Letter from President Rodin: We are all survivors

To the University Community:

As the shock waves of yesterday's events wash across the nation, around the world -- and through our own individual lives and campus community -- it is too soon to know the full extent of the horrific death and destruction that have been wrought, or their long-term significance and consequences. I, my family and the entire University community extend our arms and hearts especially to those students, faculty and staff whose lives are being directly and tragically touched by these events.

I encourage all members of our Penn family to reach out to one another and express their feelings and reactions, while always respecting that we are a complex and diverse community. We urge you to continue to be supportive and sensitive to one another.

For its part, upon hearing the news yesterday, the University made immediate efforts to ensure the safety of campus and all who live and work here. We will continue to extend every possible effort to protect and support our students, faculty and staff, and to assist local, state and national officials, as well as the media, in understanding and responding to these events.

During this difficult time, it is especially important that we help each other to maintain perspective and hope. In the end, whether or not we are individually affected, we are all victims -- and survivors -- of today's events, and we must strengthen each other to meet and overcome collectively the difficult challenges that lie ahead.

Let us hope that peace, justice and the security of our ordinary concerns and routines will be quickly restored.

Judith Rodin

University President

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