Campus to observe Sept. 11 anniversary

Faculty, staff and students across campus have planned a variety of ways to observe this week's anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on America.

Through lectures, memorials, classroom discussions and public service opportunities, members of the NIU campus community will find different ways to commemorate the tragedy and seek new understanding of the post-9/11 world.

A special Web site listing all known campus events is posted on the NIU homepage, or can be found at www.niu.edu/sept11. In addition to the calendar of events, the site includes information on volunteer opportunities for those who choose to observe the anniversary with a renewed commitment to service. It also contains a section with suggestions for faculty who plan on dedicating class time to discussions of Sept. 11 and its aftermath.

The Campus Activities Board is sponsoring a talk Sept. 10 by New York City Fire Chief Richard Picciotto, who escaped the World Trade Center destruction. Picciotto's talk is at 11 a.m. in the Holmes Student Center Ballroom.

An all-campus observance takes place at noon Sept. 11 in the MLK Commons, and features a brief program with music, speakers and tolling of the bells in honor of those who died in the attack.

NIU President John Peters says campus observances are purposely low-key.

"We want to give people a chance to remember and reflect, and to do so in a meaningful way that befits an institution dedicated to learning, public service, social justice and civility," Peters said.