
Following the recent shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, an article released on MSNBC.com last February has many people talking about the many misconceptions regarding the perpetrators of school shootings and what this means for colleges across the country.
The list was compiled from a 2002 study by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education. The researchers studied various case files and other primary sources for 37 attacks by current or former students. They also interviewed 10 of the perpetrators in these attacks. According to the list, the most common myths are:
There Are No Profiles - There is no accurate way to profile students for being at risk of committing crimes like this. When creating a profile, you will be at risk of having many innocent people fit the 'profile' and many attackers who do not. According to the article, "The demographic, personality, school history and social characteristics of the attackers varied substantially. Attackers were of all races and family situations, with academic achievement ranging from failing to excellent."
He Just Snapped - Attacks are not usually impulsive. Instead, the attackers usually plan their attacks, spending time forming the idea and gathering weapons.
No One Knew - Before most attacks, the perpetrators reveal to someone their plans, usually a friend, classmate or sibling. However, this information rarely makes it to an adult.
He Hadn't Threatened Anyone - A person doesn't need to vocalize a threat to pose a threat. A student who is seeking revenge, has spoken of bringing a gun to school, etc, is a threat. According to the article, "Most attackers did not threaten and most threateners did not attack."
He Was a Loner - Most of the perpetrators of school shootings were kids who participated in clubs, sports or other activities. Only one-quarter of shooters were "fringe" students.
He Was Crazy - While most of the perpetrators had a history of suicidal thoughts, depression and trouble dealing with loss or personal failures, only one-third had ever been seen by mental health professional and only one-fifth were diagnosed with a mental disorder.
If Only We'd Had a SWAT Team or Metal Detectors - SWAT teams usually arrive once an incident is over and metal detectors won't deter students intent on killing themselves or others.
He'd Never Touched a Gun - Most shooters have touched a gun at some point in their lives and many acquire guns from their homes.
We Did Everything We Could to Help Him - Most perpetrators of school shootings have felt bullied, persecuted or injured by others before committing their crimes and most have tried to get some sort of help.
School Violence Is Rampant - It may seem as though we see school shootings in the news on a regular basis, but school shootings are actually very rare.
So, in light of the recent shooting at Virginia Tech, do UC Irvine students feel more at risk?
Anthony Marsh, a fourth-year history major, feels that we are not at risk. "In California, there are stricter gun control laws so it isn't as easy for people to wantonly walk into gun shops and purchase them."
Another student, who wishes to remain anonymous disagrees. "This shooting has shown me that violence like this can occur anywhere, even on college campuses. What I am most afraid of is that in Irvine, we won't be prepared if something of this nature happens. The administration and police might not know what to do."
Professor Linda Vo, an Asian-American studies professor, hopes that we will use this tragedy in order to strengthen our own school policies. "I do hope that we use this opportunity to reevaluate our mental health policies on university campuses and make improvements where necessary. College campuses are now more diverse than ever before, so it's important to have counselors who are trained to work with their needs.
Everyone is making changes in response to this tragedy in order to better serve the school community in a time of crisis. Currently, the UCI Police Department is going over and revamping procedures in order to prepare for such an event. But if something were to occur, would they be ready? Hopefully, we will never know.
--
Original Source:<a href=http://www.newuniversity.org/showArticle.php?id=5713>New University - April 23, 2007</a>
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eng
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Zachary Gale <newueic@gmail.com>
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Campus Mourns Virginia Tech Tragedy (Part 2)
myths
profile
risk
school shootings
university of california - irvine
-
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Sara Hood
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Thomas A. Parham
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2007-08-19
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By Dr. Thomas Parham
In the wake of the tragic events that occurred at Virginia Tech University, many in our community will be forced to wrestle with and confront some tough questions and concerns. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and families, as well as the broader campus community. No amount of planning and preparation can ever truly prepare one for the events that unfolded on April 16, and yet our thoughts cannot resist the tendency to delve into spaces that invite critical reflection and analysis about our own vulnerability to such a tragedy within the borders of this campus.
Times like these challenge our individual and collective sensibilities as we seek to desperately cling to notions of life that are far more predictable, less scary and less unsettling. Our designs for living and patterns for interpreting reality have been shaken by this single act of horrific proportion, which dislodges us from our comfortable spaces of intellectual, emotional, behavioral and even spiritual comfort.
As people struggle to cope with this horrific tragedy, it is likely that some will experience a broad range of emotional reactions, including anxiety, confusion, depression, insecurity, anger, resentment, sadness, vulnerability and fear. Some may experience difficulty sleeping, eating or concentrating on their studies. These feelings are normal and reasonable, and consistent with what mental health professionals predict. Over time, these feelings will diminish for most people.
