UO President offers reaction to Northern Illinois University tragedy

Statement from University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer regarding Northern Illinois University shooting on February 14, 2008:

Our thoughts are with the students, faculty and staff at Northern Illinois University after today's campus shooting. The University of Oregon takes safety issues very seriously and we have an emergency operations plan in place to help provide security for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

The UO plan calls for university officials to communicate with the campus community using a host of methods, including e-mail, campus-wide voice mail and posting to the UO Web site. University of Oregon officials frequently review and update our plan and train staff members to respond to emergency situations. As part of this training, the UO participates in joint emergency preparedness exercises with local police, fire and emergency medical agencies.

A catastrophic event such as a shooting in a public area can sometimes trigger severe stress responses in individuals. Support is available for UO students who might need to process their feelings with a mental health professional. Free, confidential counseling services are available for students at the University of Oregon Counseling and Testing Center. For more information, students can call 346-3227 during regular business hours or 346-4488 evenings and weekends. For faculty and staff, the Employee Assistance Program is available to provide support. Call 1-800-433-2320 to arrange an appointment.

President Dave Frohnmayer
University of Oregon

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