Talking points, June 11,2007

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund(s)

The fund has paid for expenses incurred to date such as travel. funeral, groceries,

medical, and memorial (eg obituaries) expenses.

The funds WILL be used as follows, urmong other possibilities...

For families of deceased victims:. employee family health insurance,o undergraduate education for children ofdeceased victimso financial counselingo mental health services

For those physically injured:. Tuition and fees for tle coming yearr Unreimbursed medical costs.

For all:r Full time family advocates to assist

MESSAGE:

"The families of victims and the injured remain our highest priority. Our family liaisonsare in almost daily contact. We share some of the frustrations."

With respect to issues:

The university has never actively solicited filnds. It was set up to respond to thousands ofrequests from concemed individuals who wished to contribute to help the healingprocess. The projected use of firnds was clearly articulated. It said the furds will be used

for assistance to victims and their families, grief counseling, memorials, and comfortexpenses.

The university has NEVER solicited funds in the names of the victims.

The wriversity produced memorial publications and a website to honor the victims. Allthe information and the images were cleared with each family through the liaisons and

the dean of student's office.

The fund is HIGHLY accountable. We have been in daily contact with one of thepremier accounting firms, KPMG, and with the IRS to advise us on how the funds can be

disbursed.

. ;. -ii .t...

"We fully appreciate the stress and frustration among the families and many of us share

those frustrations. We are working hard to ensure that HSMF is available but also thatthe families have access to other resources such as Virginia Victims Crime Fund.

Talking Points forthe 10 a.m. press briefing

1. Burress Hall incidenta. At 7:53 a.m. the University Operator received a threat against

President Steger. Officers responded to his office in Burruss Halltomake him aware of the potential threat'

b. Police presence in and around Bumtss Hallwas increased, whichled to many rumors and false assumptions about what was goingon. That led to an unwarranted report of suspicious person withinthe hall.

c. Officers immediately responded and entered the building. Thebuilding was cleared and the report of a suspicious person wasunfounded.

d. These kinds of reports are not uncommon in the wake of what hastaken place in the past 48 hours on the Virginia Techcampus...which is one reason why we are maintaining high police

visibility throughout the university.

2. Contact the Virginia Tech Police has had with the Norris Hall gunman,

CHO Seung-Hui (SOONG-WHE).

a. Potentialstalkingi. Once his identification was confirmed, records were

reviewed and it was determined that there was contact withCho in the fall of 2005.

ii. ln November, Cho had made contact through phone callsand ih person with a female student. There was never anydirect threat made to the student. The student notifiedVirginia Tech Police Department and officers responded.The student declined to press charges and referred to Cho'scontact as "annoying."

iii. However, the investigating officer referred Cho to theUniversity disciplinary system, which is the Office of JudicialAffairs. The outcome of that referral is handled within theuniversity and outside the scope of the police department.

iv. In December, Cho instant messaged a second femalestudent. Again, no threat was made against that student'She made a complaint to Virginia Tech Police and askedthat Cho have no further contact with her. Officers followedup the next morning and spoke with Cho concerning thismatter.

b. Mental Health Concems for Choi. Laterthat day police received a callfrom an acquaintance of

Cho's who was concerned that Cho might have been

suicidal. Officers again met with Cho and talked with him atlength.

ii. Out of concern for Cho, officers asked him to speak to acounselor. He went voluntarily to the police department.

iii. Based on that interaction with the counselor, a temporarydetention order was obtained and Cho was taken to a mentalhealth facility.

Contact with English professori. lt was also in the fall of 2005 that the Chair of the English

Department, Dr. Lucinda Roy, expressed concerns regardingCho and his course writing assignments. Her concerns weremade to the previous chief and a detective.

ii. These course assignments were for a creative writing courseand the students were encouraged to be imaginative andartistic.

iii. The writings did not express any threatening intentions orallude to any criminal activity. No criminal violation had takenplace.

iv. Dr. Roy chose to reach out to this student, out of concern forhim and his mentalwellbeing.

Other incidentsi. Since those contacts in December of 2005...more than a

year ago...we are not aware of any additional incidents or, repofts made to the Virginia Tech Police Department for

Cho.

c.

d.

Panel Report Briefing by Larry Roberts

August 29, 2007

Structure of report - 11 chapters:

1. Summaryofkeyfindings

2. University setting and security

3. Time line of events back to 1984 birth, year to year, month to month, and minute by minute

4. Mental health issue of Cho - health history and discussion of Virginia mental health laws

5. Discussions of information privacy laws

5. Gun purchase and campus policies

7. Discussion of double murder at west AJ

8. Discussion of mass murder at Norris Hall

9. Emergency medical response

10. Office of chief medical examiner

11. lmmediate aftermath and long road to healing

Findings a nd conclusions:

The Governor is going to accept this report tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. and they want the main focus on the

Governor making the presentation.

Summary of Key findings:

What Cho did.

Governor appointing panel and description of Governo/s eipectations.

Reviewed the following : the life and mental history of state law, discussion of Virginia mental health,

gun purchase, murders and response thereto, emergency medical care, chief medical examiner, services

provided to families, employees and caregivers,

Process they went through:

i$Ja..

Cho exhibited signs of mental health issues that arose from childhood. After Columbine

shootings, teachers observed suicidal and homicidal ideation in writings. Cho received

psychiatric counseling. Parents say they were aware he was troubled but claim to be unaware

of homicidal ideations. Received more intensive treatment in middle high school than in high

school. Discussed treatment he received. Tech was not aware ofthese things and when he got

to a large university setting it is hard to get individualized treatment like he had in Fairfax.

ouring ciio's junior year at Tech tl

University officiais oi jucjicial affairs, campus police, Cooks counsgling, a1d student aff,airs di{noi cqmmunicate to Cho's parents citing FERPA. In fact, law does permit information sharing.

ianel's view that laws don't need'to be read as resirictively as they have been on coilege

cdrllpuSPS;

zi. cook counseiin!''ienter and trie ie;;T;iEd to'riiciliileii'iiii6if6d snijFoittd Ch'ffi fEin iiiii!'a';iispring 2006. System failed for lack of resources and incorrect interpretation of privacy laws,

passivity, rggQrcis of Cho are missing at counseling center

5. Commonwealth's mental health laws are flawed and services are inadequate. Involuntary

commitment process challenged. Gaps in mental health system relative to short-term

stabilization and comprehensive outpatient services. Barriers to open information between key

professionals. lack of critical psychiatric data. short interview sessions don't reach out to

roommates or campus police to gain information about the person

5. Widespread confusion about what privacy laws allow at federaland state levels. Federal laws

governing health care records in an educational setting are confusing.

7. Gun purchases- Cho purchased two guns in violation of federal law and his treatment had made

him ineligible to purchase gun under federal law.

8. VA is one of 22 states that report to federal data base to have checks on gun purchase. Cho was

not committed to an institution but he was treated as an outpatient.

9. Some VA colleges and University are uncertain as to what to do about guns on Campus. VT has

one of the most strict policies (viewed favorably by Panel).

10. On 4/16 the W and Blacksburg police and rescue squads responded quickly and were well

coordinated.

1A

15.

16.

Sroup noflry campu

13. Senior university administrators faiied to

co nflicted with written procedures.

notify campus of the West AJ shootings - may have

The presence of large number of police at West AJ led to a fast response to the 911 call at Norris

Cho's motives of the shootings are unknown and the video and writings do not indicate motive.

The police response at Norris Hall was fast and so were the triage units. There could have been

better care some of the people hiding in closets, who were frightened by police actions of force

Emergency medical care was provided timely onsite and off. An Emergency Communications

Center at W could have improved communication.

t7.

18.

19.

20.

Chief medical examiner properly responded but communication to family not handled

And suruivors and familles will be briefed

Stateresources...

Universid esiablished a famiiy assistance center at the Inn but feii short. iack of leadership and'

onsite coordinators. Lack of service providers. University volunteers stepped in but could not

luide famiiies

21. To advance public safety, colleges and universities need to worktogether

There were 70 recommendations to follow, but they are not discussed here.

6:00 am tomorrow the report will be made available on web through back channel. Will be posted on

the review panel website at 11 and there will be information on the Governo/s website at 8 am to the

public.

Briefing to the parents occurred - two meetlnts last week'

tonight at 6 p.m. and 8pm for families of deceased.

Nothing was redacted for security purposes.

Larry Hlnkcer indicated that V| will remain silent until 2:30 and then wlll respond in a press

conference format.

Governor will talk with some substance and will talk about next steps and how our folks now will dig

in and make recommendations.

Chapter 2:

university setting and security - number of acres and describe the Virginia Tech police department and

how it works with other local police, building security and warning system including siren system' and

message content and authorization. Separate key finding in this chapter is the concern that the

emergency response plan did not include a shooting, place the police higher in the decision chain, and

the training for staff and students did not include a shooting incident. lt would be difficult to lock down

campus, talks about alerting campus of danger, lack of security cameras, and lack of door locks (but

controversial). Shootings at universities are rare events. fr risk analysis shouid be concjucted t6determine what kinds oi riiks can be minimized. Blacksburg and Virginia Tech Police departments

respondedwell together. Strongopinionthatthestateshouldnotimposelevel ofsecurity;rather,the

respective institutions should decide what level is needed.

Recommendations:

should do a risii anaiysis and tirreat assessment and choose appropriaie aciion.

2. Tech shouid update emertency response plan - bring into compliance with federal and state

laws.

3. Tech and other institutions should have an emergency threat assessment team. Should be

empowered to investigate and obtain additional information if necessary

5.

Students, faculty, and staffshould be trained annually

University and colleges must comply with the Cleary Act. 'Timely notification" not defined.

Campus emergency communication systems must have multiple means of getting;. , . .

out, not all nl8n-tecn n o logy.

Emergency messages should be sent immediately and have clear information - greater sharing

of detail about what took place so individuals can decide how to respond. Some discussion of

interplay between Morva and April 16'

Campus Police and administration officials should have ability to send emergency message

The head of campus police should be a part of threat assessment team and emergency response

team,

10. Campuspolicechief shouldreportdirectlytosenioradministratorwithdecision-making

authority in emergencies

11, Must train for active shooters

12. Mission statement of campus polices should give primacy to law enforcement and crime

prevention.

4.

7.

9.

10. University to report all temporary detention orders to threat assessment team, counseling

center, Parents.

11. Counseling center should report all . . .

1.2. State should study what level of outpatient services needed and costs'

Mental health law issuers:

Time constraints -VA standards for involuntary commitment concern that the code does not lack of

commitment between St. Albans and Cook.

Recommendations:

13 Code change - Extend detention length to permit evaluations

L4 Code change - Authorize magistrate to issue TDO based on emergency evaluation

15 Clarify code for involuntary commitment

15 Expanding number of crisis stability units in Virginia

17 Role and responsibilities of independent evaluators should be clarified

18 What documents should be required in commitment hearings

19

20

2I

Prescreener at all commitment hearings . . .

Independent evaluator should be available during commitment hearing

Virginia health records should give a safe harbor-protect mental health providers when

disclosing information in good faith.

22 Health records privacy should be amended to provide full authorization to share information in

involuntary commitment Process.

23 Code changes relating to the outpatient . . .

24 Health records. . . to repoft non compliance

25 Clerk of court should immediately send commitment info to federal criminal records exchange

26 Comprehensive review of code . . .

Chapter 5 - Information privacy laws

Law enforcement records judicial records, medical records,

Key find

Organization and institutions must be able to intervene if a student is harmful to oneself or

others must

Participation of parents, court systems, groupeffortis need. Lacks of understanding about law,

laws do need amending and clarification.

Recommendations:

1. Accurate guidance should be developed by attorney general on interpretation/a pplication of

privacy laws.

Privacy laws should have safe harbor for good faith disclosure

Amend FERPA to explain application to medical records and explicit exception for treatment

recom mendations.

Dept of Education to . . . FERPA . . . should allow more flexibility

Schools should ensure that Law enforcement and medical staff are designated as school

officials w an interest in school records.

Commission on Mental Health Reform should study whether results of commitment

hearings should be public.

National of Higher Education Association should develop best practice protocols for

information sharing

Chapter6 -Gun policies

Gun ourchase:

Addressed Cho's purchase of guns and ammunition as well as guns on campus

Key findings:

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

;.8-" 4*aa,:4-',r., .. - - ri.,i:-

Cho was able to purchase two guns with mental health history, Confusion on college campuses as to

what rights they have in setting policies.

Reco m m end atio ns:

1. All states should report specified mental health information to data base for use in back ground

checks for gun Purchases.

2. VA background checks for all gun shows

3. Central criminal database - report all specified mental health information

4. Existing attorney general's opinion regarding gun bans on campus should be clarified

5. General assembly in 2008 - adopt legislation to enable colleges and universities to regulate guns

if so desired.

6. University and colleges should make clear policies on guns/weapons on campus

Chapter 7

Double murder at West AJ. Decision not to cancel classes or lock down and the impact of lock down or

close down.

What happened between two hours?

Motivations for first killings:

Police departments responded and carried out in professional manner, but

did not have ability to use alert system. University administration failed to

lead was not accurate. Police

notify in timely manner.

Recommendations:

1. Police should resist focusing on a single theory and leave to decision makers

whaf they shoutd do (e.g.,

Recipients of emergency messages should be urged to inform others

5. Plans to close campus should be included in university operation plan.

Chaoter 8

Mass murder at Norris Hall

What Cho did, barricading, shootings, 91-1, continued shootings, police response, university

messages, other actions on 2 and 3 floors, action on first floor and the toll.

Overall the police from Tech and others responded quickly and cleared Norris Hall. Joint training

of Virginia Tech and Blacksburg Police helped save lives.

cif'.lbt:rait io;'iWil teum'to a'ssemble; need to use iilst respon{ers (as wts done:in trris

instance). Sound of shotgun blast by police probably caused Cho to take own life. Cho had half

Police did great job in assisting wounded. Several faculty members died heroically saving

students while some students jumped out of windows.

Evacuation was not well organized.

Recom mendations:

1. Campus police everywhere should train with local police on shooting incidents

2. Dispatchers should be cautious giving advice by phone. Without knowing situation, cannot

dictate appropriate action

Police should escort survivors out of buildings where manpower is sufficient.

Check hardware on exterior doors of all buildings to prevent chaining.

Bomb threats need to be taken seriously

3.

4.

5.

Chapter 9 - Emergency medical response

AJ, Norris Hall, EMF, Triage, Treatment following triage, treatment, transportation of deceased, hospital

response, critical incident stress management.

Emergency management the need for coordination, the need for a unified command center. Lack of

interoperability of radios.

Key findings:

Positives: EMF occurred in timely manner, a number of life saving events, managed in a safe manner,

local hospitals were ready, all patients who were alive at Norris Hall survived. EMF response was overall

excellent many lives were saved.

Areas for improvement: 4 minute delay in real life system on police radio and dispatch, stop duplication

of efforts, lack of radios, inappropriate means of transporting deceased, failure to open command post.

Recom mendations:

1. Montgomery County needs county-wide command center for emergencies.

2. Unified command center

3. Use national incident management procedures

4. Emergency Op center

5. Regional disaster drill on annual basis

6. Medical control and regional operations updated

7. Triage tags

8. Hospital lists

9. Deceased should not be transported in emergency situations

10. Psychological services available to EMS providers as necessary.

Chapter 10 - Office of chief medical examiner

Process took too long. Families should be allowed to go to morgue to identify.

Positives: Medical examiner disaster plan as designed. Completed mandated tasks. Forensics

services good. Performed duties well under stressful event.

Public information poor and did not bring in outside help. Process of notify families was

ineffective and not handled well--insensitive. Should have brought in outside help. Inadequate

training of PlOs gave stress to families. No one in charge of families who was trained.

Recom mendations:

1. Chief medical examiner should not be one of the staff performing

2. Chief medical should work with others to create

3. Medical examiner should inform family members promptly

4. Training should be developed for faculty, law enforcement, etc.

5. Need media expert

6. Virginia dept of criminal services

7. Drills

8. Vdh should recruit to r

9. Vdh should have severaltrained

10. Commonwealth needs to revise . . . train volunteer staff

11. Emergency support for mass fatality

Chapter 11 - lmmediate aftermath and long road to healing

Meetings visits and other communications with families, ceremonies, and memorial events,

communication with medical office.

Findings:

Time is critical in putting effective response. Meeting with family members need to communicate with

quickly. Grief of the loss, and wounded spirit. Post traumatic stress for survivors and first responders.

Family members have unique situations--co nfusion and frustration on communication.

Recom mendations:

L, Emergency management plans include victims services to address homicide or other disaster in

overall Plan, effect on survivors

2. University and colleges should ensure adequate plans for joint info center with PIO during major

events on campus

3. When the family assistance center is created, victim advocates should be called immediately to

assist families

Regularly scheduled briefings should be established for families

Short- and long-term counseling available to first responders, staff, students, faculty, university

leaders.

Training in crisis management is needed for. ..

Law enforcement agencies should ensure have

of crime within department

a victims services section to respond to victims

State victims services section linked with local providers.

All crime is local - should start with local response plan linked to broader community.

University should work with local government to devise plan

Universities should create victim assistance capability either in-house or in community to assure

victims are made aware of rights

4.

5.

6.

8.

9.

10.

3.

DMFr 8/30i07

lulaza ?d d,a- 9DQ&A ,PP-/>4 /eza 7

Overall

1. What has W learned ftom the tragedy?We have to be more rigorous in management of students at ris( and we're committed to doing that, Also,expectations for campus security and communication will be different in wake of this tragedy, not only for us

but for the entire higher education community, Our new communications processes will enable alerts to besent instantaneously through many channels. At the same time, I believe this process of review andinvestigaUon has shown us a community of people who acted responsibly and appropriately in light of whatwas known at the time. The evidence does not suggest that different actions would have avoided this tragicoutcome, Perhaps the saddest lesson for all of us is that senseless tragedy can visit even the most idyllic ofplaces, like Blackburg, Va.

Do you agree W made mistakes?We agree we have to be better in important ways - we actnowledged that ln our own intemal rerviews, whichhave some 70 recommendations, including improving the way we idenUff and manage at-risk students. Thatsaid, the actions taken on the day of the errent were based on what all of those involved felt were bestpractices and appropriate response given what they knew. As the repoft itself makes clear, police followedstandard protocols and made reasoned judgments based on experience. This was a highly unstable individualwho had been troubled for most of his life, who was determlned to commit mass murder, and who did so in aviftually unprecedented way.

Do you agrce tlrat the actions of polie and the unlverclty may have mst lives?The reporfs language about what"mighf'have happened under othercircumstances accurately reflecG thefact that hindsight requires a great deal of speculation. The report acknowledges that police followed standardprotools for a homicide investigation and securing the campus on the morning when the first two shootingswere discovered. While it wouldn't be appropriate to go into all of the details, the situation at AJ had all thehallma*s of a domestic violene event. I am not aware of anything they learned that would have indicated a

mass murder was imminent. Indeed, the report notes that there was no similar event in U.S. history.

The approach to alerting the campus was based on a reasoned judgment about the best interests of public

safety. Nobody can say what would have happened if a different decision had been made - and indeed theoutcome could have been even worse. As the panel recognized, there is no plausible scenario in which actionsby the university could have prevented this horror once it began.

Do you agrce tfiat the 2-hour gap in notification was a mistake?Importan$, the report itself points ou! "The notion that there was a 2-hour gap...ls a mlsconceptlon. Therewere continuous actions and deliberations from the first event until the second and they made a materialdifference in the results of the second event." In other words, there was an aggressive response taking place,

That is an octremely complex issue, and I think the repoft's language about what "mighf' have happenedunder other circumstances accurately reflects the fact that hindsight requires a great deal of speculation.Our understanding is that our police followed standard protocols for a homicide investigation and securing thecampus. We believe that our people acted quickly and to the best of their abilities in the early hours of April 16based on what we knew at the time,

Do you agree with the panel's conclusion that W missed 'a number of warning signs? Did he fallthrough the crad<s?There were signs that Cho was troubled, even suicidal, and those signs were identified, communicated andacted upon by our system. A number of steps were taken, and he did receive treatment. The key is thatthere was no indication that Cho was homicidal or a threat to others. Cho successfully concealed that from thepeople who were trying to help him, and we had no access to the treatment records from his high school yearsthat would have brought it to light. We agree with the repoft that there is a larger systemic issue here at thestate level that the legal and legislative system has to come to grips with and resolve.

6. What about the paper that Cho wrote, about a student shooting up a school? That clearlytelegraphed his inten$ didn't it?

A

5.

Cho wrote a number of disturbing pieces with various themes. They were flagged by faculty and that's part ofwhat led to some of the steps that were taken to try to help him - but as clear as it seems to be in hindsight,disturbing or violent writings typically don't lead to a conclusion that the wrlter is homicidal.

How do you explain Cho's missing records?Iaddshl-€euld-eghia, it. -They were lost quite some time ago, at least tvvo years. It's only three pages of

the electronic records of all his contacts with the Cook Counseling Center - but itunfoftunate. The changes that are being made to strengthen the Counseling Center include much

closer attention to record retention and other administrative issues.

ffi*k't"ffi{'2"'-Expectations have changed. We will be more rigorous in interdepartmental exchange of information regardingstudents at risk, And, communicaung imminent danger to the university community is paramount. We have

already invested in communications technologies and protocols and likely wlll add more communicationsvehicles. We believe the o<pectation will be for near-instantaneous communicaUon with the community,despite some justifiable @ncern over the potential to communicate incomplete or premature information. Thatsaid, W as an instihrtion has not changed - and if anything is stronger for the tragedy that brought thiscommunity together.

9. Does VT accept responsibility for the tragedy?The panel was very clear in its finding that Cho himself is the responsible party. Virginia Tech faculty, staffand students - indeed, our entire communlty - were and are victlms of this tragedy, We all lost respectedcolleagues, friends and especially our precious charges, our students. The responsibility for this tragedy lies

- solely with a severely disfurbed student who was determined to commit murder and who managed to conceal

his intention from those who tried to help him.

10, Are you going to apologize?The person who should do that is the one who planned and carried out this horrendous crime, not his victims.

And unfortunateV that apology will never come. All we can do now is help those who were touched by deathor injury, pull together as a community and move forward better and stronger.

11. At his press confelence tlre Governor said that if some of the prcblems at VT hadn't existed, thetragedy might have been averted. Do you disagree with that?I think the report is very clear that Cho was an intensely troubled person who was intent on committingmurder, who had suffered frcm serious mental illness his entire life, and who had concealed his homicidalintentions. It is incumbent on us to learn from this and to do whatever we can to keep such a horrific act fromhappening on another crmpus, but I don't believe the evidence tells us that different actions would have

avoided a tragic outcome.

12. Do you agree tfiatVT's ultra-sHct interpretation of FERPA contributed to the lack of ability tomanage his situation?Inconsistency in interpretation and understanding of privaey laws is an issue at Virginia Tech as it is aroundthe country. In our own internal review we discuss the need for better training of our faculty on privacy laws,

At the same time, it would be a mistake to conclude that this situation led or contributed to the tragic outcomein the Cho case; the facts don't support that.

13. Did Ws misinterpretation of these laws keep Cho's parcnts from being informed that he hadbeen admitted to a psychiatric hospital?That would have been the responsibility of the hospital rather than Virginia Tech - but also understand thatCho was 21 years old at the time and legally an adult. We support the report's call for a re-examination ofprivacy law to better balance privacy and public safety/welfare.

14. The repoft criticizes VT for "sugarcoating" its communications to the campus even after the fullscope of the tragedy was clear, possibly to avoid panic. Should you have sent stronger languageat that pointn especially since there could have been a second shooter?

