September 17, 2001

I appreciate your concerns/inquiry about our football team playing on Saturday as scheduled.

As you might imagine, it was not an easy decision nor one made with out considerable thought. Our women’s volleyball team and men’s cross-country also played. Our women’s tennis, women’s cross-country, women’s golf and women’s soccer did not play scheduled contests. We were advised by our league commissioner that the NCAA Executive Committee after consultation with the White House determined that in line with Friday’s official day of remembrance, a return to normalcy was being suggested if we chose to resume our schedules. We then consulted with our student-athletes and our scheduled opponents, and out of that came the decisions that I have described above.

You should know a little about the context for our decision-making in the minds of our students and others. Before the day ended on the day of the tragic events we announced late morning that we were not canceling classes and we encouraged faculty and staff to meet their classes/staff their offices and engage in supportive activity that each deemed appropriate. We pulled TV’s into open lounge spaces where students typically gather. In the evening Zorn Arena was packed for a forum event and following the forum hundreds gathered in the mall for remarks and a candlelight vigil. In addition, countless other smaller and less public activities took place. I personally went into some classes that morning to determine what students were feeling and what they felt they needed from us. We reached out to our international students who are with us to reassure them of their safety and answer their questions. Much of this activity continued into Wednesday. That evening some of our faculty and staff hosted a panel discussion in Schofield auditorium. The Ecumenical Religious Center on campus held services and encouraged student, faculty and staff to stop by throughout that day and the days to follow — our Counseling Center did the same. Of course, classes, which continued, provided many opportunities for support and information. When President Bush designated Friday as a special day, we canceled classes at noon and encouraged all members of our community to observe the hour at a number of gatherings that had been scheduled throughout the community in churches and in our parks. I saw several of our student-athletes, faculty and staff at the session I attended in Owen Park. Still others simply contemplated the enormity of the events in their own more private ways. We released all employees from work obligations for the hour. We canceled classes the remainder of the day to allow travel for those who needed to be with their families.

When our football and volleyball student-athletes were asked about playing, they chose to play. They had been engaged in much activity to recognize and understand the tragedy, to offer support for the victims, their families and the rescue workers. They felt an attempt to return to normalcy was important. They felt playing their athletic contests and being on the road with each other and their coaches was important for them (the three teams that did compete were on the road). The feedback I have received about the events is that there were impressive ceremonies for reflection at each of them.

In the meantime, the campus had already begun turning its attention to the material needs of the people and the places involved in the tragic events. Our student-athletes and the athletic department planned a 24-hour relay run here on the campus for this coming Friday evening, beginning at 6 PM, to raise money. Our Student Senate began offering ribbons on Friday and will continue through today — contributions are being taken in conjunction with the ribbons and the proceeds will be sent to the American Red Cross. Blood donor activity is being recommended and our blood banks are filled to capacity. Other helpful activities are being planned and will be held. We are doing our best to offer any assistance we can and that will continue. The campus community is being kept abreast of all the agencies accepting help and how our students, faculty and staff can make contact with them.

These are difficult times. We are doing our best to do the right things. I think you would be very proud of your alma mater were you here and able to feel and see the tremendous outpouring of feelings and actions directed in a way that can be helpful to the victims, their families and the heroic rescue workers who continue to labor.

Please don’t misconstrue my account of what we have done and are continuing to do as an attempt to minimize the sincere and heartfelt sentiments you expressed to me in your message. We feel we have responded appropriately and respectfully. But we also know that reasonable and caring people can disagree on such matters.

Sincerely,

Donald J. Mash
Chancellor

  News Bureau  

Judy Berthiaume
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu

Updated: Sept. 20, 2001