University community rallies in response to tsunami disaster

The University’s 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—is being led by a team of students, faculty and staff.

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

“It is our hope that through this combined educational and fundraising effort our students will learn the complexities, challenges and promise of such a communal act of assistance and solidarity with those who have been affected by the tsunami disaster,” commented Dr. Doug Hicks, director of the Center for Civic Engagement.

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 and aid effort. Serving on the panel will be Dr. Walter Green III, associate professor of emergency services; Dr. Jennifer Nourse, associate professor of anthropology and sociology; Dr. Jonathan Wight, associate professor of economics; Suwara Supreeyathitikul, ’08, of Thailand; and Balu Chandrasekaran, ’07, of India. Hicks will moderate.

The University has established a fund for those 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.

Donations to the SCTR fund will not be considered gifts to the University, and the entire balance of SCTR donations received will be forwarded to the agency (or agencies) that the faculty-advised student committee designates. Portions of the SCTR fund may eventually offset the designated agency’s administrative costs and other forms of human assistance once the funds are received.

Faculty, staff and students also have the option of giving directly to a relief organization of their choosing. An extensive list of agencies and information about their work can be found www.guidestar.org and www.networkforgood.org.

“While the human scale of disasters such as this is almost impossible for us to understand intellectually, I continue to believe that our hearts are big enough to respond,” said the Rev. Dr. Daphne Burt, University chaplain. “Even before everyone had returned from winter break, our office was inundated by queries from students, faculty and staff, all asking what we could do to help. The SCTR initiative is yet another example of the depth of compassion and size of the hearts of the University community.”

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

RICHMOND MATTERS