Letter from Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M. to Our Alumni and Friends

You have undoubtedly heard about an incident that occurred yesterday on the Queens campus of St. John's in which a student who was carrying a rifle was apprehended. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and the action of many members of the University community assured that calm and safety prevailed. Especially since this event has received extensive media coverage, I wanted to communicate directly with you, our alumni and friends, to be certain that you were informed about the incident and its aftermath.

For many years, we have had an Emergency Plan in place. That plan has been continuously reviewed and updated, especially in light of the tragedies of 9/11 and Virginia Tech. Recently, we implemented a text message notifications system to assure that all members of the University community could be instantly informed of emergencies. I am happy to be able to tell you that the Plan worked well yesterday, a tribute, I believe, to our Public Safety staff, the New York City Police Department, as well as members of the University community, who were alert to the danger, responsible in reporting it, and cooperative in following text messaged instructions during the several hours following the incident.

This morning we gathered as a community in St. Thomas More Church to celebrate the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul and to thank God for safeguarding us in the face of this potentially dangerous situation. Many of our students, faculty, and administrators joined in this celebration. In the days and weeks ahead, we shall be implementing a series of programs to enhance our preparedness for situations such as this. We are encouraging that everyone provide the contact information needed for them to be part of the text messaging notification system. Personnel from the Counseling Center and University Ministry are available to talk with individuals who may be feeling anxious or apprehensive. And we have initiated a training program for faculty to help them spot and take appropriate action on behaviors that have the potential to be disruptive.

We are grateful for the outreach from our alumni, elected officials, friends, and the broader community during this difficult time. Your telephone calls, emails, and other messages of support are very much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M.
President of St. John's University