We want each member of our community to know that we are here for you in ways that ensure, to the best of our ability, your safety, as well as address your emotional and psychological well-being in this time of extreme distress.
In recalling the incidents of last week, I want to invite each of you to resist the temptation to espouse what could or should have been done. Hindsight is always 20/20, and none of us really knows what it was like in the moments surrounding the tragedy. What I do want to encourage and provide is an invitation to explore the implications of this tragedy for our own UC Irvine campus and the psychological resources that are available to assist us, should some incident darken our door.
First, no one can predict with absolute certainty if or when such a tragedy might occur or when individuals, whether reacting to normal life stressors or challenged to cope with some level of mental illness, are likely to erupt. We have little, if any, control over these events that so impact our lives. Fortunately, incidents like Virginia Tech or Columbine are relatively infrequent and it is important to remind ourselves that order is much more frequent than disorder and tragedy, and our blessings in life far outweigh our trials and tribulations.
What we do control is how we manage our own spaces, and how we access and/or refer individuals to the resources that can help them better cope with personal or life challenges, particularly in times of moderate or severe distress. The UCI campus is blessed with a full array of mental and physical health and wellness services. The Counseling Center provides a broad range of mental health treatment that can deliver individual and group counseling and therapy, walk-in and triage coverage, consultation, psycho-educational workshops and training, and crisis intervention. Our Student Health Mental Health Clinic, in addition to the psychological interventions listed below, also delivers psychiatric assessment, pharmacotherapy and consultation. Our campus also boasts a Health Education Center that provides important information on healthy lifestyle support that can be useful in managing or coping with a tragic circumstance. Please encourage students to take advantage of these services.
If you experience any of these symptoms or would just like someone to talk to, we invite you to contact the Counseling Center at (949) 824-6457 or the Student Health Mental Health Clinic at (949) 824-1835. For staff or faculty, we invite you to contact the Faculty Staff Counseling Center at (949) 824-8355.
Do not be reticent about discussing emergency planning and personal-safety scenarios with your family, roommates and friends. Determine how you will communicate and plan for how you will physically reconnect. Having these plans will provide a focus for stepping through tragic circumstances and help to lessen our concerns about the unknown. UCI's Environmental Health and Safety Web site can walk you through this type of planning.
We also control how we interact with colleagues and friends, and our ability to leave those interactions having helped create a positive space where people feel comfortable, cared about and affirmed for having been with us. A smile, or an encouraging word, goes a long way toward making someone's day.
In addition to the tone of the conversation, we also control the quality of the interaction. How many times a day, in our interactions with friends and colleagues, do we fail to engage people in more genuine and authentic conversations? People respond to our queries about how they are doing with canned, almost robotic answers that suggest they are "fine." And yet, behind many of their replies is a staff, faculty colleague or student friend whose smile masks a deeper pain or hurt, or maybe just a hint of discomfort. You can make a difference in their lives by simply slowing down the questioning enough to get an honest and legitimate answer. If they are experiencing any distress, please refer them to a professional for help and assistance.
Central to our campus values articulated so well by Chancellor Michael Drake is the value of empathy. Let us use this occasion to empathize with the victims, families, students and colleagues in Virginia and pray that their healing will be swift. Let us also allow these circumstances to remind us to engage each person in this UCI campus community with a level of compassion and caring that illustrates their importance to our university family.
Thomas A. Parham is the assistant vice chancellor of counseling and health services and the director of the Counseling Center.
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eng
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New University
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Zachary Gale <newueic@gmail.com>
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What We Can Learn From Virginia Tech
distress
lessons from tragedy
mental health
university of california - irvine
-
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Sara Hood
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Emilie Doolittle
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2007-08-19
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By Emilie Doolittle
Staff Writer
Three weeks ago, before midnight, a student was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the Social Science Building at UC Irvine. He had committed suicide. Two weeks ago was the Virginia Tech massacre. In the aftermath of recent tragic events, students at UCI wonder how safe our campus is and how psychologically healthy the students are. Is the Counseling and Health Center doing enough to make our campus psychologically healthy? What provisions are they making?
If the Health Center gets a distress call, where someone is either a danger to themselves, a danger to others or gravely disabled, then they can send a psychologist to mentally evaluate the person. However, psychologists do not have the capacity to attend distress calls beyond the working week hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For after-hour coverage, it is up to the on-campus police to handle distress calls. If the police officer feels that a mental health professional needs to be involved, they will call California's Welfare and Institutions Code 5150, which mandates that the distressed person be sent to a clinician. Generally, the person would be sent to the UCI Medical Center where they can have psychiatric help at any time.