We had every intent of being stnightforward in those communications and I think they were quite stronglyworded. The email in question stated that there had been a multiple shooting with multiple victims, that police

were searching for a second shooter, that everyone was required to stay inside until further notice and that

.Tames A. HyattExecutive Vice President &ChiefOperating OfficerAugust 22,2007

SECURITY INFMSTRUCTURE GROUP

SPEAKING PO!NTS

PROCESS

. r rn response to thetragic"events on the Virginia Tech campus on Monday'

Aprit 16, 2007,;;"p;.*io"nt established the security lnfrastructure

Working GrouP.

.TheGroupwaschargedwithexamininotheuniversity'sexistingsecurity' systems and recomm-ending changes ttiat would enhance the university's

abilitytorespondquicklyandeff.ectivelyinsituationswherethesafetyofthe campus community is jeopardized'

r The Group was also directed to identify strategies th"t i'glL decrease the

probability of such situations occuning anO to . consider not only

technologicar ,rp".t" oiina i""u", but alsj the behavior of individuals with

regard to camPus securitY'

. I was aPPointed as Chairman of the

following core members'

Group and t in turn aPPointed the

Director of AdministrativeVice President and Chief

) Earving L. Blythe, Vice President for Information Technology

F Wendell R. Flinchurn,birector of campus security and chief of Police

F Lawrence G. Hin;il;;, -

Associate 'Vice

President for University

Relaiions> .fa*"s V. McCoy, Capital Project Manager

F Kay K. Heidbreder,-Uniu"oiiy Counsel served as an advisor to the

Group> ih" 'erorp was staffed by Heidi McCoy'

Operations and Assistant to the Executive

Operating Officer'

. Staff from several campus units provided support u{ 9?*1d asresources

to the Group, inctuding representatives from the Hokie Passporl Office

and Residential Programs'

o The Group also retained exiernal expeds to review current campus

security policies and procedures'

.lnaddition,theGroupanditsadvisorsconductedsitevisiistotwomajorresearch universities and the campuses of two private sector.corporations

to benchmarr< tne'irivJrsiiv,s-i"futitv infrastructure with other national

leaders.

. While the commissions and panels established by President Bush and

Govemor Kaine r.,ere formed to consider security issues from a State and

National policy perspective, this Group's focus was to exarnine security

issues frcm the perspec'tive of a large research university.

The Grouo evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the university'sexisting securifu systems and related infrastructure, and developedrecommendations for how existing systemsiinfrastructure can be irnproved

and enhanced.

I The Group also looked at how to address emergency situations that might

arise in the future.

It is important to note that in order to meet the August 17, 2007 reportdeadline to the President, the group focused its analysis on the main

Blacksburg campus.

The Group, therefore, recommends that a follow-up study be conducted ofsecurity issues at the university's other campus sites, including Abingdon,Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Roanoke, as well as at

all Agricultural Research and Experiment Stations (ARECs) and 4-H

offices.

STRENGTHS ASSOCIATEDW]TH THE UNIVERSffTS CURRENT SECURITYPROGESSES:

. Mutual aid agreements with local, regional and state law enforcementagencies and rescue squads enable the campus to respond in a prompt

and coordinated manner to emergency situations.

o ln response to the events of April 16, 2007 over 30 police and law: enforcement agencies and 20 rescue units came to the aide of our

campus police and rescue squad.

- r Ongoing joint training exercises with other law enforcement and

emergency units allow the campus to prepare for possible emergencies.

. The campus employs a number of mass emergency communicationsystems including e-mail, an emergency web page, audible sirens, and

telephone irees that enables it to get emergency information out inmultiple formats.

. On July 2, 2007 a new mass communication system, W Alerts, was

implemented that in the case of an emergency provides instant and text

messaging to individual cell phones. As of last week approximately { 2'500subscribers had signed up forthis service.

The campus also employs a robust communication infrastructure that in

the event of an emetgency allows for pre-established call centers and the

ability to respond to increased cell phone and other telecommunicationdemands.

. All student residential facilities andaccessible through an electronic cardresidence halls are now on card keybasis.)

some academic buildings arekey access system. (Noie: All

access on a 7 day and 24 hour

The campus has a nationally accredited campus police department.

It also has a documented campus emergency preparedness responseplan that includes a process for establishing an incident commander,emergency response coordinator and emergency response team to

coordinate and deploy appropriate resources and support services'

The campus benefits from the engagement of the president and key

campus administrators in addressing campus emergencies (e'g. Policy

Committee).

' ln the event of an emergency the campus benefits from the strong supportof faculty, staff and students and the surrounding community.

FIVE AREAS TARGETED FOR ENHANCEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS:

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

. Removal and replacement of the hardware on all perimeter doors tomitigate the risk of doors being chained.

' lnstallation of interior locks on all general assignment classrooms and

evaluating installation of locks on non-general assignment classrooms.

. Exploring the installation of a centrally controlled electronic card keyaccess system for all key academic and administrative facilities. This

system will be used to secure buildings during non working hours. In the

eveni of an emergency such a system would allow individual and'groupsofbui|dingstobe|ockedremote|ybythepo|icedepadment.

. Constructing a state of the art Public Safety Building that will enhance

Virginia Tech Police and virginia Tech Rescue squad services byphysically consolidaiing these units in a single facility'

' Exploring the feasibility oftelevisiori (CCTV) system

deploying a centrally monitored closed circuitusing video surveillance cameras at key

COMMUNICATION

' ln order to provide mass notification in classrooms and otherenvironments where other systems may not provide adequate notificationit is recommended that a simple electronic banner textual displays with

audible alarms be installed in all classrooms'

Exploring the installaiion of LCD message boards within the entrances tokey campus buildings, as well as outdoor illuminated message boards atmajor campus entrances. These displays would alert the campus toemergency situations and provide instructions on the appropriate actionsto be taken.

. creating an elec-tronic "people locator system" that members of thecampus population could log on to after an ernergency to post their statusso that concemed relatives, friends and colleagues could receive updatedinformation.

. Developing pre-written templates" to help communicators craftemergency messages more expeditiously.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

. Updating the campus emergency preparedness response plan on anannual basis.

' Preparing for potential emergencies by increasing the use of annual tabletop' or simulation exercises by key campus units'(e-9. police, rescuesquad, physical plant, building coordinators, etc). Where appropriate theseexercises should involve faculty, students and staff as well as lawenforcement and public safety units from surrounding jurisdictions.

. lmplementing a building coordinator program whereby a person in eachUuitOing is ideniified as the responsible pafty in the event of an

emergenoy. All coordinators will be trained in appropriate emergencyresponse and security processes and procedures. Central coordinationand training will be the responsibility of the campus police department'

. Formally ideniifying backups to key Policy Committee members who are

unable to physically respond to campus emergencies. Also enhancingcommunicaiions with key Policy Committee members who are off campus

when an emergency occurs,

PROTOCOLS

' Enhancing security protocols that will explicitly highlight what to do in the

event of an emergency. This will include posted signs in all classrooms

and student services facilities, as well as inclusion of such material as part

of new employee and student orientations.

' Creating a security master plan for the campus and establishing a campus

security planning committee.

IMPLEMENTATION

. In: order to implement the recommendations outlined'in this report theuniversity should immediately initiate a program to fully cost and identify

the funding sources necessary to implement the program.

. Possible fund sources could include increased state support as well as apossible mandatory life/safety fee.

FINAL WORDS

. Security planning must be an integral part of a campus' emergencypreparedness plan.

c Annual simulation or table top exercises involving multiple campus units

and community agencies maintain a state of readiness to respond toemergency situations.

. Security Planning needs the support and participation of executiveleadership from the president to all levels of the University.

. Ongoing training of faculty, students and siaff on how to respond to avariety of emergencies situations is critical,

. Communicaiion must be multi-layered and involve several different means

of communicating with diverse populations.

. Finally, it is important to note that this overview only highlights 15 of the27recommendations listed in the Group's report'

...:*-.'*....-..;l

DMF|- 8/19/07

Q&A

Overall

r. What has W learned from the tragedy?Expectations for campus security and communication will be different in wake of this traqedy, not

only for us but for the entire higher education community. We have to be more rigorous in

interdepartmental exchange of information regarding students at risk. [And there will be lower

thresholds and tolerances for certain behaviors which we believe we've addressed in some of these

repofts.l At the same time, the review has shown us a community of people who acted responsibly

and app-ropriately in light of what was known. The evidence does not suggest that different actions

would have avoided this tragic outcome. Perhaps the saddest lesson for all of us is that senseless

tragedy can visit even the most idyllic of places, like Blacksburg, Va'

Z. These repofts seem yety carcfully woded to avoid blaming anyone or anything. Isn'tthere a need to idendfy things that truly went wrong and to hold the appropriate peopleaccountable?The purpose of these reviews was [insert language]. The reviews can't change what happened, but

they can draw leamings from the tragedy and propose steps to make Virginia Tech better and

stronger. I think these documents are o<tremely thoughtful and helpful, and the university will

ultimately be better for them'

3. Did \/f make mistakes? Wha! if anythlng, should you have done dlfferently?The actions taken on the day of the event were based on what all of those involved felt were best

practices and appropriate response at the time. Even law enforcement expefts caution about the

iimitations of hindsight. It is fair to say that ocpectations for campus security and communication

witl now be different in wake of this tragedy, not only for us but for the entire higher education

community. [And there will be lower thresholds and tolerances for certain behaviors which we

believe we've addressed in some of these reports.] At the same time, the review has shown us a

community of people who acted responsibly and appropriately in light of what was known. The

evidence does not suggest that different actions would have avoided this tragic outcome'

How has this tragedy changed VT?Expectations have changed, We will be more rigorous in interdepartmental exchange of information

regarding students at risk And, communicating imminent danger to the university community ispaiamount. We have already invested in communications technologies and protocols and likely will

add more communications vehicles. We believe the expectation will be for near-instantaneous

communication with the community, despite some justifiable concem over the potential tocommunicate incomplete or premature informaUon. That said, W as an institution has not changed

- and if anything is stronger for the tragedy that brought this community together,

Does W aooept responsibility for the tragedy?Virginia Tech faculty, staff and studenE - indeed, our entire community - were victims of this

tragedy, We all lost respected colleagues, friends and especially our precious charges, our students.

The responsibility for this tragedy lies solely with a severely disturbed student who was determined

to commit murder and who managed to conceal his intention from those who tried to help him.

6. Are you going b apologize?The person who should do that is the one who planned and carried out this horrendous crime, not

his victims. And unfortunately that apology will never come. All we can do now is help those who

were touched by death or injury, pull together as a community and move fonanrd better and

stronger.

4.

Security Inhstructurc

1. per the recommendations of the Security fnfrastructure grouP' does the university planb explore the same type of centrally-controlled remote locking system, as they use at Uof Maryland and UC Berkeley? (or similar question re increased video surueillance, card-key aaess to all buildings.)

Many ofthe proposed steps are already underway, including changes to physical infrastructure _

(adding interior door locks, changing door mechanisms for octernal doors) and the new state'of-the-art WAlerBsy*em that we were already pursuing before 4/16. We will be considering others based

on a variety of factors. Remember, every measure has a tradeoff of some type - cost,

inconvenience and so-on - so ifs impoftant to look at each on its own merits.

2. Would you say that if some of the changes proposed in this report had been in place on4/16, lives may have been saved?We knew we couldn't have that kind of crystal ball. Even law-enforcement experts warn against the

limitations of hindsight. Our goal in these reviews was to look at what was in place and actions thatwere taken, learn from it and recommend any steps we felt would be prudent moving forward.

s. The repoft noEs that on 4lL6 the school was in the midst of hiring a DirectorofEmergencry Management Do you think it would have made a differcnce had that peronbeen in place?No, I don't think so. This is an important position, though, and will be a focal point for the various

changes in procedures and infrastructure as they are made.

The repoft recommends charging students a "life and safety fee" to pay for securitymeasures. Do other schools do that? Don'tyou think parcnts and students assume "lifeand safety" are paft of the basics that come with their tuition?We're not aware this specific approach at other schools, but it was proposed as a solution thatparticularly fits the situation in Mrginia and here at W. Under state law ceftain costs must be

recouped through earmarked fues - bus service, sports, etc. - separate from tuition. The idea is

that the proposed fee would assure a revenue stream for a crucial area of need, and I would hope

studeng and their parents would find that reassuring.

The report strongly urges better emergency preparcdness and training, noting that theschool;s emergency plan didn't include this type of situation. Why wasn't that plan fixedafterthe Morua incident?First let me assure you that we did make changes after the Morua incident in terms of our policies

and procedures for dealing with this type of situation. As for the revieu/s recommendations

regarding the emergency response plan, we will certainly be considering those. Keep in mind thattha W emergency response plan doesn'tjust address specific scenarios; it lays out an overall

structrre and process for managing a wide range of emergencies. The review noted that thisstructure and process worked well during the Cho incident. It also notes that our police force

actively train for this type of shooting situation, so they were well prepared for it.

One of the appendices to the repoft is Ws Campus & Workplace Violence Preventionpolicy. It clearly states that'any individual who believes there is an immediate dangerto the health or safety of any members of the university community should call the Wpolice at 911." Clearly the faculty member who found Cho's note did not do that. Willaction be taken against that person?TBD +

AL,,\r""4 4*E' '''r,au' f # d''4 3<''- u

q

7. Why don't any of these reports address the 2-hour gap in alefting the campus to the AJ

shootings?I think they do. The reviews [and the after-action repofts] include a close look at the decisions that

were made surrounding the response to both the AJ and Norris situations. I expect Governor

Kaine's panel will have some additional perspecfive and we welcome that, What we're seeing is a

collection of reasoned and appropriate decisions made on the basis of the best available knowledge

at the time. Moving forward and engaging our new WAlerB st1*ern, our security committee and

Police department are working together to determine the procedures that will be used to aleft the.

6aenrpus in a variety of scenarlos. -It

seems clear the expectaUon is now for near-instantaneous -l

b"rmrua;;*rffiBi,: some justifiable concem over the potential to communicate incomnlete or

I

8. Isn't it possible that an earlier aleft to the campus would have saved llves?We knew we couldn't havelhat kind of crystal bell, Even law-enforcement experb warn against the

-llfriiiffis of hindrfht. Alertlng a campus, for e---xample, can create other issues of concern, so you

can't simply draw a cause-effect relationship. After the police anived on the scene at AJ it took only

about an hour for them to apprehend the most likely person of interest, and it was only another 30-

40 minutes before it became apparent that person may not have been involved and an alert was

needed. Our goal in these reviews was to look at what was in place and actions that were taken,

learn from it and recommend any steps we felt would be prudent moving forward. Ifs fair to say

that expectations have changed as a result of the tragedy, and instantaneous communication is

going to be a given.

9. Why don't any of these rcpofts address the issue of the faculty member who found Cho's

note but didn't rePort it?TBD

Information & Communications Infrastructure

t. How much of an issue was the lack of interoperability among first responderc? Whatimpact did it have?We have no indication that it had any tangible impact on emergency response. But it is a concern

overall (as it has been in 9/11 and in other situations around the country involving cooperative

effofts among first responders) and as the review notes, it would be prudent to address it'

The report notes that cell phone circuits and land lines werc jammed during the initialresponse and calls were blocked. What impact did that have on emelgency response?We have no indication that it had any tangible impact on emergency response. But it is a concern

and as the review notes, it would be prudent to address it.

This report recommends an ambitious'new campus information architecturc." Is itgoing to haPPen?Evenbefore 4/L6 we had already begun looking at a totally integrated, internet-protocol fiber-optic

backbone for all telecomm functions. Cost and timing are key factors but it is our goal to implementrr

lnterface'nternal Co--s

1. You seem to be conceding that some of your people wer€ too strictly interprcting FERPA

and/or HIPAA Is that accurate? What impact did that have on Cho's case specifically?Did it prevent actions that would have made a difference?The review clearly demonstrated some confusion among faculty about the application of privacy laws

regarding patient records. And in fact, the IG's repoft refers to a survey of psychiatric professionals

, -. ,.- r qr:l:;,:t

?

4.

generally that showed the same issue, so clearly it is not confined to us; these are complex laws

open to various legal interpretations. We need to address that in terms of our own faculty and we

will. At the same time, it would be a mistake to conclude that this situation led or contributed to the

tragic outcome in the Cho case; the facts don't support that.

Did \rrt misinterpretation of these laws keep Cho's parcnts from being Informed that hehad been admitted to a psychiatric hospital?

ffBD - C. Flynnl The individuals who made those decisions at Virginia Tech followed the law with

regard to Cho, who was 21 years old at the time.

The repot seems b support some of your critics'claims that VT let Cho through thecracks. Would you agnee with that?No. lThafs a very simplistic assessment of what is a much more complex story'] He was an

*FeheV troubled young man who needed help, and he got that help. Somehow, during and after

that counseling he continued to hide his homicidal urges. It is true that, as recommended in the

review, we at W must be more rigorous in interdepartmental exchange of information regarding

students at risk. As the review indicated, "silos" are an issue throughout academia and we need toshow leadership in addressing it. At the same time, it would be a mistake to conclude that this

situation led or contributed to the tragic outcome in the Cho case; the facts don't support that.

The repoft talks about'information silos" preventing a full picture of Cho's satuataon toemerge. If that hadn't been the case, might this tragedy have been plevented?Clearly we must be more rigorous in interdepartmental o<change of information regarding students

at risk. As the review indicated, "silos" are an issue throughout academia and we need to show

leadership in addressing it. At the same time, it would be a mistake to conclude that this situation

led or contributed to the tragic outcome in the Cho case; the facb don't suppoft that.

The repoft says that the information about Cho that was plesented to the specialjusticeat the commitment hearing was incomplete. Why was that?TBD?

It is not clear whether or not Cho received follow-up treatment after the judge'sevaluation; the IG report says Cho did request an appointment but that's where it leavesoff, Was he trcated and if so, what were the findings? -FBD-c. Flynnl Z/*: .*A7r*2*.2 T a4q /Lr+

The report quotes the IG repoft as saying Ws system may be insufficient for handlinghigh-risk students who need serious mental heatth seruices. Do you agree with that and'if so, can you fix it?W counseling center is no different from [the vast majority of college and university counseling

centersl in that it is not intended to be the kind of frcility that can handle severely-mentally ill

people, just as our health clinic, for o<ample, is not equipped to treat cancer or other serious

diseases. We want to be the best facility possible for the level of treatment that is appropriate toprovide our students, and we want to improve our intemal interface to be sure we are aware ofstudenb with more serious problems so we see that they are treated at a facility designed to serue

their more acute needs.

6.

7.

\W fZ.t4t-^Comments Charles W. Steger

August 22,2007

Good afternoon and thank you for coming. As you know, it's been a bittersweet week for

us at Virginia Tech: First, the very moving dedication of a memorial, which will forever

remind us of our profound loss and of the 32 souls who will always be a part of this

university... In the midst of that, a frightening off-campus incident that sent more than 20

ofour students to hospitals - although I'm happy and relieved to say no lives were lost

[need to update].

But at the same time, we've seen the retum of ow students to campus, and all Of the

enthusiasm, joy, and promise that comes with each new school year. I challenge anyone

to spend a day on this campus and not come out an optimist -

The reports that we have released today are also grounds for optimism - because they

reconfirm the abiiity of this institution to examine itself, to leam and to evolve.

As you may recall, after April l6 I called for the creation of two different, but concurrent

review processes.

One is an external review - essentially an investigative analysis ofthe hagedy from itsgenesis to its management and response. From the beginning, I felt this needed to be

done by an objective, outside panel, backed by significant resources and expertise. I was

very pleased that Govemor Kaine was of the same mind, and we look forward to seeing

the results of his independent Virginia Tech Review Panel in the coming week.

The other review is internal in structure and focus. This review is not intended to be an

investigation or a forensic analysis, but rather a close look at the university's existing

policies, processes, systems and resources through the new prism ofthe 4/16 tragedy.

In fact, many colleges and universities around the country are commencing similar

intemal reviews, a recognition ttrat ttris type of senseless tragedy can happen anylvhere.

But it didn't happen just anywhere, and it is certainly incumbent on us to extract any

lessons that could make Virginia Tech stronger, safer, better equipped to fulfill our

mission

We established three committees to undertake our review, and today you will hear briefpresentations by each of the three committee chairs. As you've seen, the reports and their

appendices are rather voluminous, so we felt these presentations would be helpful indistilling the findings. I thank all tlree of the committee chairs for their diligence and

Ieadership.

- Jim Hyatt, executive vice president and chiefoperating officer, led the review

committee looking at campus security;- Erv Blyttre, vice president for information technology, led the committee on

communications infrastructure;- Jerry Niles former dean of the college of liberal arts and human sciences, led the

committee reviewing the interface and exchange of information across

departments, including the intersections between the academic enterprise,counseling, our disciplinary system, the legal system, and the police.

'We have also provided the report to the Govemor's panel this week, although I would

add that virtually all ofthe information contained in them had already been discussed

with the panel during the course of its review.

The reports you received today are the same documents that were transmitted to me by

the committee heads, but with some very limited redactions. These include proprietary

business information that was given to us by vendors, and a few redactions that were

necessary for safety and security reasons. For example, it would be inesponsible for us

to publicly discuss the locations of critical communications infrastructure, or operation

and placement of certain security systems.

The redactions are indicated by X's, so it will be very clear to you where they occur. Let

me emphasize that none of the redacted language had any significant impact on the

findings or recommendations that are made in these reports.

Before our committee chairs make their presentatronr, t", *" take the liberfy of making

some overall observations.

There is little doubt that April 16 has changed public expectations of the entire higher

education community. The adjusnnents in procedures, policies and resouces that are

proposed in these reports reflect Virginia Tech's commitment to meet those expectations.

The recommendations for change can be divided into t}ree primary categories that

conespond to the three review areas:

The first part might be called physical secwity -- changes in facilities and procedures that

are designed to protect the physical safety of everyone in our campus community.

For example, we have all heard about the concept of"lockdown" - the suggestion that a

campus can be buttoned up instantaneously in an emergency. Our review-reflects the

consensus of law-enforcement experts such as the Virginia Association of Campus Law

Enforcement Administrators that such a "lockdown" is simply not feasible on a campus

the size of a small city. However, it is certainly feasible to secure or "harden" individual

buildings and other facilities, and the review addresses that approach.

The second part relates to improving emergency communications - the ffiastructure that

facilitates communication into and out of the campus, directly to students and faculty,

and among emergency responders. For example, the new WAlerts system, which was

already being developed before April 16, is now firlly operational.

You will also hear discussion of a new, state-of-the-art "information architecture" that

has great promise if implemented in coming years, This type of integrated, internet-

protocol system was envisioned initially as a way to enhance the learning environment,

but in fact it can enhance campus security as well.

Of course, these communication tools must be coupled with protocols that guide their

use, while allowing enough flexibility to respond to each situation. The experts remind

us that each emergency is unique and careful judgment must be applied in determining

when and how campus alerts are issued.

The third category involves the flow of information across departments with regard tostudents. Simply put, we must have a more coordinated system for managing the needs

of students at risk. This includes betGr interdepartmental communication and more

consistent interpretation and applioation of privacy laws.

The next steps will be for the university to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the

recommendations, including a cost-benefit analysis, to determine which

recommendations will be adopted and whether there are other worthy recommendations

that have not been identified; prioritized the recommendations; identify funding sources;

and develop a timeline for implementation. Those we felt were immediate imperatives

are already being implemented. We will be considering the others based on a variety offactors. Every good idea involves a tradeoff of some type - whether that's practicability,

cost, or some type of unintended impact - so we have to look at each on its own merits.

