University of Richmond Responds to Tsunami Disaster

January 7, 2005

The University of Richmond has created a team to lead its response to the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami that devastated communities from Southeast Asia to East Africa—many of which are home to university students and their families.

The Spider Community Tsunami Response (SCTR) will organize fundraising activities and educational programs. Team members include student, faculty and staff representatives of the offices of student development, chaplaincy, civic engagement and international education. Students will lead the overall effort and make final decisions about which agency or agencies will receive funds raised by SCTR.

The first SCTR event will be a community-wide forum Jan. 20 at 4 p.m. in North Court Reception Room. The program will feature an expert panel, including Richmond students from the affected countries, and open discussion of the economic, historical, cultural and political contexts of the disaster as well as the aid effort. Other programs will be scheduled.

The university has established a fund for those in the university community who want to make a contribution to tsunami relief and rebuilding efforts through SCTR. Contributions may be made at the Chaplaincy Office in The Wilton Center or the Center for Civic Engagement or Office of Student Activities, both in Tyler Haynes Commons. Checks should be made out to “University of Richmond” with SCTR Fund in the memo line.

For more information about the university’s tsunami response efforts, contact the Office of the Chaplaincy at (804) 289-8500 or the Center for Civic Engagement at (804) 484-1600 or e-mail engage@richmond.edu. Information also is available at oncampus.richmond.edu/student/life/chaplaincy/main.htm and engage.richmond.edu.