At this writing, five students have died as a result of Thursday's shooting, with another sixteen wounded, four of them critically. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends, and everyone in the class. Our thoughts are also with the family and friends of Mr. Kazmierczak in their hour of pain and grief.
As we grapple with these events, we will all have many questions in the coming days: What happened? What, if anything, could we have done differently? What do we do next? How do we grieve, and how do we help others in their grieving? How do we understand such a tragedy?
We're answering those questions, bit by bit. Some we now know, some we'll know soon, some we'll reflect on for the rest of our lives. I'll do my best to keep you abreast of developments, and I ask your patience as we address the many issues ahead of us. Current information can be found on the university website http://www.niu.edu. I would encourage you to consult the website frequently.
We will take the time to mourn and reflect, and then we will face the challenge of renewing our institution in the face of tragedy. In December, when we were confronted with the threat of violence, the campus community responded with resilience, grace, and a heartfelt concern for the well being of our students. Now, as we deal with the terrible reality of violence on our campus, those values are again being tested. I know that we will rise to the test.
Christopher K. McCord
Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Smerge Endowed Dean's Chair