Students who are not sent to psychiatric help by law enforcement, may be in need of psychological support. How can they get support when the Counseling Center is closed? Currently UCI has no psychological counseling hotlines such as suicide prevention or sexual assault victim counseling. Students have to seek psychological support from sources outside of UCI.
For any student to find psychological assistance, they have to look up a service, generally via the Internet, or have someone else look it up for them. This may cause a problem for someone who is already in a vegetative state of depression and has no one around to notice that they are in dire need of psychological help. If a student was severely depressed and did not have a friend to help them get counseling it might be helpful if they were to see a poster for a counseling service phone number, or a sticker for a suicide prevention hotline.
At Pembroke College, in the University of Cambridge, England, as well as the University of Scotland, bathroom stalls have stickers and posters that list psychological assistance hotlines for students to call. Hotlines for students who are victims of sexual assault, for students who feel overanxious and depressed and even for female students that may be in need of birth control are on the bathroom stall walls. A bathroom stall is an intimate place for student to find information on how they can get help.
While the bathroom stalls at UCI often have notes posted for students who are looking for a roommate or are trying to sell their books, from personal observation there rarely are mental health awareness flyers or stickers. Why is this?
The apparent reason is that, like most college campuses in the United States, the Counseling and Health Services at UCI are under funded. Dr. Thomas Parham, the Assistant Vice Chancellor of the UCI Counseling and Health Services would fully support more marketing for psychological health awareness, including signs in bathrooms, if there were more funding. The Counseling and Health Services do not have the resources to afford more flyers and mental-health awareness signs.
It is hard enough for them to afford to pay for psychologists. The Counseling Center is understaffed with mental health professionals and its psychologists are overloaded with students. On average, each of the UCI psychologists has 609 more students than they are recommended to counsel according to the International Association of Counseling Services. However, according to the OC Register UCI is in the process of looking for two new counselors.
Unfortunately, students are only allowed a maximum of seven free one-on-one counseling sessions. This may not be enough for students who are in need of more sessions.
Fourth-year sociology major Cassandra Rush was a victim of sexual assault during her second year at UCI. Although she received assistance from the Counseling Center afterward, she said, "Seven sessions wasn't enough. I felt kind of betrayed because I spilled my soul out to one psychologist and then they switched me over to another psychologist. I was already at a point where I didn't trust anyone."
Luckily for Rush, she could afford to see a professional psychologist outside of UC Irvine. However, some students in need of mental professional help are not so fortunate. Various health insurance companies do not cover psychological counseling and some students do not have the personal funding to afford it. Like Rush's case, one of the most common reasons why students enter the counseling center is for cases of sexual assault. While there is a group for victims of sexual assault that meets throughout the school year which Rush recommends, group counseling is not always as helpful as a one-on-one.
More students are seeking counseling at UCI than in the past. The no. 1 reason students seek counseling is because of stress, including intense emotions and mood changes.
In Dr. Parham's words, students live in an almost pathologically competitive society. Unlike students of previous generations that went through time periods of struggle, such as the Great Depression and the Cold War, where they were taught that hardship was a part of life, "Now we create this illusion that everything is OK. Students are not used to struggling," said Parham.
Not only has the number of suicides increased at college campuses nationally, but so has the number of suicides at UCI in the last decade. The two students who committed suicide within the last two years did not seek counseling or psychiactric help from UCI's health services.
With the influx of students and the already lacking amount of resources, Counseling and Health Services is in dire need of funding.
Despite a lack of funding, the Health Education Center has worked hard to obtain grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which provide small grants for campuses to provide for suicide prevention groups. UCI was one of the 22 campuses in the nation to win a grant.
With the grant, the Health Education Center is promoting student health through "Project Courage." The project is designed to bring awareness to incidences of mental health and let people know what their resources are. Also, it is a social marketing campaign to help suicidal people think a second time before erasing their future.
The Web site for Project Courage, www.donteraseyourfuture.org, lists difficulties famous people such as Martin Luther King Jr., William Shakespeare and Marie Curie went through, with the message that the world would not be the same without them.
