Responding to concerns about a possible backlash against students with Middle Eastern backgrounds, many groups around Grounds have discussed over the two days since the terrorist attacks ways to combat such reactions.
Between 9 and 9:30 Tuesday night a message went out to several organizations' e-mail listsannouncing a gathering in Newcomb Hall, beginning as soon as they could arrive, for students fearful about such a backlash.
By 10 p.m., a large circle of people had convened in the Commonwealth Room, including Deans of Students Pablo Davis and Ajay Nair, Counseling and Psychological Services representatives Russ Federman and Julia Routbort, Terri Moore of University Career Services, and a cross-section of student organizations' members.
Some two hours later, weary from the nightmarish day, students and administrators filed out of Newcomb having voiced early concerns and decided on protective steps they would take.
One of the first plans to develop was a large-scale meeting last night among members of the Arab Students Organization, Muslim Students Association, Persian Cultural Society, Afghani Students Association, Indian Students Association, Pakistani Students League and the South Asian Leadership Society.
At last night's meeting, MSA President Sana Khalid and ASO President Yahya Fouz promoted support outlets for students who believe people may somehow associate them with the terrorists behind Tuesday's violence.
"We're not trying to scare anyone at all, but the point is to make everyone aware" of the University's resources, Khalid said. "What we're trying to do here is just keep a network going."
Though no serious incidents of harassment had been reported to University officials yesterday, Middle Eastern immigrants and visitors - and American citizens with similar ethnicities - around the country have faced incidents of verbal harassment, vandalism and physical violence.
Some common threads in student comments at both meetings included the objection to being lumped together as one people with the same views as the unidentified perpetrators of Tuesday's attacks, and the two-fold burden many feel in responding to these events both as grieving Americans and apprehensive minorities.
Routbort sent attendees of Tuesday's meeting information about a variety of University resources through an e-mail that detailed the minutes of that meeting. Attendees of Wednesday's meeting received a flyer with contact information for these resources.
Concerned or threatened students can call 911 to reach University or Charlottesville police; e-mail abuse@virginia.edu to report threatening e-mails, call the CAPS hotline, or contact the leaders of all the represented student organizations and the Office of the Dean of Students.
Several professors will also lead an educational "teach-in" forum tonight, open to all students, consisting of speakers from the Middle East Studies program. The forum will take place in room 402 of Wilson Hall at 7 p.m. Professors Abdulaziz Sachedina, Elizabeth Thompson and William Quandt are expected to speak.
One aspect of the crisis that some students consider unfortunate is what they see as prevalent bias in the American media. At the Tuesday meeting, Davis cautioned that everyone should be critical of the media's framing of these events, such as the immediate assumption that America was "at war" and "under attack."
Nebil Hussen, a first-year College student and ROTC cadet, pointed out that it was difficult to ask a community to separate the killers from the citizens of the countries they may be from after President George Bush's Tuesday night speech. Bush said "we will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbored them," which, to many, implies military action against students' home states.
Young women who wear their hejab, or head scarves, as a part of their faith said they automatically receive attention. Others said they have heard "ignorant comments" made in social situations and had to decide whether to speak up.
Students who live in University housing can expect opportunities for discussions about ongoing events, facilitated by resident staff members.
Fouz said that as a Resident Coordinator in Hereford College he has been facilitating such discussions. "I think it's been very productive," he said.
Federman also pointed out Tuesday that personal relationships are a strong combatant of prejudice, stereotypes, and fear, saying that when people know someone who is affiliated with a targeted group, they are not as likely to react with ignorance or prejudice.
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