What the intemal reviews do not atlemptto do - and I urge you to bear this in mind - is

to draw any conclusions about potential relationships between the actions taken or

systems in place on April I 6 and the cause or outcome of the tragedy itself. Again, this

process was not designed for that purpose.

We at Virginia Tech have been forever changed by the crimes of one severely disturbed

young man. He was determined to commit murder, planned his crime meticulously, and

managed to conceal his homicidal urges from all of the law-enforcement authorities and

the mental health experts who tied to help him and presumably even from his family.

The reviews before you propose a credible framework to help us meet the demands and

expectations of our new reality. We will take whatever steps are needed to maintain the

safefy, confidence and peace of mind of our students, faculty and tle entire Hokie

community.

As I invite our committee chairs to make their presentations, let me ask that you please

hold your questions until all three presentations are complete. | rcalize this will mean a

lot of information up front, but we feel it is the best way to lay out the key findings.

Jim Hyatt begins.

w#

I\E,WS*"Vireinia T- " lmlTedl

VIRCINIA POLYTBCHNIC INSTMUTEAND STATE UNTVERSTTYOffic€ of Univcrsity Relatioos

314 Burruss HaU (0253), Blacksbug, Virgints%Ml(540) 23l-5396 Fax: (540) 231-t885httD :/lwvw.udrcl.vt.cdu

The Virginia Tech Review PanelComments by Charles W. Steger

President Virginia TechMay 10,2007

Govemor Kaine, Colonel Massengill, and members of the commission.

Normally, I would address 6 sommissisn by saying that I am happy to have the

opporrmity to appear before you. We know that is not true. Each of us appears here

today with heavy heart, a most profound sense of sorrow...and yes, still to thisday. . . disbelief.

A tenibly deranged young man.. ..one of our own students. . .visited unimaginable honorupon our university, our bright young minds, our rising stars, and our caring and learnedfaculty.

He took 32 precious lives and then his own. He worurded 25 more. In the process, he

seriously injured an entire nation.

As we have noted many times tlroughout this terrible ordeal, the fanilies of those wholost their lives and the injured have remained our highest priority, followed by the needsof our greater university community. We will do everything possible to assist with theirrecovery.

I have said time and again, that Virginia Tectl our commonwealth, atl of highereducation, and indeed, the world must leam from this tagedy. I personally asked thegovernor foryou work.

We have been and will continue to cooperate frrlly with your review and findings. I haveappointed a lead individual, a retired university executive with experience in manysectors including audit, to assist you with yow data gathering and be your liaison with any

office on campts.

Each one ofus and each sector ofour society that has been touched by this tragedy mustwelcome the inspection, intospection, and the scrutiny of a thorough analysis.

ASbiti"u-'rfi iqd$ftiu:nmiiiifi ltitfii"idfl irfi nZ;f i"eiVfaib e.

If space pemits, &s€ VirgiDia Polytecbdc Institute and Stat€ Udvenity far or€ Jecondary rclen E2.

Page2

In our own case we have underway after-action reviews, which can inform your data

!utft.ri"g. in addition to understanding the incidents, we will be looking at three broad

ireas: tjecommunications infrastructrue, the physical infrastructure as it relates to safety

*d s""urity, and most importantly, the intemal protocols for information exchange' I am

putti"of*fy interested in tlose intersections between the academic enterprise, counseiing,

our disciplinary systerq the legal systen, and tle police'

Or.n preliminary schedule calls for those reviews to be complete by late August, which I

understand is within your study time-frame to be of use to you'

in addition to our incident response, I know that you wili be looking at the broad

spectrum of issues including policies, protocols, and the law'

I have read and heard other university presidents and plndits say that thistragedy could

have happened on any campus in America. We draw no solace from such observations'

My hope is that we - and every campfis throughout the nation:- can leam in the months

un*a *itut happened and why...to the extent that rational conclusions can be drawn from

irrational violence. we will leam and the world will leam from this.

There already is a vigorous national discourse underway on many issues- mental health'

tt e iot"rptaybetrveen the righrc of individuals and the rights of societies and

communitiis, the interaction between gun laws iurd privacy, czlmpus security and the

underlying physical infrastructure, and much more'

we need to know how well our mental health system is performing. Is this country

devoting the time, resources, and energy to helping those in need?

We need to know if privacy laws can or should change so that school administrators,

court officials, or thJ mental health profession itself, has the information it needs to treat

and handle those with mental illnesses on college campuses'

Certainly, you will bump into ttre nexus of individual rights and privacy laws versus the

rights oia;ociety, a community, or a university to protect itself against possible harm

from the mentally ill...or anyone else, for that matter'

We need to know if the university reacted in accordance with accepted procedwe in its

response to the murders within our residence hall. Our university police and rescue squad

reqponded within tluee minutes of a report that someone fell from a bed within a

resid"nr. hall. within minutes thereafter, the police, then knowing of a gunshot fatality

*J irrj"ty, seoured the residence hall, began investigating, andwithin one hour had a

;p;tr* oiinterest." Your analysis of this and the tenible events following is of crucial

importance'

Page 3

My campus has 19 miies of public roads on its 2,600 acres and 153 mostly accessibie

buiidings, On aay given day, we have about 35,000 people coming and going. How does

an organization secure a university campus during an emergency? Or for that matter, what

ievels ofsecurity are appropriate for norrnal operations?

We need to know about the preparedness - to the degree that any institution can prepare

for horrible and irrational mass violence - of my university and other schools like ours forviolence or other mass events that require an institutional response to protect the health,

safety, an{ welfare of a campus community.

We have multiple methods of emergency communications and have in the works

implementation plans for more. We all need to know whether universities such as our can

do more to protect and inform its populations and multiple audiences in emergencies.

Tomonow, Virginia Tech will celebrate its annual spring commencement. This is our

time for celebration. Commencement" of course' means't}te beginaing." For ourgraduates, it is and will be the beginning of the next phases of their lives. We know that

they will carry with them not only those treasured memories rurique to the college

experience, but aiso the searing memory of the tragic events of April 16.

We owe it to them, we owe it to the injured we owe it the famiiies of the fallen... indeed,

we owe it to all other schools and canipuses in this country to examine all these issues inI theirtotality....and findwaysofpreventinganythinglikethiseveragain.

-end-

August 15' 2007

Statement of Kenneth R. FeinbergConcerning the Announcement and Dlssemination of a Final Protocol for the Distribution

of the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.

Kenneth R. Feinberg, Consultant to the Mrginia Tech Administration for the design,implementation and administration of the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, today announced the Final

Protocol to be used in the distribution of approximately $7M dollars to the families and victims of

the April 16 tragedy :"1 am grateful to the families and victims of the April 1 6 tragedy' and toPresident Charles Steger and other officials at Virginia Tech, for assisting me in designing a Final

Protocol for the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. During the past few weeks, I have benefited greatly

from the input of all interested parties. I particularly thank President Steger for his leadership in

coordinating this intense effort to fashion an appropriate and workable HSMF distribution plan."

The Final Protocol differs in many substantial respects from the draft that was earlierdisseminated to all interested parties:

1. The amounts to be distributed to eligible claimants exceed in all categories amountsoriginally proposed.

2. Victims wtro were the most seriously injured will receive both free tuition and acompensation payment. Free tuition will encompass the number of years needed for astudent to complete his/her existing course of study.

3. A summary accounting of the HSMF, requested by many families, is attached as part ofthe final protocol.

4. All necessary Claim Forms for filing a claim with the HSMF are also attached.

5. The HSMF deadline for contributions has been extended until the end of this year,December 31 ,2007 .

Claims from eligible families and victims will be processed beginning immediately with a claimfiling deadline of September 15,2007; "l will continue to work with eligible families and victims inproviding assistance during the next 30 days as all claims are processed. lt is very important thatclaimants comply with the filing deadline. In order to meet this deadline my staff and I will workWth Virginia Tech officials to make sure that all eligible claimants file a timely claim.'

"My heart goes out to the families and victims of this tragedy.'

",,.- . .,.,:Li ,

Update on Recovery Effortsas of August 7, 2007

Universitv-wide Effoft s:

. New Office of Recovery and Support (1700 Kraft Drive, Suite 1100, Corporate Research

Center)

. Will coordinate universityt communication with internal and external constituencies and

with families, and coordinate on-going recovery and response.

. lay Poole, Director, 231-0065 (office).

. Ellen Plummer, Assistant Provost and Deputy Director, 231-6300.

. Several professionals will be hired to coordinate continued services to families and

university community.

. Two major grants being submitted to Department of Education and Department of Justice

to provide funds for continued counseling and support for the university community overnext several years.

. Changes to security and notification (selected)

. W Alerts notification system, comprised of a variety of methods by which the universitycan contact students, faculty, and staff: text messaging, instant messaging, calls to non-W phone numbers, emails to non-VT addresses. Subscribe at htto: //www ' alerts'vt.edu/.

.Lockstobeinsta||edonc|assroomdoors;chan9esto|ockingofoutsidedoors.

Norris Hall reopened after extensive cleaning, repainting, and new floors; Department ofEngineering, Science, and Mechanics moved back in. Affected classrooms remain locked

and unscheduled for now.

. psychological assessment survey of all faculty, staff, and students to determinepsychological impact and need for services, summer 2007 (Jones, Kessler, and Hughes).

Hokie Spirit Fund:

. Kenneth Feinberg, 9/11 fund administrator, is now heading up disbursement of funds'

. $7.1M contributed to 30+ funds, including scholarship funds in the names of deceased

victims.

. plan for disbursement to be finalized by mid-August, with anticipation that funds will be

disbursed by mid-October.

Special Commemorative Eve nts:

. Dedication of drillfield memorial, Sunday, August 19, noon; open to the public. Familiesinvited.

. y1 Engage, October 16 special dinner on the drillfield and (tentative) April 16 (1 yearanniversary): The university community will come together to honor the students and facultywho were committed to service by urging many more people to engage in service to

I

communities and to individuals in need. Participants will be asked to pledge at least 10 hours

of community service between October and April anniversary. Goal of 300,000 hours ofcommunity service pledged by faculty, staff, students, and members of community. Servicemay be to organizations (tocal, national, or international) or to individuals by choice of person

pledging.

Conceft for W, September 6, Dave Matthews Band and others.

Pre-game ceremony for first football game.

Faculty Families:

Anna Beth Benningfield is case manager for faculty families and affected departments, 540-267-6953 (cell).

Su pport for families

. Continued health care benefits, either through continuation of employment or universitywill assume responsibility for premiums.

. Facilitated employment opportunities at w for those spouses who wish to work,

. Assisted with accessing life insurance, worker's compensation, social security, and otherbe nefits.

Dependent children will have opportunities for fundingof sources. Some families eligible for tax-deferredTIM-CREF has specifically donated funds for collegefaculty.

for college education from a varietycollege accounts funded by state;accounts for deoendent children of

Funeral and travel expenses, counseling or medical treatment, and financial advising havebeen covered by several sources.

Modified duties option offered to those eligible as well as other policies that could benefitthose spouses who are also faculty members.

Hokie Spirit Fund cash payments and/or contribution to scholarship fund.

Families of Deceased Students:

. Funeral, counseling, medical expenses covered by victims'crime fund, Red Cross, and HokieSDirit fu nd.

. Received posthumous degrees, class rings at commencement; travel expenses covered byuniversitv.

. Case managers will continue contact with families to identify needs that can be met by VT andmaintain on-going communication.

. Hokie Spirit Fund cash payments and/or contribution to scholarship fund.

Iniured Students:

. phone survey of injured students conducted by Victim Witness Assistance Program.

2

Physically injured students: 20 planning to return to campus; 12 will seek individualcounseling; 16 seek group counseling; 10 want tour of Norris Hall'Students in Norris, but not injured: 71 returning to campus; 68yo seeking either or bothindividual or group counseling; 75olo want tour of Norris Hall.

Informal dinner for injured students with Vice President for Student Affairs scheduled for B/18,and another casual lunch check-in with her during second week of classes.

Assigned case manager for on-going needs and connection.

Facu lty/Staff Proo ra ms:

. Anticipate three to five open presentations on "Responding to Disruptive or ThreateningStudent Behavior" by Dean of Students and Director of Cook Counseling, and severalscheduled for specific groups or departments.

. National experts on psychological first aid will present programs on working with distressedstudents, workshops for faculty/staff on self-care/ and train the trainer programs for mentalhealth professionals.

. Trainings offered by outside experts on grief/trauma based recovery groups and eyemovement desensitization and reprocessing.

. pathways to Resilience, August 30-31, hosted by Center for Excellence in UndergraduateTeaching (CEUT): Clinical psychologists Lennis Echterling and Anne Stewart will offerinteractive workshops and discussions related to general concept of Posttraumatic Growth.

. CEUT Brown Bag Lunch, August 8, 12:00 - 2:00.

. Wine and Cheese, August 17, 3:00 - 5:00, hosted by CEUT, Honors, and Center forUndergraduate Education, Hillcrest Hall.

. First days of c/asses - how is it going? August 22,4:00 - 6:00, hosted by CEUT, HillcrestDining Room.

. ValueOptions counseting available for employees, special programs for departments or othergroups can be arranged as needed.

. Anticipate possible Faculty Resource Center (part of grant request).

Student Proorams (partial list onlv):

. Made some modifications to summer orientation for new students and families; sent severalspecial communiquds.

. Three help centers for first two days of cldsses in Squires, chapel, and drillfield tent.

. Extended hours at Cook Counseling Center with walk in services during first week.

. Anticipate adding three additional counselors to Cook Center staff.

. Programming in the residence halls,

. Anticipate stu de nt-orga nized programming when students return'

Dear Student:

With fall sanester rapidly approaching, and with the cenain knowled ge tbx 416 remains fresh inour collective memory, I wanted to underline some helping services avaiiable on campus.

The university has been in touch with students in close proximity to the tragic events of midApril. However, due to ties of fiiendship and club associations, even students far from Norris and

West AJ, may have lost someone close and thus are dealing with special circumstances.

People deal with the loss of friends and associates differently. Some tum to family and friends;some sort out feelings by journaling; and some find meditation heipful. However, as a person

who oversees health and wellness at Virginia Tecb, I believe in the efEcacy of counseling.

Therefore, I write to discuss briefly relevant sewices, and ask you think about what might be

helpful. The range of counseiing services on qrmpus includes:

1 . Individual Counseline: Students might engage in grief counseling with a trainedpsychologist. One-on-one counseling might consist of a single or multiple sessions.

2. Grouo Counseiins: Some students prefer group counseling, or meeting with a fewother students and a skilled faciiitator, in order to biend professional and peer support.

3. Pastoral Counseiing: students of a religious frame of mind might prefer a referral tosomeone skilled in spiritual matters.

4. Relaxation Skills: The Counseling Center and Recreation Sports have offerings thatpromote relaxation techniques to reduce stress.

5. Disability Counseling: if troubling evEnts result in diffrculties with concentratiorgsleep, or other life functions, the Offrce of Services for Students with Disabilities may bea good place to check.

6. Academic Counseiurq: if the events of 4/16 might interfere with academic progress,referral to a peftinent academic advisor can assist.

Please tbink about available resources and any ofyour own needs. Then, when back on campus,do feel free to call for assistance at one or more of the following offices:

r IndividualiGroup Counseling, Cook Counseiing Center (540-231-6557). Pastorai Counseling, via the Dean of Students Office, (540-231-3787)o Relaxation Skilis, Recreational Sports (540-231-6856). Disability Counseiing, Disability Services Office (540-231-3788). Academic Counseling, Ron Daniel, Associate Provost (540-23i-3341)

We hope you are having a good summer, and we look forward to your return to campus.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Ferraro, Ph.D.Asst. V.P. for Student Affairs

\

The university has publicly stated that the university has or/vill incur expenses

approaching $8 million

c0sts.

Known costs would include theassociated office rentai

y'al expenses to restore Norris Hall;lost revenue at The Inn; lodging costs

Virginia Tech has incurred or will incur exp6nses of about $8 million

retJteO to the tragedy of April 16. Somefosts are known and exp-ensed,

some are known and not yet expensed/and some are estimated future

costs for hundreds of staffersmany others; additional securitY

measures such as classroom

Known but not exPensed co ts would include new positions released to

units such as counselors i Cook Counseling Center, new Policepositions, personnel and rational costs of the Recovery and Support

Office, or the constructlo costs to replace building door handles.

Estimated future costs clude new positions recommended in thewaived tuition charges, new positions

for families and resPonders;including police, PhYsical Pla

university review rePocontemplated but not released.

Attending:Amy AdamsPat BurtonTony GambillRosie HigdonCathy Jacobs

Bob MillerBeth OsborneJennie ReillyJudy Ridinger

HR/Value Options Detrrief session, Wednesday, April 18,2007

varue onsni il:l':' 3n 4- Q, or4<-r

a* a-'cr {\n cr,^'p "ut'

--'

U,trx),T4U

Pat Burton began the session by sharing experiences at the meeting she had attended during the

day.

Civil Engneering meeting - 55 attended, Story telling, just some, Aff,rrmations of each other and

many questions about What to do when the sfudents return?

4th meeting stafted at 3 pm and Heidi & Roy still there

Clarity is needed on expectations for these meetings. Need to establish with each department

what they want, what we can offer, etc. and then making sure that the Value Options personnel

have this information before they attend. Amy stated that HR was improving the communicationwith departments on tlis level and therefore hoped the process would be moving even smootherin the days to come.

There were numerous requests from staff and faculty members on how to talk to their young

children about the recent events. Discuss from the group on creating some resources for the

response to children and Cathy will be forwarding that information to Amy.

There were also concerns from faculty & staff of the treatment of our Asian population here on

campus. Discussed about setting up meeting and having a representative from CranwellIntemational Center attend.

Pat Burton concluded by saying hats off to the Value Options folks - don't know how you dothis type of emotional response so often - it's exhausting!

Bob Miller reported out on the sessions in Squires Student Center. They had a steady flow offolks. Some of these counselors were trying to coordinate among themselves to establish a

protocol for faculty to use when refuming to class on Monday. They estimated a fairly even

number of the various group (faculty, students and staff). They also decided to confer with each

other quickly before letting folks leave.

Some discussion and report out on the sessions held at The Inn at Virginia Tech. Therefiassome discussion about the Red Cross involvement and some unnamed persomel who hhd been

difficult. More discussion about the various "helping" agencies getting together themselves for ameeting at The Inn tomorrow to make sure each agency knew their role and that they didn't step

on each other's toes.

Bob Miller shared with us that he had gotten a phone call from the state police investigatorbecause of Bob's previous role. Bob said he had never met Cho but commented that this type ofinquiry just signifies they (media and the like) can always highlight the number of lives NOTsaved by therapy but never the numbers of people that are SAVED by counselors. We see thesefolks in crisis weekly and monthly without the media at the front door. Hearing that there was ahospital assessment of Cho 2 years ago creates a suffering of our own trama as counselors!

Jennie Reilly, Director of University ADA services shared that Intepreters are available for deafemployees in any of these sessions. The Services for Students with Disabilties office willprovide as fast as possible, if a department chair or head has an employee who wants to speakwith a counselor. Call SSD at 231-3788

Cathy Jacobs, Director of Family & Workllife said she is leaving tomorrow and if there are anyadditions to the list ofagencies/individuals, etc. who offer their services please forward those toGloria Smith who is taking this task in Cathy's absenceggsrnith@vt.edu. Cathy shared that Montgomery County schools were coordinating servicestonight. Group discussed sharing any information for children with the County. Discussed theoption for counseling on-site for children and Sara from Value Options shared that this was notthe best idea but would be able to come up with direct referrals for any parent concemed for therrchildren, etc.

Judy Ridinger shared that someone who just came to work here had already received informationfrom Radford University's counseling center on talking to your children.

Concerns expressed for Graduate Students . Judy to contact Dean Karen DePauw. Anothersuggestion out of this discussion was to suggest department send a full tenured track professorinto the classroom on Monday with any Graduate Student tasked with running a class bythemselves on Monday. Need help to get that done.

Other suggestions and info shared:r Create a TIP sheet for 1't day of class (Sandy is working on this).. Value Options are creating Wallet cards on dealing with trauma after a tragedy. Suggestion that someone with an academic background review the TIP sheet for

additional needs, etc. before publication.. Discussed whether or not to try and set up a I hour info session here at Southgate.. Thursday & Friday from Noon to 2 pm Brown bags luncheons will happen in the Center

for Undergraduate Excellence - try to coordinate with Terry Wildman. Decision about grades has been left up to the individual departments. Communicate to the HRIS listserve that HR will work with a department to get time

sheet entered and tlieir wage people paid, even if they don't have time cards on hand.Rosie worked with one client and used the approach - is their last check kinda like whatthey did for this one? We can always do adjustments later.

. Develop a presentation for remote faculty. Value Options asked about the ability torecording a presentaion iln#142 - we have the tools and resources - yes!

r What are the plan for the weekend? identify a local resourcesr What are the house on the weekend at Cooks' Counseling Centero Extend reservation at Squires through the weekend - both Saturday and Sunday,

someone shared that the spring football garne had been cancelled but that people will stillcoming to campus

With 2 people working * you may still need a greeter.

Judy Ridinger shared that they had met with VT administrators today and agreed to come back toBumrss. Schedule sessions within their separate sections. Thinking that we need to haveprobably 6 sessions, in various conference rooms, thing going on at the same time. The are

wanting an Intact group to be met with. Debrief - let them talk about it and then go from there.Need at least 7 people. Bumrss has Police ofhcers EVERYWHERE! Need to consider thesomewhat uncomfortable surroundinss.

Ittt4.r9.07

Talking points, June 11,2007

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund(s)

The fund has paid for expenses incurred to date such as travel, fimeral, groceries,

medical, and memorial (eg obituaries) expenses.

The funds WILL be used as follows, among other possibilities...

For families of deceased victims:. employee family health insurance,. undergraduate education for children ofdeceased victims. financial counseling. mental health services

For those physically injured:. Tuition and fees for the coming yearr Unreimbursed medical costs.

For all:r Full time familv advocates to assist

MESSAGE:

"The families of victims and the injured remain our highest priority. Our family liaisons

are in almost daily contact. We share some of the frustations."

With respect to issues:

The university has never actively solicited funds. It was set up to respond to thousands ofrequests from concerned individuals who wished to contribute to help the healingprocess. The projected use of funds was clearly articulated. It said the funds will be used

for assistance to victims and their families, grief counseling, memorials, and comfortexpenses.

The university has NEVER solicited funds in the names of the victims.

The university produced memorial publications and a website to honor the victims. Allthe information and the images were cleared with each family through the liaisons and

the dean ofstudent's office.

The fund is HIGHLY accountable. We have been in daily contact with one of thepremier accounting firms, KPMG, and with the IRS to advise us on how the funds can be

disbursed.

The university family liaisons have been apprising the university of needs. For example,

it was through this process that we have been addressing the need for educationalexpenses of children deceased faculty

"We fully appreciate the stress and frustation among the families and many of us share

those frustrations. We are working hard to ensure that HSMF is available but also thatthe families have access to other resources such as Virsinia Victims Crime Fund.

Comments by Zenobia Lawrence llikes, Ed.D.

Vice President for Student Affairs

to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

tvlay 21,2007

Report on Ifealing and Recovery Initiatives at

Virginia Tech Post-April 16

I. Introduction

Chairman Massengill and members of the Review Panel, I un Zenobialawrence Hikes, Vice

President for Student Affairs.