If a student is feeling anxious, depressed or violated, and is in need of psychological counseling they can call 949-824-6457 and set up an appointment with the UCI Counseling Center. If a student is feeling severely depressed and in need of psychological counseling outside of the available hours they can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
--
Original Source:<a href=http://www.newuniversity.org/showArticle.php?id=5763>New University - April 30, 2007</a>
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eng
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Zachary Gale <newueic@gmail.com>
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UC Irvine's Counseling and Health Services Are Under-Funded
mental health
mental health services
support
univeristy of california - irvine
-
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Sara Hood
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Tammesia Green
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2007-08-19
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By Tammesia Green
Following the massacre that occurred at Virginia Tech University on April 16, many have come to question their own safety at universities across the country. The profile of a school shooter, once narrowed to a lonely white male high-school student with a fascination with and open access to guns, was quickly re-examined as we discovered the shooter to be 23-year-old Cho Seung-Hui. But before the news had been released that the shooter was Asian, the question on everyone's mind was whether this catastrophe could have been prevented. This question is a good one, and should be debated, but reflecting on the length of time the press devoted to this subject was unsettling for me.
I remember going to class the morning of the shooting and hearing news reports that two people had been shot at a Virginia Tech dormitory. Upon my return five hours later I was shocked to see the death toll had escalated to 33. Immediately, I wanted to know what had happened and if the killer had been caught. Watching the news, all I could find were reporters asking questions like, "Why wasn't the school placed on lockdown? What time was the first e-mail sent to students? Why wasn't more done to prevent this tragedy?"
It became clear that I would not learn anything about what actually took place on the campus that could account for the casualty numbers rising; I had to resort to the Internet to try to make sense of all that was happening. After getting a clear account, I was upset at the amount of time the network news channels devoted to placing blame on officials at Virginia Tech—only, the "placing blame" was not seen for what it was. Instead, it was promoted as good investigative journalism.
I understand that it is the job of a journalist to ask the hard questions and uphold a level of accountability toward officials. However, I found that the questions posed by reporters in press conferences regarding Virginia Tech were not necessarily out of line, but a result of constant criticism of their inability to question authority in high-stakes situations.
Past disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the logic behind going to war with Iraq played their roles in the types of questions posed to Virginia Tech President Charles Steger. These questions were simply a ploy to preemptively avoid any backlash from the public for not addressing accountability.
Following the invasion of Iraq and never finding weapons of mass destruction, the public began to demand that journalists not be afraid to question authority and command answers from high-ranking officials. Hurricane Katrina allowed for reporters to regain some credibility by analyzing slow relief efforts and the lack of preparation from the government. It is no surprise that in order to keep credibility and uphold the public's faith in reporters, journalists continued to grow a backbone and demanded answers from those in power.
The word "accountability" is ultimately what forced the media to focus on how administrators screwed up and not the shooter. But accountability is not to be placed on school administrators and campus police when the act was really the work of one man, and only he can be blamed. Real investigative journalism would have been to expose the motives of Cho, not debate whether an e-mail should have been sent earlier or been more detailed. Even as students from the Virginia Tech campus were being interviewed and asked if their administration at the university should have done more, the look of "Are you really asking me this now?" ran across most of their faces. They, like me, could not understand why their administrators were being harassed as if they made the events unfold, and not Cho.
There is no way administrators at Virginia Tech could have predicted that a domestic dispute incident would be cause for the closing of an entire university. Anyone who thinks they would have had the notion to suspend classes and not think of the first attack as an isolated incident is thinking in the context of hindsight. Colleges enroll large quantities of students, equivalent to the population of some U.S. cities. Just like a city, Virginia Tech did not shut down when evidence of a homicide was discovered.
It is nice to want to believe that our college campuses are the last step before entering the real world, and are therefore void of the many threats society holds. But evil does exist and it knows no bounds. This evil of one individual is the only factor that should matter in evaluating who is accountable for the Virginia Tech massacre.
--
Original Source:<a href=http://www.newuniversity.org/showArticle.php?id=5789>New University - April 30, 2007</a>
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New University
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Zachary Gale <newueic@gmail.com>
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Media Coverage of VT Tragedy Irresponsible
criticism
journalism
media
media coverage
university of california - irvine
-
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Sara Hood
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Philip Grant
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2007-08-19
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Commentary
By Philip Grant
Dear Chancellor Drake,
My most heartfelt sympathies are also with those affected by the terrible events of last week at Virginia Tech.
I write to you nonetheless not merely to share my sympathies with you, but to express my anger. I am deeply disturbed by the message you have sent to the community of UC Irvine. My misgivings lie at two levels.
Firstly, I do not understand why the victims of the massacre at Virginia Tech are alone deemed worthy of special e-mail messages from the chancellor of the university, of candlelight vigils and so on. Consider the following statistics:
Wednesday, April 18, 2007, Baghdad, Iraq: 200 dead in six separate bombings.
March 6, 2007, Hilla, Iraq: 90 dead in two bombings.
Feb. 3, 2007, Baghdad, Iraq: 130 dead in a single bombing.
Dec. 2, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq: 50 dead in a single bombing.
Nov. 23, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq: 200 dead in a series of bombings.
