Houston Hall serving as crisis center

In the midst of the mayhem that began earlier today, Houston Hall has become a center for people to congregate.

Deemed a "crisis center," Houston Hall has been converted into a place for students to seek counseling, have access to telephones and watch news updates.

"The University is taking on a series of tasks," said Deputy Provost Peter Conn. "Houston Hall is a place where students can come to seek help."

Throughout the afternoon, crowds of students stopped by the building to take advantage of the numerous services that the University is providing. Some sat glued to the television waiting for the newest reports on New York and Washington, while others tried to make sense of the event by speaking to counselors.

Elena DiLapi, director of the Penn's Women's Center, headed a team of social workers and therapists at Houston Hall.

Today's event "has left no one unaffected," she said. "One of the things that Penn does well is to respond when there's a crisis, and I'm really heartened by the ways that I've seen students supporting each other."

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