Letters
From Student Affairs, Student Government and Division Chairs
 To the staff, faculty & students,
In view of recent tragic events, it is evident that compassion and understanding are needed now more than ever. Together we acknowledge the sadness and sense of profound loss many of us have experienced in our diverse communities. We appreciate and welcome the reasoned discourse such as the forum that occurred on Wednesday, September 12, and are committed to furthering these conversations. It is a measure of our integrity as a community that in a time of extreme crisis we could come together to discuss both our concerns and our differences.
Because our community honors and values these differences, we join with our civic leaders in condemning intolerance and bigotry. Furthermore, we recognize that those who are of Middle Eastern descent, Muslim or perceived to be either, may feel threatened. Any person who feels at risk or has concerns should contact either the Office of Student Affairs (Sharp 704) or Division Chairs (Sharp, 8th floor). We take your concerns seriously and will work diligently to address them with the utmost sensitivity.
Sincerely,
Felice Dublon, Vice President and
Dean of Student Affairs
Lisa Norton, Head of Grad Studies
Susanne Doremus, Grad Chair
Chris Bratton, Head of Undergrad Studies
Jennifer Stein, Director of Grad Division
Paul Coffey, Director of Undergrad Div.
Sally Alatalo, Undergrad Chair
Lynsia Wade, Student Government
Ethan Roeder, Student Government
Hannah Simpson, Student Government
Amy Dewitt, Student Government
Victoria Engonopoulos, Director
of Cooperative Education
Laura Elk, Assistant Director
of Cooperative Education
Amy Sammon, Office Assistant,
Cooperative Education
Debbie Martin, Assistant Dean
and Director of Resident Life and
Student Activities
Travis Greene, Associate Director
of Residence Life
Patrick Spence, Associate Director
of Residence Life
Nylda Aldarondo, Director
of 162 N. State Street Residences
Jason Yamashita, Assistant Director
of 162 N. State
LaShawn Jones, Director
of the Chicago Building
Heidi Blackburn, Student Life Assistant
Michael Ryan, Faculty Advisor
for Student Union Galleries
Susan Knutson, Assistant Director
of Residence Life
Jeff Nicholas, Assistant Director
of Student Activities
Diane Wendt, Director
of Student Activities
Michel Frendian, Director
of International Affairs
Norman Miller, Assistant Director,
Off-campus Study Programs
Thea Miklowski, International Affairs
Administrative Assistant
Mona Oommen, Assistant Director
of International Affairs
Kendra Coleman, Director
of Multicultural Affairs
Verlena Johnson, Multicultural Affairs
Program Coordinator
Christine Sneed, Assistant to the Vice
President and Dean of Student Affairs
Linda Pas, Director of Health Services
Jennifer Cannon, Director
of Learning Center
Mel Sandfort, Assistant Dean and
Director of Academic Advising
Melanie Feerst, Assistant Director
of Academic Advising
Dave Richards, Richard Deutsch, Anita
Welbon, Steve Heyman, Cheselyn Amato, Academic Advisors
Kate Schutta, Assistant Dean and
Director of Career Development
Nancy Gildart, Assistant Director
of Career Development
Claire Ashley, Faculty Advisor,
Career Development
Joe Behen, Ph.D., Director
of Counseling Services
Lynn Bruner, Ph.D., Daniel Kaplan,
Ph.D., Kirsten Elling, Ph.D.,
Counseling Services Counselors
From SAIC Counseling Services
In light of the acts of terrorism that occurred in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 11, SAIC Counseling Services would like to offer the SAIC community some information about typical responses to such tragedies, and information about what kinds of reactions may warrant seeking additional counseling support.
In the days and weeks following such tragedies, the initial shock begins to wear off, and more feelings may emerge, such as sadness and anger. Many people may experience heightened feelings of anxiety or rage, or may experience fear for their safety. They may also find themselves crying more than usual and feeling more emotional than usual. It is important to share these feelings with people that you trust: friends, family, fellow students, school staff. For some people, the level of feelings or the kinds of questions that emerge may indicate that additional counseling support would be helpful.
Circumstances or signs that may lead you to seek additional counseling support:
- Do you have friends or family members in New York or Washington, D.C.?
- Is this event bringing up recollections of previous loss, trauma, or crisis that you or a loved one have faced?
- Is your heightened fear, sadness, or rage seeming uncontrollable? Is it making it impossible to function?
- Do you have a history of anxiety disorder, panic, or mood disorder that seems aggravated by this tragedy?
- Are you wondering what to tell your children about this event or how they will react?
 If you are an SAIC student, and are experiencing any of these circumstances, or just wish to talk to a counselor for additional support, call SAIC Counseling Services at 312-345-9471. Students may alsodrop by our offices at 104 S. Michigan, Suite 824, during office hours. Also, students, staff, and faculty should please feel free to contact us to consult about any questions you may have. Staff and faculty needing additional support may also wish to contact the Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-365-5431.
Again, students, staff and faculty may find it helpful to talk with others in the SAIC community about these events. Student Government, Student Life and Faculty are doing an excellent job of providing such opportunities for community dialogue. In the weeks and months to come, our arts community will no doubt play an important role in making sense of and expressing reactions to the events of September 11, 2001.
SAIC Counseling Services:
Joe Behen, Ph.D., Kirsten Elling, Ph.D., Lynn Bruner, Ph.D., Dan Kaplan, Ph.D.
From Student Government
Dear SAIC Community,
We at student government would like to thank all of the SAIC community for they way they have come together during the past few weeks. We thank those of you who were willing to express your feelings and viewpoints at the Sept. 12 forum. We were impressed by the range of things expressed by students, faculty and staff, and by the openness of the speakers. We would also like to thank those of you who were able to attend the Friday candlelight vigil. In these emotional times, it was rewarding to bear witness to our community coming together to pay homage to those who had lost their lives.
 For those of you who were unable to attend the candlelight vigil, here are some of the words that representatives from student government spoke that night:
"We gather here tonight as a global community to remember those who have been affected by this tragic event. We hold this candlelight vigil tonight in remembrance and acknowledgement of a great tragedy. We have chosen to come together in our grief ... and to find solace and comfort in each other."
"We are artists, educators, staff members, friends, family, and loved ones. Each of us has a different response to recent events, but we all share something in common. We have all chosen tonight to come together to find in each other the strength to deal with these tragic events and the strength to move on. We must continue to show our patience and understanding toward each other as we grieve and deal with these events in our own way. Through this difficult time let us be thankful for this strong and supportive community. We all have the chance to help each other through this time and have the unique opportunity as artists to respond to our surroundings in a critical and meaningful way."
As always we are open to input from students, faculty, and staff about how we can continue to address the needs and concerns of the school community.
Thank You,
Amy, Ethan, Hannah, & Lynsia
Student Government
[email protected]
312.345.3606
Illustrations by Alejandro Ayala
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