These are only the major "incidents" of losses of civilian life in Iraq in the eight months since I have been at UCI. I do not recall any e-mail messages inviting us to candlelight vigils on their behalf. I do not recall that they were even considered worthy of a single second of serious reflection on any of our parts. Perhaps we are overcome by a surfeit of suffering: Whether one Iraqi dies or 100 is all the same to us, since there are just too many deaths for us to comprehend. What need solidarity, therefore? Yet the "families and friends of the victims" of the more than 60,000 Iraqi civilians (Iraq Body Count, reported deaths only) or the 100,000 to 150,000 Iraqi civilians (Iraqi Ministry of Health), or the 655,000 Iraqi civilians ("The Lancet") that have been killed since the beginning of the war - could we but speak with them face to face - might have something to teach us concerning what it means to be confronted with suffering on an unimaginable scale. Perhaps we can no longer muster the humility required to look on them and listen in attentive silence.
What happens to our sense of solidarity, our compassion, our shared humanity, when we turn our attention from Virginia to Iraq? No doubt: The candle-flame of our sympathies is quickly extinguished by the chill currents of the Atlantic.
Secondly, I am astonished that I am being told that "our nation" is in "stunned sorrow," that "everyone at UCI and across the nation" is affected by this tragedy. I remember being very impressed during my TA training when I first came to UCI by the instructors who taught us of the importance of being sensitive as teachers to the great diversity of the UCI community, to the wonderful variety of origins and backgrounds of the people we would be teaching or with whom we would be interacting during our careers here. I hope I have taken this lesson to heart and that I practice it during every waking hour of my time here.
Yet I find that the chancellor of the university is appealing to my sympathies as part of "our nation," and I do not know how to react, except with sorrow.
I am not of your nation! If I were in a minority of one, then perhaps I would shrug my shoulders and let these words pass. But I am not: There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of students, staff, and faculty at UCI who are not of "our nation"; we are grateful for the opportunities we have here, and we strive as hard as anyone to contribute to this community. Have you forgotten this? Am I - are we - not part of this community too? May we not express our sympathies and solidarity for the victims of the Virginia massacre, not because we are members of "our nation," but because as human beings we know that those who died in Virginia had faces like us, because we can imagine ourselves as others who are like us? "We are, on a fundamental level, all members of one community," you write. Does this truly mean "all" of us, or only those of us who are part of "our nation"? The answer must be the first: "Our nation" has no role to play in how we commemorate and mourn this tragedy.
Why is it, in this community that is so palpably diverse, in this country where people have as many origins as there are stars in the sky, that we have to resort to the exclusionary rhetoric of "our nation"? Why mourn those who died and commiserate with those who remain on the grounds that they too are part of "our nation," when we could instead speak in a spirit so much more generous and hospitable, so much more open and humane: We mourn those who died not because they were like us and of us, but because they were like us and yet different from us. Surely ethics starts not with ourselves, but with others.
I remember only too vividly how, after Sept. 11, young people in Iran poured into the streets and held spontaneous candlelight vigils for those who died in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, without it ever occurring to them that they should only mourn those who were of "their nation." Strange thought! It is the "Axis of Evil" that teaches the "land of the free" respect for others, and not the other way round, whatever we might expect. We know what follows, and perhaps now at last, however obscurely, we begin to glimpse an answer - a troubling answer - to the question a very great man posed nearly two millennia ago:
"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?"
I did not attend the candlelight vigil on Monday, April 23, not because I do not wish to express my solidarity with the victims of the massacre in Virginia, but because I cannot express my solidarity with them while excluding those who are not of "our nation," those who die like cattle in the streets of Baghdad and elsewhere.
However, from the time I went to bed that Monday night until the time I woke up on Wednesday morning, I abstained from all food and drink except tap water, as part of what the French call a "jeûne d'interpellation," an untranslatable phrase that means something like a fast designed to call people's attention to a problem. I wish to call our attention to the selectivity of our solidarity and compassion, to ask us all not to quench our candlelight in the sea but to bear it aloft in memory of all those who die a violent death anywhere, just as the young women and men of Iran have taught us. I am not expecting to change the world by this one tiny action; perhaps all I can hope for is to make people stop and reflect, if only for a second, on the fact that our community extends well beyond Virginia.
Philip Grant is a graduate student in the department of anthropology.
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Original Source:<a href=http://www.newuniversity.org/showArticle.php?id=5791>New University - April 30, 2007</a>
Language
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eng
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New University
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Zachary Gale <newueic@gmail.com>
Title
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VT Vigils Make Us Ignore Other Tragedies
death
perspective
university of california - irvine
university response
vigils