The Virginia Tech community is one of exceptional resilience and compassion. Following the

honific events of April 16, our community of faculty, staff and students mobilized in countless

ways to provide support to grieving families, the injured and hospitalized, emolled students and

the university at large. On behalf of the Office of the President, the Office ofthe Provost, the

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Division of Student Affairs, the

Graduate School, and Human Resources, I would like to share with you some of the collaborative

initiatives, support services, programs, and activities we employed to begin the healing and

recovery of our community.

Ceremonies

In every culture, ceremonies play an important role in the process of healing and recovery. On

Tuesday immediately following the tragedy the university came together in a convocation held in

Cassell Coliseum. Featured speakers included President George Bush, Govemor Tim Kaine,

University President Charles Steger, noted author and University Distinguished Professor Nikki

Giovanni, and leaders representing four major religions. The convocation was televised world-

wide and served to signal the strength and unity of the Virginia Tech community in the wake ofthe tragic events of April 16. Approximately 10,000 were in attendance in the coliseum and an

additional 25,000 were accommodated in overflow seatins in Lane Stadium.

On the same evening as the convocation, the students of Hokies United organized a candlelight

vigil on the Drillfield. This event was attended by thousands ofstudents, alumni, faculty, staff,

and friends who came together to moum and pay their respects. It was for this vigil that Hokie

Stones were first placed in a semicircle in front ofthe reviewing stand to honor the deceased

victims. Also initiated at the vigil were message boards on which moumers could write

condolences and expressions of grief. As the number of boards grew over several days, tents were

erected on tlre Drillfield to protect them from the elements. Together with the Hokie Stones, the

message boards have come to serve as the focal point for the collective griefofthe university

community and as the repository for flowers and other mementos symbolizing the loss of students

and faculty who were our dear friends and colleagues.

Throughout the days following the tragedy, the Memorial Chapel served as a place of quiet refuge

where members of the university community could go for a moment of reflection.

Representatives from religious and faith-based organizations made themselves available at the

chapel to those who desired pastoral counseling.

Family Support

A number of initiatives were directed specifically at meeting the needs of the families of Virginia

Tech students, and I would like to highlightjust a few ofthese. In an effort to respond to the high

volume of calls from families of Virginia Tech students concemed about their safety and welfare,

the university established a 24 hour call center that was staffed by university volunteers as well as

representatives from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). As the

volume of calls diminished, the Dean of Students Office assumed the call center responsibilities.

To support the grieving families who had tost students and faculty, individual family liaisons

were assigned, the majority of whom were from the Division of Student Affairs, the Graduate

School, and the Provost Office. These individuals provided personalized services and information

to assist families with processes such as the retrieval of student effects; removal of student

vehicles; access to benefits available from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund, the Red

Cross, and other community agencies; resolution of student accounts; and family participation in

commencement ceremonies.

Individual liaisons were also assigned to injured students and their families to assist them with the

recovery process and reintegration to the academic community for those who were not

graduating. President Steger, joined at times by Govemor Kaine and Attomey General

McDonnell, visited injured students in area hospitals to check on their welfare and let them know

that the university was concemed about them.

Deceased students were honored at the 2007 spring commencement by the awarding of

posthumous degrees. Their families were invited as guests ofthe university to attend

commencement to be recognized and accept their son's or daughter's diploma and class ring.

To remember and honor the victims of the tragic events of April 16, the Virginia Tech

Foundation established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process. The fund

will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to: assistance to victims and their

families, grief counseling, memorials, communication expenses, and comfort expenses. In

addition, a general Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund as well as specific memorial funds in the name

ofeach ofthe decedents have been established. Additional attention is being focused on the

school-age children of deceased faculty members.

II. Student Health and Wellness

Cook Counseling Center

In the days following the April 16 tragedy many events and support activities were taking place to

facilitate the healing process. In the area of student health and wellness, the university's Cook

Counseling Center took the lead in terms ofproviding psychological assistance to students on

campus. To meet anticipated demand for increased services, Cook Counseling Center extended its

hours of operation and offered services both in the evenings and on the weekends. Counselors

worked closely with groups of students with special needs, such as residents of West Ambler

Johnston Residence Hall, surviving students who were in Norris Hall at the time of the incident,

members of various student organizations and programs that had lost members, and roommates of

deceased students. To date approximately 60 outreach presentations have been made to faculty,

staff, and student gloups, and the volume of appointments in the counseling center has increased

at least 50% over this time last year. Knowing that commencement would be an especially

difficult time for students and their families, Cook Counseling Center enlisted 50 mental health

professionals as volunteers to assist the regular staff. Counselors were present at each

commencement exercise throughout the weekend.

Anticipating an increased need for psychological counseling in the upcoming montls and years,

the center staff completed several grant applications in an effort to help finance expanded

services. The center is providing counseling for the students who will remain in Blacksburg

during the summer. For students outside of Blacksburg during the summer, the center is also

facilitating counseling referrals.

; ,;.-'; -t -",. - ).i**

Schiffert Health Center

The universiry's Schiffert Health Center also played an important role in the healing and recovery

process. Medical personnel from the center visited hospitals where injured victims were treated

and then provided special follow-up wound care to a student who had suffered gun shot wounds.

To be sensitive to the psychological needs of students who may have experienced traum4

medical personnel incorporated psychological screening questions into their conversations with

students who presented for physical injuries.

Services for Students with Disabilities

The Services for Student with Disabilities Office has taken the lead in providing accommodations

for any injured students who may need assistance in the classroom and anticipates that there will

be an increased need to provide accommodations for students with psychological disabilities.

Recreational SPorts

Recreational Sports provided a valuable service to the university community by keeping its

fitness facilities open during the week of authorized closing so that students and faculty could

exercise and engage in stress relieving activities. In addition, they opened fitness classes to all

students and families of the victims'

III. Faculty tnd StafrHealth and Wellness

Concem for the health and wellness ofthe campus was not focused solely on student needs.

Human Resources took the lead in addressing the needs of faculty and staff. Immediately upon

learning of the shootings on campus, Human Resources (HR) contacted ValueOptions, our

employee assistance provider, to request assistance and crisis counselors were on campus by mid-

aftemoon. Both small and large group employee sessions were scheduled to provide information

related to common reactions to trauma and stress, as well as tips for self-care and recovery

support. Squires Student Center was designated as the location for individual meetings with

employees, with severat counselors assigned to that location throughout the day. Information was

provided to employees who are parents to assist them in communicating with their children. To

date,l27 group information sessions, reaching 2,980 participants, have been held with colleges'

departments, and workgroups and over 800 individual sessions have been held as of May 15,

2007.

Numerous support resources were developed by ValueOptions and made available through group

sessions as well as one-on-one sessions including self-care tips and coping with trauma. This

material was disseminated to employees through University Relations and the university

websites.

Training programs are being developed, with the assistance ofexperts in the field, to help

supervisors effectively manage employee issues that may emerge from the events. Additional

resource information focused on resilience and rebounding from trauma has been developed and

is being shared in hard copy and on the intemet.

W. Student Affairs and Academic Alfairs Collaboration

To meet our sfudents' needs and to provide a less stressful end to the semester, a number of

measures were taken that involved collaboration between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs.

tr'lexible Options for Completing the Semester

On April 18, the Office of the University Provost in collaboration with the college deans,

provided three options for students to complete the semester. These options took into account the

education ofour students, as well as their physical and mental well-being realizing that various

students would react differently in the aftermath.

ClassesresumedonMonday, Apt'.l23,andstudentshadtheoptionofdesignating,onacourseby

course basis, how they wished the semester grade to be assigned by the faculty. Grades could be

based on the following:

. The materials which had already been submitted

The material already submitted plus any other assigned material which the student chose

to submit

. All the material which otherwise would have been submitted

In support of the flexible options and to ericourage students to continue their educational

experience, the Division of Student Affairs supported students who decided to remain in their

residence halls. Housing and dining options were continued despite the student's choice of

completing the semester. The college deans and the faculty were very helpful in advising students

and in facilitatins a successful end to the semester.

Deferred Academic Suspensions

To support our students further, the Office of the University hovost decided that there would be

no academic suspensions in the spring of 2007 . Students in academic difficulty were allowed an

additional probationary term without requiring academic appeals. This change will impact the

number of available residence hall rooms for the fall semester; however, the Division of Student

Affairs is in full support of this decision.

Classroom Support

When students retumed to classes, the university activated the largest known deployment of

mental health practitioners in U.S. history. The schedules of the victims and injured were

researched through the registrar's office and approximately 305 counselors attended these classes

to provide support for the faculty and students. Counselors were identifiable by purple arm bands.

Others who were available to provide general assistance and support were identifiable by yellow

arm bands.

The Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (CEUT) held a number of workshops

through the period of Wednesday, April 18, to Friday, April 20, to help faculty prepare for

resumption of classes on Monday, April 23. Among the workshop topics were: engaging the

students in conversation surrounding the tragic events, responding to students who experience

difficulty with the discussions, and describing the grading options the faculty made available to

students for completing their individual courses.

Deferred Judicial Cases

During the days following the tragedy, Judicial Affairs also provided options for students with

pendingjudicial hearings. The office's most immediate focus forjudicial hearings was graduating

seniors and students with serious offenses.

Other students were given the option of resolving their cases before the end ofthe semester or in

the fall.

V. Student Support Services

Dean of Students Oflice

The Dean of Students Office played a key role in coordinating the campus response to the

tragedy. In collaboration with others, the offrce coordinated the work ofthe family liaisons and

served as the central clearing house for information related to the victims ofthe tragedy. They

worked closely with the State Police to facilitate the retum of students' personal property from

Norris Hall, provided an information hotline for students and parents, and processed a staggering

volume of letters, cards, and remembrances for the victims.

Cranwell International Center

Cranwell lntemational Center responded to the special needs of international students that

resulted from the incidents of April 16. Complimentary intemational telephone cards were

distributed to students who needed to contact their families abroad to assure them that they were

safe. To address the unique concems of Korean students, staff made telephone contact with each

undergraduate and many graduate students from Korea to offer assistance. In addition, the center

responded to departrnents that requested presentations on responding to the special needs of

intemational students.

Multicultural Programs and Seryices

Multicultural Programs and Services worked closely with the leadership ofthe Asian American

Student Union and other campus leaders to address concems about potential retaliation and

requests from the press. The students were assured ofthe university's concem for their safety.

Residence Life

Residence Life has played a key role in the efforts to promote healing and recovery on campus.

Immediately following the events of April 16, resident advisors were deployed to personally

speak with each resident student on campus by Tuesday aftemoon and offer counseling resources.

As reports from concemed faculty and families were received, the professional stafffollowed up

appropriately with individual students and met with student groups to facilitate their discussions

about lost friends or roommates. As residents returned to campus, counselors toured through the

buildings and were on call for staffto contact for residents. Exterior doors to all residence halls

remained locked to help ensure a sense ofsafety and well being among residents.

Housing and Dining Services

Housing and Dining Services provided complimentary on-cnmpus housing and meals for victim's

families and friends during commencement weekend. To be sensitive to the special needs of these

guests, the housing arrangements included access to counseling services, security coverage, and

24hour a day guest services.

W;, ,'. ':M^' . ^..1'? ra:ifat qr,. !,ir'rr.:

The Graduate School

While the Division of Student Affairs provided support services to the general student population,

the Graduate School focused its efforts on the specific needs of graduate students. Initiatives

included providing support to those who lost friends and faculty members, attending to the unique

academic needs of graduate students, and assisting graduate assistants to carry out their teaching

and research responsibilities. The Graduate School maintained regular communication with all

graduate students and opened the multipurpose room in the Graduate Life Center as a place for

graduate students to gather and to take advantage of on-site counseling services. Specific outreach

efforts were directed at supporting Korean graduate students as well as those from other Asian

countries.

VI. Student Activities and Programs

Corps of Cadets

The Corps of Cadets participated in a number of ceremonial events related to the April l6

tragedy. The cadet regiment provided the band, color guard, and ushers for the convocation and

then provided buglers for Echo Taps during the candlelight vigil. In addition, the cadet regiment

served as honor guard for the memorial wreath at War Memorial Chapel and then at the cenotaph.

. University Unions and Student Activities

University Unions and Student Activities served as a central gathering place and repository for

memorials during the weeks following the April 16 incident. Also, the student centers have

displayed memorial tributes from around the world. Squires Student Center and the Graduate Life

Center remained open throughout the entire week following the incident to provide counselors

and community support to assist those in distress. In addition, the various union facilities were

used as venues for memorial services and commemorative events. Plans are currently underway

for a fall healing concert that will bring the campus community together to remember the victims.

Ilokies United

We are especially proud of the work of Hokies United, a student-driven volunteer effort

organized to help respond to local, national, and intemational tragedies. As mentioned previously,

Hokies United banded together immediately after the tragedy occurred and was able to pull

together a candlelight vigil held on the Drillfield the evening of April 17. In addition, they

organized a series of unifing activities intended to bring the community together. These included

a casino night in War Memorial Gym and a picnic on the Drillfield that was attended by an

estimated 15,000 people. And on the first day back to classes, Hokies United organized once

again to hold a campus-wide moment of silence'

VII. Conclusion

Finally, the Virginia Tech campus community remains committed to the process of healing and

recovery as evidenced by the combined efforts ofour students and employees from across the

university in such departments as Physical Plant, Athletics, Human Resources, Student Affairs,

the Graduate School, the Provost Office, and academic departments, to name just a few.

NOR'RIS HALI- GUNMA'N IDENTIFIED

tsALLlsrlcb-MniCrr AT Bo'rH cRIME ScENES

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech Police D-e:artment has confirmed the

identification ot tne gu#X; ;J*qi#ior y',irnurtiple fatalities at Norris t-lall on

tie Virginia Tech campus Monday' April 16' 2t)07'

The individu"' n" i"ln"ioLnt#iuO as Clro Seung-Hui' 23' Cho was

enrolled as an undergt;;;'t" student in nis siniory"il'T 1i Ery^l?h major at

Virginia Tech' Cho' ".So'tn

Korean native' wi's in the U'S' as a resident aliien

with a residen"" "rruoi'i'il;;'; ch;Mlle' Va cho was living on campus in

H a rper Resrd;l:?J ?:

"as un and Z2-catiber .t

o,nd g un werg. regoY?red f rorn

Norris Hall. Ballistic t".i, Jn in" evidence sei::ed fr-om the Norris Hall and the

West Ambler Jonnston R"=iO"n"" Hall scenel; were conducted at the U'S'

Bureau of Alcohol, T";;;;, Fi;;;;; ano exptosives (ATF) lab in Maryland' Lab

resurts confirmed that one of the two *""poniir"ized in Norris Hall was u:;ed in

both shootings. - -,. .^:. ,^r,, i.r^nrir' .hr"At this time, the evidence does not corrclusively identify Cho Seung-Hui

as tne gun;". "ii"in r"t"tt"t,' said Colonol W' Steven Flaherty'

superintendent of the virgri" si"r" police. "\vith this newfound ballistics

evidence, we are ""* ;l';'i;;lceeo to the rext level of this complex

investigation ^^^-+ +ha '.,inhr r:ollectirstate, local and federal investigators srent the nighi collecting, pro(lesslng

and anatyzing "uiO"n""JiJ;*itnin ^6nis

ffeif. fne decLased were recovered

from at least four "tur"iof-rr

on'tr" seconolioor and a stairwell of Norris Hall'

The gunman, wno took nil fiiu was discovertd by police in a classroom among

,n" u'"[Tt;, the deceased have been transp.rted to the Medicar Examiner's

Office in Roanoke for examination and identi:ication'

The names "i

ti"li o"""ased studerrts and faculty will be releasetd once

all victims are positiveiy iJentified and next o: kin notified'

The Virginia tecf' Police Department' Blacksburg Poilce Departmernt'

Monigomery County i"n"iitf," Otfice, Virginia St"tu potii", FBl, ATF and rnultiple

other state and 'ocat

]gJ;"i"r ;r" "tt

lnu-otu"*in the ongoing investigatiorr at both

Norris Hall and West Ambler Johnston natt'

Ft rac,gttl TuE,

We have new information to release concerning the

ongoing investigation into Mondayts fatal shootings.

State, local and federal investigators worked

through the night collectingr processing and anallzing

evidence from within Norris Hall.

And, I would like to take a minute to recognize the

outstanding professionalism and efforts put fo*h by my

officers since that initial 91{ call came into our

dispatch center Monday morning.

I also want to commend the response and

dedication of those officers and investigators with

Blacksburg Police, Montgomery GounQr Sheriffs Officet

State Police, FBI and ATF...

Based on their hard work, we have been able to

confirm the identity of the gunman at Norris Hall: Gho

Soong-Hwe.

He is a Z3-year-old Korean here in the U.S. as a

resident alien.

Gho was enrolled as an undergraduate student in

his senior year as an English major at Virginia Tech.

Gho was in the U,S. as a resident alien with a

residence established in Genterville, Va...and was living

on campus in Harper Hall.

A 9-milimeter handgun and 22'caliber handgun

were recovered from Norris Hall.

Ballistic tests on the evidence seized from the

Norris Hall and the West Ambler Johnston Residence

Hall scenes were conducted at the U'S. Bureau of

Alcoholn Tobacco, Fireanms and Explosives (ATF) lab in

Maryland.

Lab results confirmed that one of the two weapons

seized in Norris Hall was used in both shootings.

All of the deceased have been transpofted to the

Medical Examiney's Office in Roanoke for examination

and identification.

The names of the 32 deceased students and

faculty will be released once all victims are positively

identified and next of kin notified..,and Doctor Fierro,

the Ghief Medical Examiner of Virginia will go into more

detail on that in a rninute.

., '--.. -].:1i:::!1

I also want to follow up on the discussion from

yesterday about the r'person of interestt from the first

shooting at the residence hall.

That individual was an acquaintance of the female

victim killed at West Ambler Johnston Hall.

He was stopped in his vehiele off campus and

detained for questioning.

As officers were interwiewing him, the shootings at

Norris Hall were reported

We are still looking to him for information as the

i nvestigation continues,

We also have no information at this time to retate

the on-campus bomb threats made in the last two

weeks to either of yesterdayts events.

Comments by Zenobia Lawrence Hikes, Ed.D.Vice President for Student Affairsto the Virginia Tech Review Panel

May 21,2OO7

Report on Healing and Recovery Initiatives atVirginia Tech Post-April 16

l. lntroductionChairman Massengill and members of the Review Panel, I amZenobia Lawrence Hikes, Vice President for Student Affairs.

The Virginia Tech community is one of exceptional resilience andcompassion. Following the honific events of April 16, our communityof faculty, staff and students mobilized in countless ways to providesupport to grieving families, the injured and hospitalized, enrolledstudents and the university at large. On behalf of the Office of thePresident, the Ofiice of the Provost, the Executive Vice President andChief Operating Officer, the Division of Student Affairs, the GraduateSchool, and Human Resources, I would like to share with you someof the collaborative initiatives, support seruices, programs, andactivities we employed to begin the healing and recovery of ourcommunity.

GeremoniesIn every culture, ceremonies play an important role in the process ofhealing and recovery. on Tuesday immediately following the tragedythe university came together in a convocation held in CassellColiseum. Featured speakers included president George Bush,Governor Tim Kaine, University President Charles Steger, notedauthor and University Distinguished Professor Nikki Giovanni, andleaders representing four major religions. The convocation wastelevised world-wide and served to signalthe strength and unity ofthe Virginia Tech community in the wake of the tragic events of April16. Approximately 10,000 were in attendance in the coliseum and anadditional25,000 were accommodated in overflow seating in LaneStadium.

on the same evening as the convocation, the students of HokiesUnited organized a candlelight vigil on the Drirtfierd. This event was

,1 r\."r.. {UU i.U;

attended by thousands of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friendswho came together to mourn and pay their respects. lt was for thisvigil that Hokie Stones were first placed in a semicircle in front of thereviewing stand to honor the deceased victims. Also initiated at thevigilwere message boards on which mourners could writecondolences and expressions of grief. As the number of boards grewover several days, tents were erected on the Drillfield to protect themfrom the elements. Together with the Hokie Stones, the messageboards have come to serve as the focal point for the collective grief ofthe university community and as the repos[tory for flowers and othermementos symbolizing the loss of students and faculty who vyere ourdear friends and colleagues. :

Throughout the days following the tragedy, the Memorial Chapelserved as a place of quiet refuge where members of the universitycommunity could go for a moment of reflection. Representatives fromreligious and faith-based organizations made themselves available atthe chapel to those who desired pastoralcounseling.Family SupportA number of initiatives were directed specifically at meeting the needsof the families of Mrqinia Tech students. arid I would like to hiqhliqhtof the families of Mrginia Tech students, arid I like to highlightjust a few of these. In an effort to respond to the high volume of callsfrom families of Virginia Tech students concemed about their safetyand welfare, the university established a 24 hour call center that wasstaffed by university volunteers as well as representatives from theVirginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). As thevolume of calls diminished, the Dean of Students ffice assumed thecall center responsibilities.

To support the grieving families who had lost students and faculty,individual family liaisons were assigned, the majority of whom werefrom the Division of Student Affairs, the Graduate School, and theProvost ffice. These individuals provided personalized services andinformation to assist families with processeg such as the retrieval ofstudent effects; removal of student vehicles: access to benefitsavailable from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund, the RedCross, and other community agencies; resolution of studentaccounts; and family participation in commencement ceremonies.

Individual liaisons were also assigned to injured sfudents and theirfamilies to assist them with the recovery process and reintegration to

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$OO A.M. PRESS GONFERENCE

Dr. Charles StegerPresidentr Virginia Tech

Ghief W.R, FlinchumVirginia Tech Police Department

Golonef Steve Flaherty , . l{^/ .Virsinia State Potlce- 5r/Ptffi*UU

\vtnffia-Uv(-t ie i't''c

0t^.{ Medical Examiner Office - Sene+cran

The Honorable John MarshallVirginia Secretary of Public Safety

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States. FERPA also provides a quirky privacy provision that places a wall between the

educational records at an institution and the law enforcement records maintained by the campus

police department. To put this in concrete terms, educational records cannot be freely disclosed

by the administrative offtces with the police department. To give an example, a student is charged

in the University's disciplinary system with a violation ofthe acceptable use policy that prohibits

sending harassing e-mails to a fellow student. The University's hearing officer is precluded from

sharing the outcome of the hearing with the campus police. Another example is that police are not

informed when students are treated for psychiatric problems. In the same vein, the police are not

given health information when a patient is released from a hospital. This latter example actually

relates to the privacy protections contained in HIPAA.

In addition to the federal statutes, state law also restricts the University's ability to disseminate

student records. The General Assembly has articulated the privacy concems in the Virginia

Freedom of Information Act by exempting from mandatory disclosure a student's scholastic

records. While the Freedom of lnformation Act permits limited disclosure of records at the

University's discretion, FERPA and other state laws preclude disclosure. ln particular, I would

draw your attention to the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act, Section

2.2-3800 Code of Virginia, as amended. Specifically, that statute authorizes the University to

collect, maintain and share information with third parties only to the extent necessary to

accomplish the University's mission of educating the student. It does not provide for unlimited

disclosure in the law enforcement context to third parties.

The protections afforded by federal and state laws to the individual are most absolute in the

medical context. For example, a medical screening is not part of the University's admissions

process. The Code of Virginia, Section 23-7.5, requires that each prospective student provide a

health history, but this history is not all encompassing. The health history is really a listing of

diseases against which the student has been immunized. The purpose of this code requirement is

to guard against the potential outbreak of controlled diseases in the close confines ofa residence

hall. Even this modest requirement is not absolute as the General Assembly has waived the

immunization requirement on a student's religious grounds.

Given the legal framework, let me tell you what I can about Mr. Cho based on police records.

