September 28, 2007
You have undoubtedly heard about an incident that occurred
yesterday on the Queens campus of St. John's in which a student who
was carrying a rifle was apprehended. Fortunately, there were no
injuries, and the action of many members of the University
community assured that calm and safety prevailed. Especially since
this event has received extensive media coverage, I wanted to
communicate directly with you, our alumni and friends, to be
certain that you were informed about the incident and its
aftermath.
For many years, we have had an Emergency Plan in place. That
plan has been continuously reviewed and updated, especially in
light of the tragedies of 9/11 and Virginia Tech. Recently, we
implemented a text message notifications system to assure that all
members of the University community could be instantly informed of
emergencies. I am happy to be able to tell you that the Plan worked
well yesterday, a tribute, I believe, to our Public Safety staff,
the New York City Police Department, as well as members of the
University community, who were alert to the danger, responsible in
reporting it, and cooperative in following text messaged
instructions during the several hours following the incident.
This morning we gathered as a community in St. Thomas More
Church to celebrate the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul and to thank
God for safeguarding us in the face of this potentially dangerous
situation. Many of our students, faculty, and administrators joined
in this celebration. In the days and weeks ahead, we shall be
implementing a series of programs to enhance our preparedness for
situations such as this. We are encouraging that everyone provide
the contact information needed for them to be part of the text
messaging notification system. Personnel from the Counseling Center
and University Ministry are available to talk with individuals who
may be feeling anxious or apprehensive. And we have initiated a
training program for faculty to help them spot and take appropriate
action on behaviors that have the potential to be disruptive.
We are grateful for the outreach from our alumni, elected
officials, friends, and the broader community during this difficult
time. Your telephone calls, emails, and other messages of support
are very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Rev. Donald J. Harrington,
C.M.
President of St. John's University