Campus stunned by NYC, D.C. terrorist attacks

The UIC community was stunned by news of a series of terrorist attacks against the United States Tuesday. As news of the attacks spread, classes and campus wide events were cancelled. Hundreds of students and staff gathered around a big screen television in the Montgomery Ward Lounge all morning, and expressed emotions ranging from grief to anger. As was the case last year during violence outbreaks in the Middle East, Muslim and Jewish students were particularly concerned about the way the news might affect the campus. "I feel like the Muslim community as a whole is unfairly blamed for individual terrorist attacks," said a Muslim student. "I don't like it because people have been staring at me as if I had some connection to the bombings. One bad apple spoils the barrel." Noah Wolfe, Student Trustee and former president of UIC Hillel, said that he was "outraged" over the incident. "The United States cannot bow to terrorism," he said gravely. Wolfe and individual members of the Undergraduate Student Government asked the Adam Wyle band to stop playing. The band, which was on campus in connection with the Volunteer Fair, went home, and the Fair will be rescheduled. USG may cancel its meeting tonight. "I think it's a tragic event, and I'm sure I speak for everyone on USG when I say we send our heartfelt thoughts to the family members and everyone else who was affected by the attacks," said Julio Nolasco, Speaker for the Assembly on USG. Students in general seemed to be disturbed by the incidents. Even before classes were cancelled, Muslim students and others were calling professors to request that their classes be rescheduled. "It's frightening to see the images on television, and to be a part of such a terrible national tragedy," said Jerry Logaras, UIC senior. Unconfirmed rumors on campus included an evacuation of University Hall and other buildings. In a statement that UIC Chancellor Sylvia Manning released at about noon, she noted that "as a matter of policy, the campus itself never closes because of our residential, research, and clinical operations." Student activists and union workers cancelled a protest that had been scheduled at today's Board of Trustees meeting. The Board meeting will go on as scheduled, although it may be shortened. Volunteers lined up at the UIC hospitals to donate blood, as a national call for blood went out. Thousands of victims in New York were expected to accentuate the national ongoing blood shortage. An interfaith vigil on behalf of the victims will be held in the Lecture Center Plaza at noon Wednesday. It is sponsored by the Religious Worker's Association.

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