p>Difficult times can draw people together to support one another, to grieve and, eventually, to heal. But I was reminded (Thursday) morning as I read the editorial in the Daily News that tragedies are just as often divisive.
This year, the Ball State community has lost two students in tragic incidents that have been intensely covered by the media. While these incidents were very different in nature, both caused shock and sadness throughout the university. It is unusual to have two such events occur at one university in one year, and I recognize how hard it is for students, faculty and staff to cope with the uncertainty and concern that follow.
When strong feelings like these emerge within a community, it is tempting to try to define what went wrong, look for a remedy or assign blame. Further, it is human nature to wish for assurances that events like these would never happen again. As much as we long for them, such promises would be hollow because no action or combination of actions on the part of the university can provide a guarantee of safety for our students.
There are, however, some very important assurances that I can provide. Ball State administrators, faculty, and staff care deeply about our students and their safety and well-being. We are personally and emotionally affected when we lose students in such tragic ways, and our deepest sympathies are always extended to the student's family and friends.
We work very hard to create a safe campus environment, and we are committed to continuous improvement in this area. Generally, our campus is regarded as quite safe. But campus safety was not the central issue in either of the tragic deaths we experienced this year. As individuals and as a community, we are vulnerable to the problems of our society, whether on campus or off, and we must all work together to lessen the negative effects of these problems on ourselves, our friends and our neighbors.
Today, as Karl Harford, the innocent victim of a murder that defies explanation, is mourned and remembered during funeral services that members of university administration will attend, let us commit to supporting one another. We are all Ball State University.
Beverley Pitts
Acting President
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