There was a narrow window in late 2005 to early 2006 that his behavior was called into question.

The Virginia Tech Police made a referral to the University's disciplinary system for an incident in

which he sent an unwelcomed e-mail to a female student in late 2005, or approximately sixteen

(16) months before April 16,2007 . The disciplinary system contacted the e-mail recipient to

determine whether she wanted to pursue the matter. She declined to do so. Therefore, there was

no cause for action on the part of the University. Since Mr. Cho's enrollment in Fall 2003, he had

no other interaction with the disciplinary system.

As has been reported publicly, the Virginia Tech Police Department also received an inquiry

during the 2005-2006 academic year from the Chair of the English Department conceming Mr.

Cho's classroom behavior based on the content of some of his writings and the fact that Mr. Cho

took pictures of other students with his cell phone camera. The Chair of the Department did not

share the specific writings with the Police, nor did she file a formal police report. As determined

by an informal review conducted by the Police Department, the behavior was not criminal in

nature. The Police offered to provide any necessary assistance. Instead of further Police

involvement, the Chair talked to M-r. Cho and the Chair and he agreed that he would attend

private tutoring sessions that would allow him to complete the class assignments without the

necessity of his retuming to the class. Records show no further class based complaints related to

inappropriate behavior. Further, no referral was made to the student disciplinary system about this

event.

An additional contact on December 13,2005, between Mr. Cho and the Virginia Tech Police has

been documented. According to public records maintained by the Montgomery County General

District Court, the Virginia iech Police brought Mr. Cho to the attention of the Department ofMental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services as a result of a concem raised

by a fellow student who knew Mr. Cho. In tum, Mr. Cho was brought before the General District

Court Special Justice, who ordered Mr. Cho to undergo evaluation at the Carilion St. Albans

Behavioral Facility. On December 14,2005, the Special Justice for the General District Court

ordered Mr. Cho to follow-up out-patient treatment because of the danger he presented to himself

as a result of mental illness. No follow-up report was made to the Virginia Tech Police.

In summary, the impact of these laws that I have outlined is to limit what can be shared about

students publicly or with third parties, within the organization, and even with the police

department. Given the constraints imposed by the law, there are restrictions on what Virginia

Tech can share about Mr. Cho publicly. This was the reason why Virginia Tech did not release

Mr. Cho's academic records to the F.B.I. until the F.B.I. had obtained a subooena. It is also

Remarks to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

By Kay Heidbreder, University Legal Counsel

May 21,2007

Colonel Massengill and Members of the Review Panel, if I may......

My name is Kay Heidbreder. I serve as the University Legal Counsel and Assistant Attomey

General assigned to Virginia Tech. In this capacity, I provide legal advice under the direction of

the Attomey General to the University. Given my position, Dr. Steger has asked me to provide an

overview ofthe legal mandates under which Virginia Tech operates with respect to the protection

of student information. This overview is not meant to be legal advice to this panel. Rather, Dr.

Steger believes that it is crucial for this Panel to have some context ofthe legal landscape for

institutions ofhigher education. In addition, he has asked that my remarks center on the interplay

between the Counseling Center, the student disciplinary system, faculty interaction with students

and the police department. He has also asked me to share the constraints that the University faces

in providing student records to the public at large.

At any institution of higher education in Virgini4 there are a number of laws protecting the

privacy of students and student records. These laws include The Family Educational Rights and

Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. A. 312329, HIPAA 42 U.S.C. Section 1320, the Virginia Freedom ofInformation Act, Section 2.2-3700, Code of Virginia, as amended, and the Government Data

Collection and Dissemination Practices Act, Section 32.2-3800, Code of Virginia, as amended.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (aka FERPA or Buckley Amendment) sets forth

criteria for the dissemination of information to protect a student's rights ofprivacy.

The University is restricted in its ability to share a student's educational records with third parties,

extemal to the University, absent a properly executed release or a court order. While it is

debatable whether the FERPA protections end at the student's death, the other laws contain no

such limitation. Exceptions to these non-disclosure requirements include sharing records with

employees within the University who need the information to do their job. For example, an

instructor can share grade information with the Registrar. However, there is never permitted a

disclosure for medical or counseling records. This absolute prohibition tracks the restrictions

covering disclosure of medical records as provided in HIPAA or the federal legislation that

protects health information for every individual treated by a medical professional in the United

.dd!--,r..--,-l,gui! .1 i ri: ,-,:$ , . .. .:.;.: .r.i;tr,);*i&'l;,,.]9[*

important to stress tlrat it is not just Mr. Cho's records that are protected by these laws. Virginia

Tech would be precluded from releasing similar information about any of the victims ofthe

events of April 16. Furthermore, any complaints filed by third party students about Mr. Cho could

not be shared publicly, notjust to protect Mr. Cho, but also to protect the identity of those third

party complainants as well.

Thank you for your time today. Next David Ford, Vice President for Academic Affairs, will

speak with you about the events of April 16, 2007 .

Comments by Charles W. Steger, President of Virginia Tech,

to the Virginie Tech Review Panel

llfiay 21,2007

Introductory Remorks and Overview of Virginia Tech's Presentation

Colonel Massengill and distinguished members of the panel. I am pleased to have this opportunity to

welcome you to the campus of Virginia Tech. During the past week, we have been working with

representatives of Tri Data Corporation. to develop our portion of the agend4 which I hope will be

helpful to you as you pursue this most difficult task. I might note that your visit to our campus coincides

with our first day of summer school. Although our student population over the summer is only about one-

fourth of what it is during the regular year and our teaching faculty who are on g-month appointments are

not here, you can get some sense ofthe vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow on a typical Monday

moming at Virginia Tech-as April l6 was before the shootings began.

To begin, I would like to introduce to the Panel Mr. Lenwood McCoy, who has agreed to serve as the

liaison between the university and the Review Panel to ensure that the Panel receives a thorough response

to all requests for information. Mr. McCoy retired several years ago after more than 35 years with the

university, during which he served in a variety of roles, including Director of lntemal Audit and

University Controller. He will ensure that all your requests are met.

As you will hear during the presentation, we have devoted our energies over the past month primarily to

helping those families who lost their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, as

well as the victims who survived. Let me note here that out of respect for these families, the university

has denied requests by the media and others to enter Norris Hall. We made an exception to enable the

Panel to tour the building this morning because of its relevance to your work. We will continue to restrict

access until the families who indicate a desire to do so have had an opportunity visit the building. At the

appropriate time, access will be provided to the media and other members of the public.

Our presentation to the Panel today is in four parts:

1. Existing systems for emergency waming and building security.

2. What the university knew about Mr. Cho prior to the event. What steps were taken prior to the

incident.

Let me take a moment here to explain that disclosure of certain information is complicated by the laws

that relate to what information can and cannot be shared with the public, as well as what can be shared

between various units within the university.

As many of you know, the Attomey General's Office serves as the university's legal counsel. Ms.

Heidbreder is our University Legal Counsel and a Special Assistant Attomey General. As such, she is

charged with providing me legal advice on behalf of the Attomey General. We will provide all

information we can within the law.

3. What transpired in the Emergancy Policy Group when advised of the first shootings in West Ambler

Johnston Hall and immediately thereafter.

4. What is being done for support and healing of the families as well as the broader university

community.

In addition to the Emergency Policy Group, there is also an Emergency Response Resource Group, which

works in parallel to ensure necessary resources are deployed to whatever group or part ofthe university is

in need. They were able to respond in hours, and in some cases minutes, to provide counseling, meals for

the 500 increased security personnel, etc. We will provide some detail as to what has been done later this

moming. I have also appointed a task force to provide to me by the end of this month a recommendation

for an interim memorial that can be put in place in a short time. Subsequently, a proposal for a permanent

memorial will be developed.

As we work to recover from the events of April 16, we also want to leam from them. Two After-Incident

Reports are being developed for each ofthe shooting incidents. And as noted in my comments to you in

Richmond last Thursday, we have established three working groups that will focus on: 1)

telecommunications; 2) security infrastructure- locking systems, alarms, etc.; and 3) the interface between

counseling services, judicial affairs, academic affairs, and the legal system.

This is being said to note that what we will sharc with you today is what we know to the best of our

knowledge at this point in time, but as our own intemal review and examination continues, other facts

.iz

may come to light. Therefore, what we offer today is preliminary in nature and might be revised based on

the emergence of additional information. We will certainly keep you apprised as additional information

becomes available.

That concludes my introductory remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions the Panel might

have.

If there are no (further) questions, I would like to call upon Mr. Iim McCoy, from our Office of Capital

Design and Construction, to provide an overview of the systems in place.

The Virginia Tech Emergency/Weather Line recordings were also transmitted and a broadcast

telephone message was made to campus phones, The Policy Group remained in session in order

to receive additional updates about the West Ambler Johnston case and to consider further actions

ifappropriate.

At approximately 9:45 a.m., the Policy Group received word from the Virginia Tech Police of a

shooting in Norris Hall. Within five minutes a notification was issued by the Policy Group and

transmitted to the university communiry which read:

"A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings untit further notice. Stay away from all

windows."

Also activated was the campus Emergency Alert system. The voice message capability ofthat

system was used to convey an emergency message throughout the campus. Given the factual

information available to the Policy Group, the reasonable action was to ask people to stay in

place. The Policy Group did not have evidence to ensure that a gunman was or was not on the

loose, so every precaution had to be taken. The Virginia Tech campus contains 153 major

buildings, l9 miles ofpublic roads, is located on 2,600 acres ofland, and as many as 35,000

individuals might be found on its grounds at any one time on a typical day. Virginia Tech is very

much like a small city. One does not entirely close down a small city or a university campus.

Additionally, the Policy Group considered that the university schedule has a class change

between 9:55 and 10:10 a.m. on a MWF schedule. To ensure some sense of safety in an open

campus environment, the Policy Group decided that keeping people inside existing buildings ifthey were on campus and away from campus if they had not yet arrived was the right decision.

Again, we made the best decision we could based on tlte information available. So at

approximately l0:15 a.m. another message was transmitted which read:

"Virginia Tech has cancelled all classes. Those on campus are asked to remain where they are,

lock their doors, and stay away from windows. Persons off campus are asked not to come to

campus."

At approximately l0:50 a.m., Virginia Tech Police Chief Flinchum and Blacksburg Police Chief

Crannis arrived to inform the Policy Group about what they had witnessed in the aftermath of the

shootings in Nonis Hall.

ChiefFlinchum reported that the scene was bad; very bad. Virginia State Police was handling the

crime scene. Police had one shooter in custody and there was no evidence at the time to confirm

or negate a second shooter, nor was there evidence at the time to link the shootings in West

Ambler Johnston to those in Norris Hall. The police informed the Policy Group that these initial

observations were ongoing investigations.

Comments by David R Ford, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

lN{ay 21,2007

Topic: Emergency Policy Group Process/Action for April 16,2007

Chairman Massengill and Members of the Review Panel,

I am David Ford, and I serve the university as Vice hovost for Academic Affairs. One of the

responsibilities I have by virtue of my position is to be a member of the university's Emergency

Policy Group. It is in that capacity that I share with you today my account of the processes used

and actions taken by the Policy Group related to the shooting incidents in West Ambler Johnston

Residence Hall and in Norris Hall on the moming of Monday, April 16' 2007.

Shortly after 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 16, I was informed that there had been a shooting in

West Ambler Johnston Hall and that President Steger was assembling the Policy Group

immediately. By approximately 8:30 a.m., I and the other members of the group had arrived at the

Bumrss Hall Board Room and Dr. Steger convened the meeting. I leamed subsequently that as he

awaited the arrival ofother group members, President Steger had been in regular communication

with the police, had given direction to have the Govemor's office notified of the shooting, and

had called the head of University Relations to his office to begin plaruring to activate the

emergency communication systems.

When he convened the meeting, President Steger informed the Poticy Group that Virginia Tech

"Virginia Tech has closed today Monday, April 16, 2007 . OnTuesday, April 17, classes will be

cancelled. The university will remain open for administrative operations. There will be an

additional university statement presented today at noon.

All students, faculty and staff are required to stay where they are until police execute a planned

evacuation. A phased closing will be in effect today; further information will be forthcoming as

soon as police secure the campus.

Tomonow there will be a university convocation/ceremony at noon at Cassell Coliseum. The Inn

at Virginia Tech has been designated as the site for parents to gather and obtain information."

A press conference was held shortly after noon on April 16, 2007, andPresident Charles W.

Steger issued a statement citing "A tragedy of monumental proportions." Copies of that statement

are available on request.

The Policy Group continued to meet and strategically plan for the events to follow. A cnmpus

update on the shootings was issued at another press conference at approximately 5 p.m.

University employees began immediately to provide counsel and care for the families of the

deceased and injured victims. Before Dr. Zenobia Lawrence Hikes, Vice President for Student

Affairs, briefs you on those ongoing activities, do you have any questions?

Comments By: Jim McCoy,, Capital Design and Construction Department

Prepared For: Virginia Tech Review Panel

Date: May 21,2007

Building Security, Mass Notification and Emergency Procedures

Good moming. My name is Jim McCoy and, as hesident Steger indicated, my presentation this

moming will focus on the university's building security infrastructure, mass notification systems

and emergency procedures that were in place prior to April 16, 2007. While other presenters will

speak in detail later this morning about the events of April l6s, this presentation is intended to

provide Panel members with a brief overview of the pre-existing framework and operational

procedures that relate to those events.

Building perimeter security for campus facilities is primarily confined to lockable exterior doors.

With minor exceptions, building access is controlled by electronic card readers or conventional

locks and keys. Access to interior spaces is controlled in a similar fashion. For discussion

purposes, it is useful to categorize campus buildings into two groups, Student Housing facilities

and Academic/Administrative/Support facilities.

There are forly-four Student Housing facilities on campus which house 9000 students. For these

facilities, perimeter building access is controlled by electronic card readers which are managed

and maintained by the Hokie Passport Office. The Hokie Passport, which serves as a student's

identification card, is a magnetic stripe card that can be used for multiple purposes such as to

purchase meals and services, to gain access to recreational sports activities and to obtain tickets to

athletic events. With respect to building security, the card allows a building resident to access

only their particular building during such times that the exterior doors may be locked. The

electronic system can iock exterior doors on a scheduled or an as needed basis. Typically, Student

Housing facilities are locked between the hours of 10:00 pm and l0:00 am each day. During all

other times, the buildings are unlocked and fully accessible. It should be noted that entry doors to

Student Housing facilities are not monitored at any time. As such, even during times when the

doors are locked, non-residents can gain access by "tailgating" when an actual resident enters or

leaves the buildine.

Access through interior doors within Student Housing facilities, including doors to resident

rooms, is typically controlled by institutional locks and keys. Key issuance and control is

managed by the Offrce of Student Programs.

With a few exceptions, perimeter access to Academic/Administrative/Support facilities is

controlled by institutional locks and keys. These buildings are typically unlocked between the

hours 5:30 and 6:00 each weekday moming by custodial personnel, and remain unlocked and

fully accessible throughout the day. Based on a locking schedule that begins at 5:00 pm and

continues through I l:00 pm to accommodate evening classes, a university security crew locks the

exterior doors of these buildings. Most buildings remain locked throughout the weekend.

Building occupants, who may need to access the building during such times that the exterior

doors are locked, may be issued exterior door keys from the Key Control Office within the

Physical Plant Department.

Depending upon the function of the space, interior doors may or may not be lockable. Many

classrooms and public areas have doors that can be locked, but only from the public/corridor side

using an appropriate key. Typically, these doors remain unlocked because of the constant use of

these types of spaces. Classrooms, for example, also serve as meeting rooms for a multitude of

student organizations during "off'hours. Continuous use by multiple parties for a variety of

functions makes controlling access to classrooms impractical. Private offices, building support

spaces (Mech,/Elect Rooms, Telecommunications Rooms, etc.) and laboratory spaces are also

lockable. Conventional locks and keys are typically used to secure and access these spaces. In

some buildings, certain interior spaces are secured with electronic card readers or biometric

devices. These particular spaces have a heightened level ofsecurity which reflects the need to

control access more tightly.

There are currently two systems on campus which provide for mass notification. The Emergency

Alert System consists ofpole and roof mounted speakers at six locations throughout the campus.

This system allows for an audible message, either voice or tone, to be broadcast from the

controller which is located in the Virginia Tech Police Department. When activated, this systern

allows for emergency messages to be conveyed to individuals who are on campus, but not within

a building. On April 16ft, four ofthe locations were operable and the other two locations were in

the process ofbeing installed.

Depending upon which building they are in, building occupants may receive an emergency

message through the building's fire alarm system. There are currently over one hundred buildings

on the Virginia Tech campus, including all Student Housing facilities, that are equipped with a

fire alarm system. The systems serving forty-one ofthese buildings also provide voice alarm

capabilities if delivered from the building's fire alarm panel. While enhancements are needed to

centralize this function which will make it a more viable altemative for mass notifications, much

of the infrastructure is already in place to noti$ a significant ponion of the university community

in the event ofan emergency.

For many years, the university has maintained an Emergency Response Plan. The current plan,

which has been in place since May 2002, provides a set of protocols for dealing with campus

emergencies of varying degrees. The priorities of the plan are 1) to protect life safety, 2) to secure

critical infrastructure and facilities and 3) to resume teaching and research programs. This plan

provided the framework by which university officials mitigated, responded to and began

recoverins from the events of Aoril l6th.

At the cnrx ofthe plan are the actions and interactions ofthe two pre-established functional

groups. The Policy Group, made up of senior administration, creates the policies and procedures

needed to support emergency operations. The Emergency Response Resource Group, comprised

ofthe leaders ofvarious university departments whose services are responsive to the event,

implements the procedures set forth by the Policy Group.

Once activated, the plan encompasses many activities. including the timely dissemination of

accurate information. As it becomes available, information about an event is gathered by the

appropriate plan participants and channeled back to a command center where the Policy Group

establishes a plan ofaction based on the information being provided. At the appropriate time or

times, other plan participants communicate applicable information about the event to the campus

community and beyond. As prescribed by the plan, these communications can take many forms

including broadcast email, broadcast voicemail to campus phones and updates to the university

homepage. Where appropriate, communications through the Emergency Alert System and

available building fire alarm systems may also be enacted.

As the events of April 16tr are detailed in a later presentation, I am confident that the Panel will

see the correlation between the actions ofuniversity officials that day and the Emergency

Response Plan that was in place at the time.

With that, I'll conclude the presentation. If, however, there are questions from Panel members

regarding the university's security systems or emergency procedures prior to April I 6s, I'll be

happy to try and answer them for you at this time,

,";. ..- -^,;:*.*,- .

Vireinia Tech Review Pannel: DOCUMENTS Page I of2

DOCUMENTS TOP

DOCUITIENTS:

The Virginia Tech Review PanelComments by Charles W. Steger

President, Virginia TechMay 1O, 2OO7

Governor Kaine. Colonel Massengill, and members of the commission. Normally, I would address a commission by saying that Iam happy to have the opportuniiy to appear before you. We know that is not true. Each of us appears here today with heavy

heart, a most profound sense of sorrow...and yes, still to this day...disbelief.

A terribly deranged young man....one of our own students...visited unimaginable horror upon our university, our brlght young

minds, our rising stars, and our caring and learned faculty.

He took 32 precious lives and then his own. He wounded 25 more. ln the process, he seriously injured an entire nation. As we

have noted many times throughout this terrible ordeal, the families of those who lost their lives and the injured have remainedour highest priority, followed by the needs of our greater university community. We will do everything possible to assist with theirrecoverv.

I have said time and agaln, that Virginia Tech, our commonwealth, all of hlgher education, and indeed, the world must leam fromthis tragedy. I personally asked the governor for your work.

we have been and will continue to cooperate fully with your review and findings. I have appointed a lead individual, a retireduniversity executive with experience in many sectors including audit, to assist you with your data gathering and be your liaison

with any office on campus.

Each one of us and each sector of our society that has been touched by this tragedy must welcome the inspection, introspection,and the scrutiny of a thorough analysis.

In our own case we have underway after-action reviews, which can inform your data gathering. In addition to understanding theincidents, we will be looking at three broad areas: telecommunications infrastructure, the Physical infrastructure as it relates tosafety and security, and most importantly, the internal protocols for information exchange. I am particularly interested in thoseintersections between the academic enterprise, counseling, our disciplinary system, the legal system, and the police'

Our preliminary schedule calls for those reviews to be complete by late August, which I understand is within your study time-frame to be of use to you.

In addition to our incident response, I know that you will be looking at the broad spectrum of issues including policies, protocols,and the law.

I have read and heard other university presidents and pundits say that this tragedy could have happened on any campus inAmerica. We draw no solace from such observations.

My hope is that we - and every campus throughout the nation - can learn in the months ahead what happened and why'.'to theextent that rational conclusions can be drawn from irrational violence. We will learn and the world will learn from this.

There already is a vigorous national discourse underway on many issues - mental health, the interplay between the rights ofindividuals and the rights of societies and communities, the interaction between gun laws and privacy, campus security and theunderlying physical infrastructure, and much more.

We need to know how weli our mental health system is performing. Is this country devoting the time, resources, and energy tohelping those ln need?

611312007http://www.vtreviewpanel.or p/ docsl2007 I mayipresident notes.hhl

Virsinia Tech Review Pannel: DOCUMENTS

We need to know if privacy laws can or should change so that school administrators, court officials, or the mental healthDrofession itself, has the information it needs to treat and handle those wlth mental illnesses on college campuses.

Certainly, you will bump into the nexus of individual rights and privacy laws versus the rights of a society, a communlty, or a

university to protect itself against possible harm from the mentally ill...or anyone else, for that matter.

We need to know if the university reacted in accordance with accepted procedure in its response to the murders withln ourresidence hall. Our university police and rescue squad responded within three minutes of a report that someone fell from a bed

within a residence hall. Within minutes thereafter, the police, then knowing of a gunshot fatality and injury, secured theresidence hall. began investigating, and within one hour had a "person of interest." Your analysis of this and the terrible eventsfollowing is of crucial importance.

My campus has 19 miles of public roads on its 2,600 acrus and 153 mostly accessible buildings. On any given day, we have about35,OOO people coming and going. How does an organization secure a university campus during an emergency? Or for thatmatter, what levels of security are appropriate for normal operations?

We need to know about the preparedness - to the degree that any instltutlon can prepare for horrible and irrational massviolence - of my university and other schools like ours for violence or other mass events that require an institutional response toprotect the health, safety, and welfare of a campus community.

We have multiple methods of emergency communications and have In the works implementation plans for more. We all need toknow whether universities such as our can do more to protect and inform its populations and multiple audiences In emergencles.

Tomorrow, Virginia Tech will celebrate its annual spring commencement. This is our time for celebration. Commencement, ofcourse, means "the beginning." For our graduates, it is and will be the beginning of the next phases of their lives. We know thatthey wlll carry with them not only those treasured memories unique to the college experience, but also the searing memory ofthe tragic events of April 16.

We owe it to them, we owe it to the injured. y/e owe it the families of the fallen... indeed, we owe it to all other schools andcampuses in this country to examine all these issues in their totality....and find ways of preventing anything like this ever again.

