President’s Blog
February's Tragedies
March 04, 2008
February was a difficult month. We lost our wonderful student, Gladys Jimenez, and we mourned the deaths of five students at Northern Illinois University. These tragedies, and the ongoing memory of the violence at Virginia Tech, continue to haunt us and stay in our memories. Also, within our university community are other difficult and sad situations—serious illnesses and personal challenges seemed to come at us in a tidal wave during February.
Last week’s meeting of the Ashland Traffic Safety Commission gives me hope that we will see improved safety on Siskiyou Boulevard. I look forward to working with the City of Ashland on plans for increasing safety and awareness for both pedestrians and drivers on the major road running through the city and the campus.
We are working to ensure that our campus, too, is as safe as possible while we maintain an open, welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
I am so grateful to everyone who has stepped forward to provide compassion and support to friends and colleagues during these past weeks. All across campus, people reach out—and continue to demonstrate that this is truly a caring group of people working and studying here.
Now, as we head toward the end of term and final exams, we need to focus on teaching and learning and the everyday business of the university. We also welcome the arrival of spring, season of hope and renewal, in the magnificent Rogue Valley. However, I know we will continue to grieve. Healing does not happen overnight.
I am just grateful that we continue to grow together as a compassionate community—and that we can look forward to a beautiful spring, a renewed optimism, and the excitement of a new academic term.
Mary Cullinan