Page2 of2

6/1?/2.OO1

Virginia Tech Review Panel . Col. Gerald Massengill, ChairVirginia lech Review Panel, P.O. Box 12337, Arlington, VA 222L9-2337

Researci and Staff support provided by the lriDat! divirion of Syrtem Planning Corporation, Arllngton, VA

HOiIE . CITIZEN COMMENTS . PANEL INFO . NEWS . PUBLIC MEETINGS . NOTES

httn'//rrnrrw rrtrerriervnanel nro/rlna,c./? OO'7 /mav/nresidenf nnies html

sl20/20a7

April t6,2A07

EMS Response

tr Cdh Wtinmltc, IXS C!nd!&rOrt. M.ttLv, t ltii.4 4i3op.ndo.r. Cr'l., nrs\fficu=

Tnining & Preparedness

' Organize annual Mass Gsualty Drill with Ufe

Member Assoclation

"c;. ---

Virfinia Tech Rescue Squad

. Established 1!}69 by four w students

. Oldest collegiate Rescue Squad nationwide

. Recelved the EMS Service of the year, 1988

. Received Governor's Award for OutstandlngEMS Agencly, 2000

. Recognized by American AmbulanceAssociatlon with Stars of Life Award, May 2007

msWcuE

Virginia Tech Rescue Squad

. Wlunteer Student-Run Organizatlon

- 38 members

. Two Advanced Lift Support Ambulances

. One Advanced Life Support Response Vehicle

. Mass Casualty Trailer capable of 30 patients

. Biqrcle Team

. Gator MedBed

nesfficur

Training & Preparedness

. Probationary M€mbec attend semester-longlntrodudory course

- Intmduccd to Ind&rt Comm.od $Atcm. Actirre Members attend EMT-Baslc caurse. Acttve Membe6 precept numberof calls. Adminiiler€d a set of drills

- Medlctl- ltau|n|- Crrdlrc Atreit- Motor vbhld! Accld€m

- Tablctop MasJ Cislalty Drlll

nesfficue

Training & Preparedness

. Determined need for revised Incident ActionPlan for Large Scale Incidents

- October 2006

. Approved revised Incldent Action Plan

- March 2007

. Process of lmplementing IAP in progress onApril 16

- Annual MCI Drill \,\ras scheduled for early May

nesWue

s/2ol2oa7

Triage Baslcs

. In Mass Casualty Incident patients are treated

in a different mannerthan day-to-dayoperatlons

- EMs providec tag all patlrrts with one of fuurcolors

- The Virglnia Office of lMS uses th€ START Triage

System [simple triage and rapld transport]

- WRS employs SrART Triage on Mass Casualty

lnddents

nesffiue

Triage Basics

. Green: walking rwunded [ambulatory]

. Yellow: delayed transport wounded

I. Red: critical patients, transpofted ASAP

I. Black dead on arrival, patlent is not viable

nrsWcue

7:ZLam

virglnla Tech Rescue Squad [VTRSI dlspatched by

Virglnla Tech Police Department [vtPDl

4040 Ambler Johnston West for a female subjectwho had frllen from her loft bed.

Resident Advisor made 911 call.

nesfficue

7:24am

. WRS Rescue 3 Responding

- AIS Crew whh 3 on-board

nesffiue

7:26am

. Rescue 3 arrives on-scene at wAJ

I

7:29am

. Rescue 3 crew begins treatint the patients

nesWcue

7:32am

. Rescue 3 requests All Available Vlrglnia Tech

Rescue personnel to respond to WAJ

nes\Wcue

7:36am

. Virglnla Tech Rescue Squad Captain contacts

- MontSomery Regional Hospital IMRHI wlth 1traumatlc cardlac arrest and 1 crltl{al trauma alertpatient

-WPD to request addltlonal Ad\ranced uft Supportfrom BlackbuB Rescue Squad

nrs\ffi*e

7:3lam

. Rescue 3 requests Second Ambulance forsecond oatient

nrs\ftFcue

sl20/2aa7

7:35am

. Rescue 2 Responding to Ambler Johnston

- Baslc ufu Support with 2 on board

- EMT-Enhanced on-'ene

- Virginia Tech Rescue Lieutenant on{cene

nerffi*t

7:43am

. Rescue 3 en-route to M RH with first patient

. Rescue 3 staffed by

- EMT-Prrsmedic

- EMT-lntermediate

- EMT-Enhanced

- EMT-8aslc

nesfficue

7:48am

. Rescue 2 requests Carilion Lifeguard medevachellcopter

- WPD advises 40 minute ETA from Rural Retreat

. WPO addsad to send LifuBuard toMontgomery Regional Hospital

nesWue

7:49arn

. Rescue Z en-rcute to MRH with second patient

. Rescue 2 staf&d by

- EMl-lntermedlrte

- EMT-lntermedlate

- EMT-Enhrnced

- EMT-Enhanced

. VirtinL Tech Rercue lleutenant contacts Cariliondispatch

- Ufeguard hellcoptrB rru not flyinS du€ lo lr€ethlr

nes\ffiue

9:02am

. Rescue 3 returns to service

. Rescue 2 rernains at Montgomery R€tlonalHospital for restoddng

nesVffiue

Approximately 9:40am

. Rescue 3 in quarters

. Approximately 6 personnel in station

. Overhear call for active shooter in Nonis Hall

over VTPD radio frequency

Approximately 9:42am

. lmplement WRS Incident Action Plan

- Virginla Tech Rescue Squad Lieutenant assumesEMS Command

. Rescue 3 staffed with Advanced Life SupportCrew

- Standing by at wRS Station per EMS Command

nesffius

Approxim ately 9:42am [cont.]

. Virginia Tech Rescue Squad Lieutenantcontacts Montgomery County Emergency

Services Coordinator

- Requests all county squads be placed on standby

- Requests Emergencl Services Coordinatorrespond to VTRS Station

nesffiue

s/20/2ao7

9:46am

Virginia Tech Reso.re Squad [WRSI dispatched byMrginia Tech Police Department [VTPD]

Second Floor Norris Hall for multiple subjectswounded.

nesffiue

9:46am

. Vlrginia Tech Rescue Squad Lieutenantestablishes EMS Command with WPD

- Unit$ are standlng by

- Wll not proceed until cleared by wPD

. WPD acknowledges

. Rescue 2 is responding from MontgomeryRegional Hospltal

nesffiue

9:48am

. lnitial Staging Area establlshed at Blacksbu€Statisn 1

. Emergency Servkes Crordinator is advlsed ofchange in Staging location

- ls aslced to supply All Av"llable county units toBlacksburg Statlon I

nesffiue

9:54am

. VTPD advises they will have multiple patients

- lnformatlon ls transmitted to Emergency Services

coordlnstor

- Emecency SeNices Coordinator resets pages furcounty unlts and ldentifies MCI situation withMontgomery County Dispat€h

nesfficue

9:56am

. First patients begin movlng out of Norris

- Tactical medics from VTRS and BVN ha\€ beeninside the buitdln6

- Triage has begun inside Norris Hall by Tactical

Medics as rooms are deemed safe

nesWcue

9:55am

. staging Area placed at old Turner and StangerStreets once VTPD hes cleared EMS to enter

. Treatment Area establlshed at BaBer and

Stanger Street

- Mass Casualty Traller is deployed to TreatmentArea

nes\ffiue

5/20/2OO7

9:57am

. EMS Command advises all unlts operatlng onthe scene to swikh to Primarv Tactical

frequency VrAC1

REswcuE

9:57am

. Rescue 3 sent to Old Turner and Stanger topick up wounded patients that are beingextricated from Nonls Hall by Police Officers

- Transported to the Treatment Area

. WPD has not cleared the scene for EMS entry

- No unlts have entered the scene otherthanTactlcal Medi6

nesWcue

10:08am

. Primary Triage is taking place in Norris Hall

-Tactical Medics

. Seondary Triage is planned at the entEnce toNorris Hall

. Multiple EMTs, Al5 personnel, and Nurseshave arrived from surrounding areas

- Staffing Treatment A'ea

REswcuE

10:09am

. WPD advises that the shooter is down and PD

has cleared the building for EMS entry

. lnitial Triage Team enters the area on Rescue 3and proceeds lnto Norris Hall with Policeescort

. Secondary Triage established on Norris Lawn

nesfficue

Approximately 10:20am

. Surounding hospitals have been contactedand capacity numbers are in the CommandPost

. Triaged Red(criticaU patients are being$ansported directly from secondary triage

. Triaged Green and Yellow(non-critical)Patients are being re-triaged at the TreatmentArea

REsWcuE

Approximately 10:20am

. Ambulances are transporting patients tosurrounding hospitals per the capac'rty

numbers provided by the hospitals.

RESWUE

10:47am

. Triage Teams have cleared the second f,oor ofNonis Hall of all viable patients.

. Transport of cltical patients ls complete.

. FinalTriaged Elack Patient count ls 31.

. Triage Teams begin to find patients who hadjumped from second floor windows withinjuries,

nss\,ffcue

11:13am

. WPD advises EMS Operations there ls no

additional incident at the tennis court area(the call is unfounded).

nesffcue

1.0:38am

. Rescue 2 moves from the Treatment Area toNorris Hall with equipment and additionalTriage teams.

nes\fficuE

10:58am

. EMs operations is notified of a thlrd shootlngincident in the tennis court area onWashington Street.

. Triage Teams are staged in ambulances torespond to the tennis court area once VTPD

clears the scene

11:18am

. The Ambulance Staging Area ls relocated toPerry Street.

nesfficus

s/2a12007

3:47pm

. Units are staged to begin transporting thedeceased to the Medical Examiner in Roanoke.

nesWue

8:01Pm

. EMS Command is terminated and the VirginiaTech Rescue Squad returns to normalooerations,

nrsffiue

8:00Pm

. Afl ofthe deceased have been transported tothe Mediczl Examiner in Roanoke.

nesVZcue

EMS Response

. 14 Agencles

. 27 ALS Ambulances

. Over 120 EMS Personnel were on*cene

REsWcuE

L2:22pm

. EMS Command stages six ambulances at thetop of Barger Street in case of another

incident

. Secondary Staging is at Blacksburg Statlon 1.

nesWcue

EMS Response - 14 assisting agencies. MontSom€ry County Emeryenql scrviccs Coordlnator. Blacksbur8 Rclcue squad. Chrl$ltrl3burt Re5cue 5qu8d. shsw'vllle Rcscue Souad. Lon$hop+lccoy Re.cue Squod. Crrlllon Pltlcnt Transponation Scryic.t. Sslem Rescue Squad. Glks R€strle squad. Ncwport Rescue Squad. Lllcllnr Ambulaoce Servlce. Roanoke City tlre and Rescue. Vinton tlrst Ald Crcw. Radturd Unlvc6lty EMS. CIW of Radford EMS nesWcue

s/20/?.007

nesfficue *rsffiut

Summary

. The EMS response was outstanding

. All patients were transported within an hour

. Crltlcal patients were transported lmmediately

. Triage system was executed without fault

*rrfficu=

Summary

. The Virglnla Tech Rescue Squad Incident

Action Plan was executed with great success

. Volunteer Rescue Squads exceptional workingrelationship

nesffiue

SUMMARY OF KDY FINDINGS

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

n April L6,2007, seung Hui cho, an angry and disturbed student, shot to death 32 stu-

dents ancl faculty of virginia Tech, wounded 17 more, and then killed himself.

The incident horrified not only Virginians, but people across the United States and throughout

the world.

Tim Kaine, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, immeiliately appointeal a panel -to

review the events leading up to this trageal.y; the handling ofthe incidents by public safety ofE-

cials, emergency servi"es'providers, andthe university; and the sewices subsequently provided

to families, survivors, care-givers, and the community'

The Virgiinia Tech Review Panel reviewed several separate but related issues in assessing

events leading to the mass shootings and their aftermath:

r The Life and mental health history of Seung Hui Cho, from early childhood until the

weeks before April 16.

Feiteral and state laws concerning the privacy of health and education records.

Cho's purchase of guns and related gun control issues'

The clouble homicide at West Ambler Johnston (WA.I) resitlence hall and the mass

shootings at Norris Hall, including the responses of Virginia Tech leailership and the

actions oflaw enforcement ofhcers and emergency responders'

Emergency medical care immediately following the shootings, both onsite at Virginia

Tech and in cooperating hospitals'

The work of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia'

The services provided for surviving victims of the shootings and others injured, the

families and loved ones of those killed and injured, members of the university commu-

nity, and caregivers.

The panel conducted over 200 interviews and reviewed thousands of pages of records, and

reports the following major findings:

1. Cho exhibited signs of mental health problems during his childhooil. His middle and

high schools responded well to these signs and, with his parents' involvement, provided

,"t ri"ua to address his issues. He also received private psychiatric treatment and coun-

seling for selective mutism and depression.

In 1g99, after the Columbine shootings, Cho's middle school teachers observed suicidal

and homicidal ideations in his writings and recommended psychiatric counseling, which

he received. It was at this point that he received medication for a short time. Although

Cho's parents were aware that he was troubled at this time, they state they dirl not spe-

cificaliv know that he thought about homicide shortly after the 1999 Columbine school

shootings.

a

a

a

a

a

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

2. Durhg Cho's junior year at Virginia Tech, numerous incidents occurred that were clear

warnings of mental instability. Although various individuals and departments withinthe university knew about each of these incidents, the university did not intervene

effectively. No one knew all the information and no one connected all the dots.

3, University of&cials in the offrce of Judicial Affairs, Cook Counseling Center, campus

police, the Dean of Students, and others explained their failures to communicate withone another or with Cho's parents by noting their belief that such communications are

prohibited by the federal laws governing the privacy of health and education records. Inreality, fedeial laws and their state counterparts afford ample leeway to share informa-

tion in potentially dangerous situations.

4. The Cook Counseling Center and the university's Care Team failed to provide needed

support and services to Cho during a period in late 2005 and early 2006. The system

taitea tor lack of resources, incorrect interpretation of privacy laws, and passivity.

Records of Cho's minimal treatment at Virginia Tech's Cook Counseling Center are

missirg.

b. Virginia's mental health laws are flawed and services for mental health users are

inailequate. Lack of suf6cient resources results in gaps in the mental health system

incluiling short term crisis stabilization and comprehensive outpatient services. The

involuntary commitment process is challenged by unrealistic time constraints, lack ofcritical psychiatric data and collateral information, and barriers (perceived or real) to

open communications among key professionals.

6. There is widespread confusion about what federal and state privacy laws allow. Also,

the federal laws governing records of health care provided in educational settings are

not entirely compatible with those governing other health records'

?. Cho purchased two guns in violation offederal law. The fact that in 2005 Cho had been

judged to be a danger to himself and orclered to outpatient treatment made him ineligi-

ble to purchase a gun under federal law.

8. Virginia is one of only 22 states that report any information about mental health to afederal database used to conduct backgrountl checks on would-be gun purchasers. ButVirginia law did not clearly require that persons such as Cho-who had been ordered

into out-patient treatment but not committed to an institution-be reported to the data-

base. Governor Kaine's executive order to report all persons involuntarily committed foroutpatient treatment has temporarily addressed this ambiguity in state law' But achange is needed in the Code of Virginia as well.

9. Some Virginia colleges and universities are uncertain about what they are permitted to

do regarding the possession of firearms on campus.

10. on April '16, 2007, the virg:inia Tech and Blacksburg police departments responded

quickiy to the report of shootings at West Ambler Johnston residence hall, as did the

Vi"gt*" Tech and Blacksburg rescue squads. Their responses were well coordinated.

11. The Virginia Tech police may have erred in prematurely concluding that their initiallead in the double homicide was a good one, or at least in conveying that impression to

university officials while continuing their investigation. They did not take suffrcient

action to deal with what might happen if the initial lead proved erroneous. The police

STIMMARY OF KEY NINDINGS

reported to the university emergency Policy Group that the "person of interest" probably

was no longer on campus.

12. The VTPD erred in not requesting that the Policy Group issue a campus-wide notifica-

tion that bwo persons had been killed and that all students and staff should be cautious

and alert.

18. Senior university administrators, acting as the emergency Policy Group, failed to issue

an all-campus notification about the WAJ killings until almost 2 hours had elapsed.

University practice may have conflicted with written policies'

14. The presence of large numbers of police at WAJ led to a rapid response to the first 9-1-1

call that shooting had begun at Norris Hall,

lb. Cho's motives for the WAJ or Norris HalI shootings are unknown to the police or thepanel. Cho's writings and videotaped pronouncements do not explain why he struck

when and where he did.

16. The police response at Norris Hall was prompt and effective, as was triage and evacua-

tion of the wound.eil. Evacuation of others in the building could have been implemented

with more care.

12. Emergency medical care im mediately following the shootings was provided very effec'

tively and timely both onsite and at the hospitals, although providers from different

"g"o"i"r had some difficulty communicating with one another. Communication of accu'

rate information to hospitals standing by to receive the wounded and injured was

somewhat deficient early on. An emergency operations center at Virginia Tech could

have improved communications.

18. The Office of the Chief MerLical Examiner properly discharged the technical aspects ofits responsibility (primarily autopsies and identification of the deceased). Communica-

tion with families was poorly handled.

19. State systems for rapid.ly deploying trained professional staff to help families get infor-

mation, crisis intervention, and referrals to a wide range of resources did not work.

20. The university established a family assistance center at The Inn at Virginia Tech, but itfell short in helping families and others for two reasons: lack of leadership and lack ofcoordination among service providers. University volunteers stepped in but were nottrained or able to answer many questions and guide families to the resources they

needed.

21. In order to advance public safety and meet public needs, Virginia's colleges and univer-

sities need to work together as a coordinated system of state-supported institutions'

As reflected in the botly of the report, the panel has made more than 70 recommendations

directed to colleges, universities, mental health providers, law enforcement officials, emergency

service providers, Iaw makers, and other public of6cials in Virginia and elsewhere'

\

:M84S/OM^ flt't4t--Comments Charles W. Steger

August 22,2001

Good afternoon and thank you for coming. As you know, it's been a bittersweet week for

us at Virginia Tech: First, the very moving dedication of a memorial, which will forever

remind us of our profound loss and of lhe 32 souls who will always be a part of this

university... In the midst of that, a frightening off-campus incident that sent more than 20

ofour students to hospitals - although I'm happy and relieved to say no lives were lost

[need to update].

But at the same time, we've seen the return of ogr students to campus, and all of the

enthusiasm, joy, and promise that comes with each new school year. I challenge anyone

to spend a day on this campus and not come out an optimist -

The reports that we have released today are also grounds for optimism - because they

reconfirm the ability of this institution to examine itself, to leam and to evolve.

As you may recall, after April l6 I called for the creation of two different, but concurrent

review processes.

One is an external review - essentially an investigative analysis ofthe hagedy from its

genesis to its management and response. From the beginning, I felt this needed to be

done by an objective, outside panel, backed by significant resources and expertise. I was

very pleased that Govemor Kaine was of the same mind, and we look forward to seeing

the results of his independent Virginia Tech Review Panel in the coming week.

The other review is internal in structure and focus. This review is not intended to be an

investigation or a forensic analysis, but rather a close look at the university's existing

policies, processes, systems and resources through the new prism ofthe 4/16 ttagedy.

In fact, many colleges and universities around the country are commencing similar

intemal reviews, a recognition that this type of senseless tragedy can happen anywhere.

But it didn't happen just anywhere, and it is certainly incumbent on us to extract any

lessons that could make Virginia Tech stronger, safer, better equipped to fulfill our

mission.

We established three committees to undertake our review, and today you will hear briefpresentations by each of the three committee chairs. As you've seen, the reports and their

appendices are rather voluminous, so we felt these presentations would be helpful indistilling the findings. I thank all three of the committee chairs for their diligence and

leadership.

- Jim Hyatt, executive vice president iurd chiefoperating officer, led the reviewcommittee looking at campus security;

- Erv Blyhe, vice president for information technology, led the committee on

communications infrastructure ;

- Jeny Niles former dean of the college of liberal arts and human sciences, led the

committee reviewing the interface and exchange of information across

departments, including the intersections between the academic enterprise'

counseling, our disciplinary system, the legal system, and the police.

/i

We have also provided the report to the Govemor's panel this week, although I would

add that virnratty all of the information contained in them had already been discussed

with the panel during the course of its review.

The reports you received today are the same documents that were hansmitted to me by

the committee heads, but with some very limited redactions. These include proprietary

business information that was given to us by vendors, and a few redactions that were

necessary for safety and security reasons. For example, it would be inesponsible for us

to publicly discuss the locations of critical communications infrastructure, or operation

and placement of certain security systems.

The redactions are indicated by X's, so it will be very clear to you where they occur. Let

me emphasize that none of the redacted language had any significant impact on the

findings or recoulmendations that are made in these reports.

Before our committee chairs make their presentatrot r, t", me take the liberfy of making

some overall observations.

There is little doubt that April I 6 has changed public expectations of the entire higher

education community. The adjustnents in procedures, policies and resources that are

proposed in these reports reflect Virginia Tech's commitment to meet those expectations.

The recommendations for change can be divided into three primary categories that

correspond to the three review areas:

The first part might be called physical security -- changes in facilities and procedures that

are designed to protect the physical safety of everyone in our campus community.

For example, we have all heard about the concept of "lockdown" - the suggestion that a

campus can be buttoned up instantaneously in an emergency. Our review reflects the

consensui of law-enforcement experts such as the Virginia Association of Campus Law

Enforcement Administrators that such a "lockdown" is simply not feasible on a campus

the size of a small city. However, it is certainly feasible to secure or'oharden" individual

buildings and other facilities, and the review addresses that approach

The second part relates to improving emergency communications - the in-frastructure that

facilitates communication into and out of tle c€rmpus, directly to students and faculty,

and among emergency responders. For example, the new WAlerts system, which was

already being developed before April 16, is now fully operational.

You will also hear discussion of a new, state-of-the-art'oinformation architecture" that

has great promise if implemented in coming years. This type of integrated, intemet-

protocol system was envisioned initially as a way to enhance the leaming environment,

but in fact it can enhance campus security as well.

Of course, these communication tools must be coupled with protocols that guide their

use, while allowing enough flexibility to respond to each situation. The experts remind

us that each emergency is unique and careful judgment must be applied in determining

when and how campus alerts are issued.2

The third category involves the flow of inforrration across departments with regard to

students. Simply put, we must have a more coordinated system for managing the needs

of students at risk. This includes better interdepartmental communication and more

consistent interpretation and application of privacy laws.

The next steps will be for the university to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the

recommenditions, including a cost-benefit analysis, to determine which

recommendations will be adopted and whether there are other worthy recommendations

that have not been identified; prioritized the recommendations; identify funding sources;

and develop a timeline for implementation. Those we felt were immediate imperatives

are alreadybeing implemented. We will be considering the others based on a variety offactors. Every good idea involves a tradeoff of some type - whether that's practicability,

cost, or some type of unintended impact - so we have to look at each on its own merits.

What the intemal reviews do not allempt to do - and I urge you to bear this in mind - is

to draw any conclusions about potential relationships between the actions taken or

systems in place on April 16 and the cause or outcome of the tragedy itself. Again, this

process was not designed for that purpose'

We at Virginia Tech have been forever changed by the crimes of one severely disturbed

yolmg man. He was determined to commit murder, planned his crime meticulously, and

managed to conceal his homicidal urges from all of the law-enforcement authorities and

the mental health experts who tried to help him and presumably even from his family.

The reviews before you propose a credible framework to help us meet the demands and

expectations of our new reality. We will take whatever steps are needed to maintain the

safety, confidence and peace ofmind ofour students, faculty and the entire Hokie

community.

As I invite our committee chairs to make their presentations, let me ask that you please

hold your questions until all three presentations are complete. I realize this will mean a

lot of information up front, but we feel it is the best way to lay out the key hndings.

Jim Hyatt begins.

####

Jantes A.HyattExecutive Vice President & ChiefOperating OfficerAtrgust 22,2007

SECUR.ITY INFRASTRUCTUR'E GROUP

SPEAKING POINTS

PROCESS

. ln resPonse to the tragic events- Ao;il-'-16, 2007, the President

Working GrouP'

on the Virginia Tech campul o-n Y"19.?ylliJritn"a the securiiy lnfrastructure

r The Group was charged with examining the university's exisiing security

systems uno '""o#"u'niiil ;;;;#td"i;;i; ;nhance the' universitv's

ability to respono q''ii"riv'"""J etfe-ctivety * -itt'tt"t where the safeiy of

the campus commr-tnity is jeopardized'

. The Group was arso directed to identlfy-straiegies that might,decrease the

probability of suc-h situations ottu"ing ;nO to conside'r not only

technotogicar aspects oitn" L"u", nut arsJtrl- Jehavior of individuals with

regard to camPus securitY'

' I was appointed as Chairman of the Group and t in tum appointed the

following core members'

Earvins L. Blvthe, Vice Preside"ll"l{::1*ion TechnolooY

Wendell R. Flinchum' ii'""to' of Campus Security and Chief of Police

Lawrence G. nin'rJ''""n"*tJ"i"tt 'vi"* Fiesident for Universiiy

Relations . -!f,/,^-^^ariX"i"t v. McCoy, Capital Projeci Man-ag"l^-u"o

as an advisor to the

ffi; * "H"iout"o"t,

University Counsel ser

GrouPF The Group was staffed by Heidi McCoy' Director of Administraiive

operations""d;;;;;iiotneE*"tiii'LVcepresioentandchiefOPerating Officer'

. Staff from several campus units Prwide: ?rTiT3"'i*tL,]?i3:ffi%fi::- ;; th; ctoup, including representatrves

and Residential Programs'

. The Group also retained exiemal experts to-

;;;ttliy Policies and Procedures'

. ln addition, the Group and its adviso-rs^conducted siie

research un ive rs itieJ "a,il' ih"-"" r pu s.9s 9f

two p rivate

to benchma* trre irnjvJrsiiy's se'"u'ity infrastructure

leaders.

review current campus

visits to two maiorsector corPorationswith other national

. While the commissions and panels established by President Bush and

Governor Kaine were fornred to consider security issues from a State and

National policy perspective, this Group's focus was to examine security

issues from the perspective of a large research university'

. The Group evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the university's

existing security systems and related infrastructure'recommendations for how existi ng systemsiinf rastructure

and enhanced.

The Group also looked at how to address emergency situations that might

arise in the future.

ft is important to note that in order to meet the August 17, 2OO7 report

deadline to the President, the group focused its analysis on the main

Blacksburg campus.

The Group, therefore, recommends that a follow-up study be conducted of

security issues at the university's other campus sites, including Abingdon'Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Roanoke, as well as at

all Agricultural Research and Experiment stations (ARECs) and 4-H

offices.

STRENGTHS ASSOCIA.TED WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S CURRENT SECURITY

PROCESSES:

. Mutual aid agreements with local, regional and state law enforcement

agencies and rescue squads enable the campus to respond in a prompt

and coordinated manner to emergency situations.

r ln response to the events of April 16, 2007 over 30 police and law

enforcement agencies and 20 rescue units came to the aide of our

campus police and rescue squad.

- r Ongoing joint training exercises with other law enforcement and

emergency units allow the campus to prepare for possible emergencies,

. The campus employs a number of mass emergency communicationsystems including e-mail, an emergency web page, audible sirens, and

telephone trees that enables it to get emergency information out in

multiple formats.

and developedcan be improved

a

On July 2, 2007 a new mass communication system, W Alerts, was

implemented that in the case of an emergency provides instant and textmessaging to individual cell phones. As of last week approximately { 2'500subscribers had signed up forthis service.

The campus also employs a robust communication infrastructure that inthe event of an emergency allows for pre-established call centers and the

ability to respond to increased cell phone and other telecommunicationdemands.

All student residential facilities and some academic buildings are

accessible through an electronic card key access system. (Note: All

residence halls are now on card key access on a 7 day and 24 hourbasis.)

The campus has a nationally accredited.campus police department-

It also has a documented campus emergency preparedness responseplan that includes a process for establishing an incident commander,emergency response coordinator and emergency response team to

coordinate and deploy appropriate resources and support services.

. The campus benefits from the engagement of the president and key

campus administrators in addressing campus emergencies (e.g' Policy

Committee).

. ln the event of an emetgency the campus benefits frcm the strcng supportof faculty, staff and students and the sunounding community'

FIVE AREAS TARGETED FOR ENHANCEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS:

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

' Removal and replacement of the hardware on all perimeter doors tomitigate the risk of doors being chained.

. Installation of interior locks on all general assignment classrooms and

evaluating installation of locks on non-general assignment classrooms-

. Exploring the installation of a centrally controlled electronic card key

access system for all key academic and administrative facilities. Thissystem will be used to secure buildings during non working hours. ln theevent of an emergency such a system would allow individual and'groupsof buildings to be locked remotely by the police department.

r Constructing a state of the art Public Safety Building that will enhanceVirginia Tech Police and Virginia Tech Rescue Squad services byphysically consolidating these units in a single facility.

' Exploring the feasibility of deploying a centrally monitored closed circuittelevision (CCTV) system using video surveillance cameras at keylocations on the campus.

COMMUNICATION

ln order to provide mass notificationenvironments where other systems may notit is recommended that a simple electronicaudible alarms be installed in all classrooms.

in classrooms and otherprovide adeguate notifi cationbanner textual displays with

Exploring the installation of LCD message boards within the entranceskey campus buildings, as well as outdoor illuminated message boardsmajor campus entrances.emergency situations andto be taken.

These displays would alert the campusprovide instructions on the appropriate actions

, Creating an electronic "people locator system" that members of thecampus population could log on to after an emergency to post their statusso that concemed relatives, friends and colleagues could receive updatedinformation.

. Developing pre-written "templates" to help communicators craftemergency messages more expeditiously.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDN ESS

. Updating the campus emergency preparedness response plan on anannualbasis.

Preparing for potential emergencies by increasing the use of annual 'tabletop" or simulaiion exercises by key campus units'(e.9. police, rescuesquad, physical plant, building coordinators, etc). Where appropriate theseexercises should involve faculty, students and staff as well as lawenforcement and public safety units from sunounding jurisdictions.

lmplementing a building coordinator program whereby a person in eachbuilding is identified as the responsible party in the event of anemergency. All coordinators will be trained in appropriate emergencyresponse and security processes and procedures. Central coordinationand training will be the responsibility of the campus police department.

toatto

Formally identifying backups to key Policyunable to physically respond to campuscommunications with key Policy Committeewhen an emergency occurs.

Committee members who areernergencles. Also enhancingmembers who are off camous

PROTOCOLS

Enhancing security protocols that will explicitly highlight what to do in theevent of an emergency. This will include posted signs in all classroomsand student services facilities, as well as inclusion of such material as part

of new employee and student orientations.

. Creating a security master plan for the campus and establishing a campussecurity planning committee.

IMPLEMENTATION

. ln order to implement the recommendations outlined in this report theuniversity should immediately initiate a program to fully cost and identifythe funding sources necessary to implement the program.

. Possible fund sources could include increased state support as well as apossible mandatory life/safety fee.

FINAL WORDS

. Security planning must be an integral part of a campus' ernergencypreparedness plan.

. Annual simulation or table top exercises involving multiple campus unitsand community agencies maintain a state of readiness to respond toemergency situations.

. Security Planning needs the support and participation of executiveleadership from the president to all levels of the University'

Ongoing training of faculty, students and staff on how to respond to avariety of emergencies situations is critical.

Communication must be multi-layered and involve several different meansof communicaiing with diverse populations.

Finally, it is important torecommendations listed

note that this overview only highlights 15 of the.27in the Group's report.

f trrtQL-

Overview of the Findings and Recommendations of the

April 16 Tragedy Internal Review Committees

BLACKSBURG, Aug. 22,2007 - on May 9,2007 President charles Steger directed

three internal reviews in the wake of the April l6 tragedy on the virginia Tech campus'

He directed the chairs "to look at strengths and weaknesses ofour existing

systems/infrastructure and how they may be improved or augmented to address

ernergency situations that might arise in the future'"

These reviews are internal in structure and focus and not intended to be forensic in

nature. Says Steger, "I asked for the creation oftwo different, but concurrent review

processes. The external review commissioned by Govemor Kaine is essentially

investigatory in nature, while ours is a forward looking review of university policy,

resources, and infrastructure through the prism ofApril 16'"

The Security Infrastructure Group was charged with examining the university's existing

security ,yrt"-r and recommending changes that would enhance the university's ability

to respond quickly and effectively in situations where the safety of the campus

.o*-rrnityir jeopardized. This group was also directed to identify strategies that might

decrease ttr" pioUaUitity of such situations occurring, looking at both technological and

behavioral aspects.

The Information and Communications Infrastructure Group analyzed and inventoried the

communication infrastructure and information systems used during the crisis period,

evaluated their performance, and identifies tactics and strategies for improvements'

The Interfoce Group evaluated the relationships between the university's student

counseling services, academic affairs, judicial affairs, and the legal system. It was

charged w-ith examining the existing systems and the interface between them and

deteinining what constraints, legal or otherwise, hamper effective interactions in order to

respond to and support at-risk students.

Securitv Infrastructure GrouP

Among its findings the security infrastructure group found good cooperation and sound

agreerients betwJen Virginia Tech and local police, fire, and EMS jurisdictions including

oigoing training exercises; sound emergency communications; robust communications

iniastricture; a sound emergency preparedness plan; engagement of the leadership in

campus emergencies; and a nationally accredited campus police department.

The security group recommends enhancements in physical infrastructure' emergency

communications, emergency preparedness, and selected protocols'

Infrastructure recommendations include modification of building door hardware,

installation of locks on general assignment classrooms, evaluating the utility of centrally

controlled electronic key card access to key academic and administrative facilities (such

as tlle system currently in place on all residence halls), constructing a public safety

building combining the university police and rescue squad, and evaluating installation of

centrally monitored video surveillance cameras.

Communications recommendations include mass notification techniques within

classrooms and other locations, message board in key or high profile public areas and

along major vehicular thoroughfares, a people locator system, and further articulation ofthe recently adopted VT Alerts notification system.

Emergency preparedness recommendations include updating the emergency preparedness

plan, inore fiequent emergency exercises or drills, creation ofbuilding coordinators for

em"rgencies, and identification of backups for the policy committee (university

leadership with oversight of an emergency).

Protocols include increased education ofthe university community about appropriate

emergency response actions and creation of a comprehensive security master plan and

campus security committee,

Information and Communications Infrastructure Group

Broadly defined, telecommunications comprises the university's data network, telephone

systems (university and/or vendor owned), cable TV, educational systems. and

iertralizedinformation services. They were dramatically stressed but performed

adequately during the crisis. The university on-campus phone system was not degraded

but was aifected by external problems. External cellular telephone systems and the Public

Switched Telephone Network (hardwire telephone systems off campus) experienced huge

demand increases and experienced some blocking of calls during the initial periods of the

crisis on April 16.

Other university systems experienced some loading, which were quickly identified and

rectified, and performed well with no significant problems. For example, the university

website *'w*.ot.edn saw a 3,000 percent increase in traffic on April 16, VTPD dispatch

experienced 450 percent increase, and the university switchboard experienced a 300

percent increase in calls'

Emergency Responder Radio Communication continues to suffer nationally and locally

from;interoperability" issues because they use a variety ofradio systems and

frequencies. Radio systems typically do not support mobile data, encryption, GIS, or

othir advanced capabilities. Indicative of relatively common signal penetration problems

in large buildings, emergency responders reported that radios did not work in some areas

of Norris Hall.

This group provides a series of strategic and tactical recommendations. (See

***.ntn"*r.vt.edu a detailed report of more than 120 tactical recommendations.) Two

major strategies emerge:

l) Installation of a new fully integrated digital campus archilecnre for alltelecommunications functions based on Internet Protocol (IP). The new system, based

on a diverse optical core and including wirelesses and wired access, would fully integrate

all telecommunications functions including voice, video, data, entertainment, and

educational systems. This system could remediate every problem and enable every

innovation identified by the study committee'

2) Make selected research and administrative IT capabilities available to local firstresponders to improve radio communications capabilities.In addition to improving

interoperability problems, the new systems would be integrated with IP based

information architecture allowing new applications such as GIS, identity management,

sensor networks, location awareness, high-speed links to criminal information databases.

Interface Group

The Interface Group looked at policies, procedures, capabilities and interdepartmental

relationships and communications for the selected areas related to identifying and

supporting at-risk students. By its nature the system was found to be logically cormected

andresponsive. The Division of Student Affairs (SA) is at the core and supported by and

interacting with law enforcement, the academic enterprise, and other university resoluces

offices.

Consistent with the national findings of the federal report commissioned by President

Bush, the Interface Group found some confusion about applicability and interpretation ofprivacy laws among some offices or faculty. To some extent, this created internal silos

and feedback problems preventing some offices from having salient information on

students at risk. The "system may not be robust enough to provide the kind ofanalysisthat is warranted by more complex, high risk cases... with need for significant mental

health services."

The committee makes a series of recommendations under three broad themes:

Expanding Capacity in the SYstem

Refinins and expanding the CaIe Team, a key SA group that identifies and responds to

students at risk (among other responsibilities), including addition of VTPD to standing

membership and connecting academic personnel to deliberations where appropriate.

Creating a Threat Assessment Team charged with examining the most complex aases ofdistressed students and empowering it to act quickly, when necessary.

Expandine Case Manasement Capacitv by adding case managers to the Dean of Students

office and Cook Counseling Center to improve follow-up with students and to improve

information flow through appropriate units about students at risk.

Improving Communications in the System

Improve communications in the Systems with particular emphasis on privacy law

ffi*tt* tht""gh""tA" u"i*ttibr, "lutifying

policies for communications with external

agencies, establishing a central university contact with a clear picture of distressed

students.

connecting strategies for Identiffing and supporting at Risk students to the

Broader University Plan for Campus Safety

in Violence

.*"gtrt"*g the campus tufety it the province of all university employees to some extent'

to integrate the numerous

university-wide efforts to enhance campus safety'

Virginia Tech

h^ "

rtt""g, *pp".iirr", il-Lvib.-*t "orn-noity

which is essential in creating a safe

"u*put ""ii.orilent with very good policies and suppgrt systems' However',it,is,

recommended that a more sysieiratic-approach be instituted with campus well-being as a

goal.

The fulI reports can be found at www.vtnews'vt'edu

###

News Conference StatementPresidential Internal Review Committee

Interface of Student Systems Working Group8l22l07

Jerry Niles, Chalr

ln response to the tragic events of April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech President Charles Steger requested an

internal review conducted by a working group to examine the interface between the university's student

counseling services, academic affairs, judicial aflairs and the legal system. The Group was charged with

examining "...the existing systems and the interface between them and determining what constraints

legal and otherwise hamper effective interaction among these areas," The Working Group focused its

attention on examining Virginia Tech's capacity and efficacl in identifying, responding to and supporting

at-risk students. The Group was comprised of 17 key personnel from the units in the overall system and

conducted its work through five methods: (1) full working group discussions (2) one-on-one interviews

between the Group Chair and individual personnel (3) participation in a symposium with six national

experts (4) analysis and review of relevant educational policies and procedures at Virginia Tech and

other educational institutions, and (5) analysis and review of relevant state and federal documents.

Findings and Recommendatlons

In general the Working Group found that Virginia Tech has a sound, responsive, student centered

system that it is designed to identifo and assist students in need in a variety of ways and to hold all

students accountable for their behavior withirr in the university community. In addition, a network of

structures is in place to identifo and respond to students who are more acutely distressed, which could

include at risk fior violent behavior. The Working Group also found that number of actions could

strengthen the existing system. The recommendations r€presenting these actions are clustered around

three themes, expanding capacity in the system, enhancing communication and connecting strategies

for identifuing and responding to at-risk students to broader, on-going efforts in the university to

promote a safe campus environment.

Expanding Capacw in the SYstem

There are three recommendations for expanding Virginia Tech's capacity for identifying responding to

and supporting at-risk students. These include modification of an existing structure, the creation of a

new structure and the hiring of additional personnel.

. Bg1xne-U.g_@,lga!0.,- The Care Team is a central structure in identifiTing and responding to

students at risk as it incorporates members from all key student affairs units and involves other

units of the university when appropriate. The Care Team meets weekly to discuss cases that are

brought to their attention. The functioning of the Care Team is sound and should be kept in

place and in fact enhanced. lt is recommended that the Care Team be a more formally

recognized and visible structure in the university system and that its Protocol be updated to

reflect impending changes. Effectiveness of the operation of the Care Team could be enhanced

by adding a Virginia Tech law enforcement officer and the director forThe Office of Services for

Students with Disabilities as permanent team members. The functioning of the Care Team could

also be enhanced by connecting academic affairs personnel more directly to the dellberations

when appropriate.

Create a Threat Assessment Team. A new structure is needed to complement the work of the

Care Team for students who may pose a threat to others, lt is recommended that a structure, a

team, be created that has specific responsibility for threat assessment to strengthen the overall

system for the consideration of the most complex cases. The Team would be charged with

conducting a comprehensive fact-based description of a distressed student and empowered

with the authority to act in a timely manner, if necessary consistent with university policy and

applicable law.

Expand Case Manaee{nent CapaciW. Increased capacity for follow up on students who have

been considered by the Care Team or seen by Cook Counseling Center will stfengthen services

to students in need. lt is recommended that two additional case managers be added to the

staffs of the Dean of Students Office and C.ook Counseling Center to improve follow up sewices

to students, as well as facilitate the information flow regarding the case aooss units. The case

manager will maintain a comprehensfue picture of the student and focus on the implementation

of interventions, coordination of services and the monitoring of the effectiveness of the

interventions.

lmproving Communication in the System.

Effective communication among units regarding at-risk students is essential. Effective responses to at-

risk students are dependent on accurate and comprehensive assessments of their status. There are a

number of recommendations intended to enhance communication in the system including:

r Establish a designated university contact person who has a comprehensive picture of distressed

students who have been assessed by the system. The role of this person should be widely

known both internally and extemally by personnel who work with students at risk. The

individual should be available 24/7 .ln addition further clarification is needed and a protocol

developed regarding policies for cornmunicating with external agencies who may request

information about acutely distressed students,

Conduct on-going training for all personnel on the application of the Family Educational Privacy

Act (FERPA) in the discussion of cases.

lmplement a new policy for emergency notification information for students. This policy would

require studefts to update emergency contact information at the time of registration for each

semester.

Connectlng Strategies for ldentifying and Supporting at Risk-Students to the Broader Unive]'lsfi Plan

for Campus safety.

An important feature of any comprehensive approach and plan for campus safety is that the pieces or

key elements form an integrated whole. The Working Group offers a set of three primary

recommendations that link strategies for students to other domains of the university.

Exoand Training of Administrators, Facultv, and Staff in Violence Prevention. The effort to raise

the level of awareness regarding the considerable resources that are available to members of

the university community in seeking assistance with distressed students is vital' lt is

recommended that additional training programs be directed to all administrators, with special

attention given to newly appointed ones, as they are key participants for bringing others in their

unit up-to-date information related to campus safety. lt is funher recommended that new

strategies be developed to raise the awaren€ss of faculty and staff regarding the availability of

resources for dealing with at-risk students and employees, again paying special attention to

newly hired personnel

Extend the Universiw-wide Violence Prevention Policv. A structure is needed that will help

integrate the numerous university-wide efforts to enhance campus safetythat have been in

existence prior to 4176 and that will be added as a result of the three internal reviews as well as

other efforts. lt is recommended that a university level committee be formed that ensures that

programs are in place to support the Campus and Workplace Violence Prevention Policl. The

Committee would bring oversight from all precincts of the university, including student affairs,

academic affairs, human resources, facilities and administrative services with regard to policy,

operations and resources that aie intended to create a coherent approach to ensuring a safe

campus environment. This is a structure that is similarto the one Mr. Hyatt mentioned earlier

These two structures could well be one in the same.

r Continue to Build Communitv Solidaritv to Promote Individual and CommqniW Well Beine. A

strong vibrant and supportive community is essential in ensuring a safe campus environment.

An environment that promotes civility, works toward the acceptance of others' differences,

strives to include rather than exclude and prcvides assistance to those in need is fundamental to

a safe campus, Virginia Tech has instituted a number of efforts to provide such an environment

and is continually adding others. lt is recommended that a more systematic approach be

instituted that specifies campus-well being as a goal and ensures that the various efforts are

connected. The coordination of this effort could be situated with the Committee for Campus

and Workplace Violence Frevention that was recommended elsewhere in this report or some

other appropriate body.

Many of the recommendations made in this report are systemic in nature and will involve deliberation

by those offices directly affucted by them in their day-to-day work to decide how best to incorporate the

3

ideas. Moreover, the Working Group is aware that the recommendations in this report are only a piece

of the larger picture of campus safety and must be linked directly to other efforts that are underuvay to

enhance campus safety. fhe careful coordination and integration of all efforts to promote campus

safety is essential to ensure a comprehensive approach. Finally, the Interface Working Group is aware

that any system needs to be dynamic in nature to adjust to the changes that continually emerge from

the needs of the unive6ity community and new lessons learned from ongoing evaluation of the system

and best practices of our Peers.

President Stegerts remarksMemorial Dedication

Aug. 19,2007

Thank you, Tom. And I welcome every one here today as we come together stillshaken, still deeply saddened by the collective nightmare ofApril l6th, a day that scarred

our hearts and left us with searing memories of loved ones lost aad wounded.

We come together still seeking answers to the incomprehensible.

We come to remember that which we cannot forget -- for the love of those lost and the

pain of losing them are much too great.

we also come together to remember wonderful, caring teachers and young lives

with great promise, all of whom sought only better lives for themselves and a better

world for others.We come in the hope that this Memorial to the victims of April 16th will help

each of us as we deal with our heartache and as we continue to tread -- each at his or her

own pace-- upon the slow and difficult path ofrecovery and healing.

As you have heard, this spot and these stones were spontaneously selected and

created by Virginia Tech students, out of their care, comp€rssion and love for tlose lost

and injured that tenible day.

It is most fitting that this tribute is of Hokie Stones -- stones that have been

strengthened by the pressure they have withstood for eons. These simple limestone

rocks, forurd only in the Appalachian Mountains, have been part of symbol of VirginiaTech for more than a cenflrry. These Hokie Stones represent a foundation and a link from

one generation of Hokies to another.

We come together here at this Hokie Stone memorial to share the cherished

memories of those who the world lost in a rampage of violence. We come to offer our

thoughts, prayers and support to their families, who continue to suffer.

We join together to pay tribute to the young, beautiful minds that crossed this

Drill Field in search of knowledge and their place in the world, and to the wisdom of their

teachers, who devoted years and careers to nurturing generations of knowledge-seeking

students.They came from small towns here in Virginia and from states across this country

and from the far-flung comers of the globe. They came from diverse backgrounds and

cultures, each seeking, through Virginia Tech, a different path to tomorrow.

But they shared much in common. They shared a love of learning and a love for

this university. They were earnest in their academic pursuits, yet loving and joyful.

Friends and colleagues have described how each was special and how they

wanted to make a difference and to give something back to the world.Each was gifted and talented and unique. They will be greatly missed . . . they

shall not be forgotten.We remember them with great sadness, but let us also remember the joy, the love,

and the devotion they brought to this world.we embrace their loved ones from around Virginia, the nation, and the globe as

cherished members of the Virginia Tech community.And those injured that cold morning, who, even now in the heat of summer, are

still recovering from wounds, physical and emotional, and the families who continue to

2

worry and struggle - they will forever occupy a special place within the Virginia Tech

family.Some of those injured have graduated and moved on, while others are retuming to

Virginia Tech to complete their education. But to all, we extend our hands and our arms

to you with a desire to help and support you.

This memorial also is dedicated to you -- we want it to be a momrment to your

courage and determination.You have endured an ordeal that most will never face. May your wounds heal

quickly and completely.May you, in time, grow stronger and live your lives to the frrllest and in the

greatest service to others.

Every day since April 16ft people from throughout this community and from

around the world have offered and provided tremendous care and support, in many, many

forms.We are forever humbled by their care and concem for us-for we were all

victims. And, we are eternally thankful for the overwhelming support. There is no way

we can ever adequately recognize, much less repay, the wonderful outpouring of support

that has honored and bolstered our university community.I also want to take a moment to express my most sincere and personal thanks to

the faculty and staffof the university. While stqnned and grieving yourselves, you

somehow have mustered the will to keep going. Driven by a depth of compassion and a

personal commitment to humanitarian service that this university had never before seen,

you have worked together, and by serving others added a new dimension to the meaning

of Ut Prosim, That I MaY Serve.

You have worked harder than ever to meet the unique needs of retuming students,

still traumatized but ready to begin anew, and to welcome a new class of students who

are full of enthusiasm and eager to experience all that it means to be a part of the Hokie

Family.I am honored to work and live among such wonderful people, and I will always

remember your devotion to each other, to this university, and to these families. You have

my highest respect and deepest appreciation.I hope that each day, the good that you've done and the healing that you've

helped to bring about will, in turn, bring you a measure of peace and some increment ofrenewal.

I also recall the words of one of the notes added to the makeshift boards here on

the Drill Field in April. It said, simply, "You have broken our hearts, but you have not

broken our spirits."lndeed the spirit and the resiliency of the Virginia Tech community have amazed

the world.Our Govemor, Tim Kaine, spoke at our Convocation about how he was amazed

and proud of what he called, "the incredible community spirit and sense of unity" on this

campus."It is not just you that needs to maintain the spirit, the world needs you to," he

said. "In the darkest moment in the history of this university, the world saw you and saw

you respond in a way that built community."

3

He also said that that shong spirit of optimism. ' ' of community. . . of hope, ' 'and of wanting to be together "taught something good to people all around the world, and

the world needs that example put forward."As the new academic year begins, we must maintain that optimism, that hope and

that sense of coming together. We are reminded that the classroom and the laboratory are

their own special domains and mark that special bond between teacher and student.

Despite our heavy hearts, these must remain sanctuaries of enlightenment, a

domain to overcome intolerance, hatred and ignorance.

Virginia Tech is - and shall remain - committed to its core missions. Certainly,

the events of April 16 have added many new challenges. Yet, I feel - and I sense among

many of you -- a renewed comrnitrnent to our leaming, to our discovery, and to how we

reach out to others.This university is a place for growing and leaming.

And as we grow and move into the future, we must have a vision -- not just a set

of specific programs, but a set of shared commitments -- the duty we owe to ourselves, to

one^anothei, toour nation, and increasingly, to our fellow citizens across the globe.

As we close these ceremonies, allow me to direct your thoughts again to these

Hokie Stones behind me. Today, these Hokie Stones are being dedicated here on the

Drill Field - another Virginia Tech landmark - to remember the past' to memorialize

those slain and injured i1l the tragedy ofApril l6h, and to help all ofus dedicate

ourselves to each other and to the future.

These stones come from the earth in many colors - muted shades of pink, red,

gray, brown and black. May that represent our diverse individuality.And when connected, as they are in the buildings all around us, they are

incredibly strong and enduring, standing up to stress and storm throughout the years.

And so shall it be with the Virginia Tech Family'.Though severely battered by the events of April, we must be strong. . . We must

havefaith...Wemustlead...Wemustdowhatwebelieveisright...Andwemustnotbe afraid. . . We are Virginia Tech.

In a few moments, the bell will toll 32 times for the precious lives we lost, and we

will close this ceremony with the symbolic presentation of Hokie Stones to the families

of those whose names are forever etched into ow hearts and into the Stones of this

Memorial. We will reflect silently on those lives and how they have forever changed our

own.And to those families, our honored suests, it is ow most sincere hope that you

will become more and more like family. You are forever a part of the Virginia Tech

community, and I hope you will embrace us as we seek to embrace you'

Now, this Memorial is officially dedicated. When we depart, let us do so as we

have come together - in remembrance and with renewed resolve. May peace be with

you'

Gomments by Gharles W. Steger, Prcsldent of Virginia Tech,to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

May 21,2007

Introductory Remarks and Overuiew of Virginia Tech's Presentation

Colonel Massengill and distinguished members of the panel. I am pleased to have thisopportunity to welcome you to the campus of Virginia Tech, During the past week, wehave been working with representatives of Tri Data Corporation. to develop our portionof the agenda, which I hope will be helpful to you as you pursue this most difficult task.I might note that your visit to our campus coincides with our first day of summer school.Although our student population over the summer is only about one-fourth of what it isduring the regular year and our teaching faculty who are on 9-month appointments arenot here, you can get some sense of the vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow on atypical Monday morning at Virginia Tech-as April 16 was before the shootings began.

To begin, I would like to introduce to the Panel Mr. Lenwood McCoy, who has agreed toserve as the liaison between the university and the Review Panel to ensure that thePanel receives a thorough responsd to all requests for information. Mr. McCoy retiredseveral years ago after more than 35 years with the university, during which he servedin a variety of roles, including Director of IntemalAudit and University Controller. He willensure that all your requests are met.

As you will hear during the presentation, we have devoted our energies over the pastmonth primarily to helping those families who lost their sons and daughters, mothersand fathers, husbands and wives, as well as the victims who survived. Let me notehere that out of respect for these families, the university has denied requests by themedia and others to enter Norris Hall. We made an exception to enable the Paneltotour the building this morning because of its relevance to your work. We will continue torestrict access until the families who indicate a desire to do so have had an opportunityvisit the building. At the appropriate time, access will be provided to the media andother members of the public.

Our presentation to the Panel today is in four parts:

1. Existing systems for emergency warning and building security.

2. What the university knew about Mr. Cho prior to the event. What steps were takenprior to the incident.

Let me take a moment here to explain that disclosure of certain information iscomplicated by the laws that relate to what information can and cannot be sharedwith the public, as well as what can be shared between various units within theuniversity.

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As many of you know, the Attomey General's Office serves as the university's legalcounsel. Ms. Heidbreder is our University Legal Gounsel and a SpecialAssistantAttorney General. As such, she is charged with providing me legaladvice on behalfof the Attorney General. We will provide all information we can within the law.

3. What transpired in the Emergency Policy Group when advised of the first shootingsin West Ambler Johnston Hall and immediately thereafter.

4. What is being done for support and healing of the families as well as the broaderuniversity community.

In addition to the Emergency Policy Group, there is also an Emergency ResponseResource Group, which works in parallelto ensure necessary resources aredeployed to whatever group or part of the university is in need. They were able torespond in hours, and in some cases minutes, to provide counseling, meals for the500 increased security personnel, etc. We will provide some detail as to what hasbeen done later this morning. I have also appointed a task force to provide to me bythe end of this month a recommendation for an interim memorial that can be put inplace in a short time. Subsequently, a proposal for a permanent memorialwill bedeveloped.

As we work to recoverfrom the events of April 16, we also want to learn from them.Two After-lncident Reports are being developed for each of the shooting incidents. Andas noted in my comments to you in Richmond last Thursday, we have established threeworking groups that will focus on: 1) telecommunications; 2) security infrastructure-locking systems, alarms, etc.; and 3) the interface between counseling services, judicialaffairs, academic affairs, and the legalsystem.

This is being said to note that what we will share with you today is what we know to thebest of our knowledge at this point in time, but as our own internal review andexamination continues, other facts may come to light. Therefore, what we offer today ispreliminary in nature and might be revised based on the emergence of additionalinformation. We will certainly keep you apprised as additional information becomesavailable.

That concludes my introductory remarks, and I would be pleased to answer anyquestions the Panel might have.

lf there are no (further) questions, I would like to call upon Mr. Jim McCoy, from ourOffice of Capital Design and Construction, to provide an overview of the systems inplace.

Kim's Notes:

lmmediately after being briefed by the police regarding what transpired in Norris Hall,

President Steger directed that planning begin immediately for a university convocation tooccur the next day in order to help the entire university community to find some comfort ingathering together.

ln those early days, in addition to addressing the university community at the convocation,President Steger attended the candlelight vigil, met with families of deceased victims at TheInn several times, and visited injured students in the various hospitals. In parallel, he andChief Flinchum also provided updated information to the campus community and theirfamilies and the general public through numerous press conferences.

Within days after April 16, President Steger appointed a separate Emergency ResponseResource Group to take care of the myriad issues that arose-ranging from the provision ofcounseling to students and employees, to caring foi thousands of tributes and lettersaniving daily, and much more.

President Steger ananged for at least one university representative to attend all funerals ormemorial services (about which the university could obtain information) in the U.S. that he

was unable to attend personally. I and other Board members also attended many of thefunerals.

The President and Provost worked with the Deans to come up with a plan to provide optionsto students for finishing the spring 2007 semester.

President Steger consented to the creation of the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund and HokieSpirit Scholarship Fund to receive unrestricted gifts and gifts designated for scholarships,respectively, that were aniving to aid the university community-long before it could be

known how much money would be received.

President Steger appointed a liaison to the Governor's Panel to ensure that the Panel wouldreceive complete cooperation and thorough responses to all of their requests for informationfrom the university. President Steger has also met publicly and privately with the Panelseveral times.

Under the President's direction, his staff re-worked the plans for commencement to include

a President's address to the university community and a special recognition of the deceasedstudents and faculty and their families, and enlisted the assistance of family liaisons and a

7

multitude of units across the university to implement the plan. He also made the decision togrant posthumous degrees to all students who lost their lives on April 16.

On the subject of family liaisons, this group of liaisons did not previously exist. This group

was established and mobilized by the senior administration, who recognized that it was not

humanly possible for any one individual to address personally the needs of the many who

directly suffered losses as well as the rest of the university community.

President Steger appointed a committee to develop a proposal for an intermediate memorialby May 31; construction of the new memorial was dedicated on August 19.

After meeting with the Dean of Engineering and the faculty of the Engineering Science andMechanics Department as well as considering the input of many who sent letters, PresidentSteger directed that a plan be developed by June 1 to reoccupy Norris Hall. The plan, whichincluded refurbishing the affected wing plus the first and third floors and the replacement ofthe crash bars on exterior doors with flat bars, was implemented immediately. The plan alsocalls for increased security and the availability of counseling through part of the fallsemester.

President Steger subsequently directed that a feasibility study be conduc{ed for the affectedNorris wing over the summer and in parallel appointed the Provost to chair a committee tolook at the future programmatic use of the space.

In June, President Steger sent emissaries out to meet with a number of families, includingyours, to assess their needs.

He subsequently held meetings around the state with injured students and their parents andwith deceased victims'families, one of which you and your wife attended.

At those meetings, President Steger reported that he had appointed three internal workinggroups to look into and provide recommendations to him about the university'stelecommunications infrastructure; the university's physical security infrastructure; and theinterface between and among Counseling Services, Academic Affairs, Judicial Affairs, andthe Legal System. Those reports were completed in August. A plan has been developed toevaluate and implement the resulting recommendations.

He sent individual e-mail notes to all students who were scheduled to be present in a classor lab in Norris Hall on the morning of April 16 asking them to provide a phone number sothey could be contacted by a representative from the university on July 5 or 6 to discusshow they were, share any thoughts, and provide input on what services would be helpful to

them at the beginning of the new academic year. About 75 percent of the students wereable to be reached by the initial phone calls, and attempts continue to be made to contactthe remainder.

He accepted Mr. Feinberg's draft protocol for distribution of the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund(HSMF). At least six town hall meetings plus numerous private meetings have since beenheld in Mrginia and New Jersey by Mr. Feinberg to solicit input from you and others eligible(according to the draft protocol) to receive a distribution from the HSMF. All of this has beenmade possible by President Steger.

He agreed to hold a healing concert early in the school year to benefit the entire universitycommunity. (This occurred September 6.)

He established an Office of Recovery and Support (about which you received an e-mail noteon July 26) and hired a Director, Jay Poole.

President Steger has attempted to make contact with all physically injured- students orfamilies of deceased students and faculty whom he had not had a chance to meet or speakwith since those first weeks, when he had met many in the hospitals or at The lnn or atmemorial and funeral services.

He directed that planning for the memorial dedication be started and decided to hold abrunch at The Grove for physically injured students and their families and for families ofdeceased victims. (occurred August 19)

He began planning a series of events to occur after the school year begins to recognizenumerous units within the university that provided invaluable service to the universitycommunity.

He began planning a recognition event to be held in September to thank the 150 extemalorganizations that came to the aid of the university on April 16 and in the weeks thatfollowed. (occurred Sept. 10 and Oct. 23)

Statement by Charles Steger, President430PM

With me today is the Secretary of Public Safety for the Commonwealth of Virginia, John

Marshall and the Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Steve Flaherity. Also present ifthe Mayor of Blacksburg, Ron Rordham; the chief of Blacksburg PD, Kim Crannis; the

chief of Virginia Tech Police, Wendell Flinchum.

I want to repeat my horror, disbelief, and profound solrow at the events oftoday. People

from around the world have expressed their shock and extraordinary and endless sadness

that has transpired today. I am at a loss for words to explain or understand the camage

that visited our campus.

I know no other way to speak about this than to tell you what we know'

It is now confirmed that we have 31 deaths fromNorris Hall, including the gunman. 15

other victims are being teated at local hospitals in the Roanoke and New River Valleys.

There are two confirmed deaths from the shooting in Ambler Johnston Dormitory inaddition to the 3l in Norris.

We have not confirmed his identity of the gunman because he canied no papers. We are

in the process of attempting identification.

Nonis Hall is a tragic and sonowfiI crime scene. We are in the process of identifyingvictims and in the process of notifuing next of kin. This may take a while. We will not

release any names until we are positive of this notification. We anticipate being able to

release a list sometime tomorrow.

We are asking students to contact their parents to let them know their status.

Our investigation continues into whether there is a corurection between the frrst and

second incidents.

We know that parents will want to embrace their children. We are not suggesting thatyou come to campus. However, if parents feel that they must come to calnpus' we are

locating counselors at the The Inn and Skelton Conference Center.

As you can imagine, security, investigation, operational, and counseling resources are

very taxed at the moment. However, we are getting assistance from the state police, the

FBI, ATF, local jurisdictions, and the Red Cross. And we understand the desire, indeed

the compelling need to get information on the part of family, students, and loved ones,

but unfortunately this is all the information we have at the time.

We are posting information to our website as we leam it. Our communications systems

are taxed also and we are also posting information, www.vsp.virginia.gov.

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Jeny NilesDeon-Liberol Arts & Humon Sciences ond Commitiee ChoirAvgvst 22,2@7

News Conference SlqtemeniPresidenliql Inlernol Review Commitlee

ln response io the irogic events of April 16,2007 , Virginio Tech President Chorles Steger

requesied on iniernol review conducied by o working group to exomine the interfoce

between the university's siudent counseling services, ocodemic offoirs. judiciol offoirs

ond the legol system. The Commitiee wos chorged with exomining "...the exisiing

systems ond the in'ierfoce between them; determining whot constroints legol ond

otherwise homper effective interociion omong these oreos"' The Working Group

focused its ottention on exomining Virginio Tech's copociiy ond efficocy in identifying,

responding to ond supporling ot-risk siudents. The Group wos comprised of l7 key

personnel from ihe units in the overoll system ond conducted iis work through five

melhods: [ ) full committee discussions (2) one-on-one interviews between the

Commitiee Choir ond individuol personnel (3) pqrticipqtion in o symposium with six

noiionol experts (4) onolysis ond review of relevont educoiionol policies ondprocedures ot Virginio Tech ond other educotionol insiitulions, ond (5) onolysis ond

review of relevonl stote ond federol documents.

Findings ond Recommendofions

In generol ihe Working group found thot Virginio Tech hos o responsive, student

centered system thot it is designed to ideniify ond ossist students in need in o voriety of

woys ond to hold oll siudenis occountoble for their behovior within in the university

communiiy. In oddition, o neiwork of siruciures is in ploce to identify ond respond to

siudents who ore more ocutely distressed. The Working Group olso found thoi number

of octions could sirengthen the existing sysiem. The recommendotions representing

these octions ore clustered oround three ihemes, exponding copocity in the sysiem,

enhoncing communicotion ond connecting the opprooches to identifying ondresponding to ot-risk siudent s to the brooder efforts in ihe university to promote o sofe

compus environment

Exponding Copocily in lhe SYstem

. Refinino ihe Core Teom The Core Teom is o centrol struciure in ideniifying ond

responding to siudents of risk os ii incorporotes members from oll key siudent

offoirs uniis ond other units of the university when opproprioie. li is

recommenoed thot it be o more formolly recognized ond visible structure in theuniversity system ond thot its Protocol be updoied to reflect impending chonges.

Effectiveness of the operotion of the Core Teom could be enhonced by oddingo Virginio Tech low enforcement officer ond the director for The Office of

Services forStudenis with Disobiiities os permonent teom members ond

Poge 1 of 4

I

Jerry NilesDeon-Liberol Arts & Humon Sciences ond Commitiee ChoirAugust 22,2007

conneciing ocodemic offoirs personnel more directly io the dellberoiions. In

oddition, steps need io be ioken to ensure thot of leost one person on the Teom

hos o comprehensive picture of the coses being considered ond is outhorized if

there is need to shore informotion with othen internolly ond exiemolly when

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. Creqtino o Threot Assessmeni Teom - A new siructure is needed to complement

the work of the Cqre Teom for studenis who moy pose o threot io others. ll is

recommended thot o structure, q teom, be creoted thot hos specific

responsibiliiy for threot ossessment to strengthen the overoll syslem for the

considerotion of the most complex coses. The Teom would be chorged with

conducting o comprehensive foct-bosed description of o distressed student ond

empowered with the outhority to oct in o timely monner, consisient wiih

university policy ond opplicoble low, if necessory.

. Expondinq Cose Monooement Copocity - Increosed copocity for follow up on

students who hove been considered by the Core Teom or seen by Cook

Counseling Center will sirengthen services io students in need' ll is

recommended thot two oddiiionol cose monogers be odded to the sioffs of the

Deon of Studenis Office ond Cook Counseling Center to improve follow up

services to students, os well os focilitoie the informotion flow regording the cose

ocross units. The cose monoger will moiniqin o comprehensive picture of the

studeni ond focus on the implementotion of interventions, coordinqiion ofseryices ond the monitoring of the effectiveness of ihe interventions.

lmproving Communlcqlion In lhe Sysfem

Effective communicotion omong uniis regording ot-risk studenls is essentiol. There

ore o number of recommendotions intended to enhonce communicotion in ihesystem including

. estoblishing o centrol university conioct who hos o comprehensive piciure of

distressed students who hove been ossessed by the system, clodfying policies

for communicoting with externol ogencies regording ocutely disiressed

studenis,o conducting on-going hoining for penonnel on the opplicotion of the Fomily

Educotionol Privocy Act TFERPA) in the discussion of coses, clorifying public

sloiements in university policy on how FERPA is opplied, ondr lmplementing o new policy for emergency notificoiion informolion for

students.

Connecling Slrofegies for ldenllfylng ond Supportlng of Rlsk-Sludenls lo lhe Brooder

Universlty Plon for Compus sofetY

Poge 2 of 4

Jeny NilesDeon-Liberol Arts & Humon Sciences ond Commitiee ChoirAvgust 22,2007

An imporiont feoture of ony comprehensive opprooch ond plon for compus sofeiy

is thot the pieces or key elements form on integroied whole. The Working group

offers o set of three moin recommendoiions thot link sirotegies for studenis to other

domoins of the university.

r Expondino Troinino of Administroion, Foculiv. ond Sioff in Violence Prevenlion -The effort to roise the level of oworeness regording the consideroble resources

thot ore ovoiloble to mernbers of the university community in seeking ossistonce

with distressed students is vitol. li is recommended thot oddiiionol troiningprogroms be directed to odminisiroiors, especiolly newly oppointed ones, os

they ore key porl'iciponis for bringing others in their unit up-to-dote informotionreloted to compus sofety. lt is further recommended thot new strotegies bedeveloped to roise the oworeness of foculty ond stoff regording the ovoilobilityof resources for deoling with ot-risk studenis ond employees.

o Exlendino the Universitv-wide Violence Prevention Policv - A struciure is neededthot will help integroie the numerous university-wide efforts to enhonce compussofety. lt is recommended thot o university level commiftee be formed thotensures thot progroms ore in ploce to support the Compus ond WorkploceViolence Preveniion Policy. The Committee would bring ovenight from ollprecincis of the univenity, including student offoirs, ocodemic offoirs, humonresources, focilities ond odminislroiive services with regord to policy, operotionsond resources thot ore intended to creote o coherent opprooch io ensuring osofe compus environmenl.

. Building Community to Promote Individuol ond Community Well Beino - A sirong,vibront ond supportive community is essentiol in ensuring o sofe compusenvironmenl. An environment thot promoies civilitv, worK toword theocceptonce of others' differences, sirives to include rother thon exclude ondprovides ossistonce io those in need is fundomentol to o sofe compus. VirginioTech hos instituted o nurnber of etforts to provide such on environment. lt isrecommended thot o more systemotic opprooch be insiituted ihot specifiescompus-well being os o gool ond ensures thot the vorious efforts qre connected.The coordinotion of this effort could be situoted with the Commiltee for Compusond Workploce Violence Prevenlion thot wos recommended elsewhere in this

report.

Mony of the recommendotions mode in this report ore systemic in noture ond willinvolve deliberotion by those offices directly offected by them in their doy-to-doy workto decide how besl to incorporote the ideos, Moreover, the Working Group is oworethot ihe recommendotions in ihis report ore only o piece of the lorger picture ofcompus sofeiy ond must be linked directly to oiher efforl's thot ore underwoy loenhonce compus sofety. The coreful coordinotion ond integroiion of oll eiforts topromote compus sofeiy is essentiol io ensure o comprehensive opprooch. Finolly, the

Pnrrc ? nf .zl,svvvv,-

Jerry Niles. Deon-Liberol Arts & Humon Sciences ond Commitiee Choir

Avgvst 22,20Q7

lnterfoce Working Group is owore ihot ony system needs to be dynomic in noture toodjust to the chonges thct continuolly emerge from the needs of ihe uni"'ersity

communiiy ond new lessons leorned from on-going evoluotion of ihe system ond bestproctices of our Peers.

Poge 4 of 4

Dear Colleagues,

lVhen we reassembie on Monday, April 23d, rjiscussions penaining io iast week's iragic errenis are sure to take piace

between and among students and faculty. lt is our hope that these convenations will facilitate fte healing process

when classes resume. At the same time, we also expect the media to again be on campus, and many of you have

asked how to respond to them. So that everyone feels comfortable participating in the conversations they choose to

have, here are some general guidelines about the media, and information on our own communications policies.

Fint, conceming the continuing media presence on our campus:

Media are never allowed in the classrooms without faculty permission. Academic buildings, normally open to the

public, will be offlimits to ihe media. Notices have been posted on all academic buildings stating this rule. In

addition, the big satellite trucks we saw last week will no longer be allowed.

However, ours is an open campus and the press will still be present. Reporters on campus may ask to interview you.

lf you are approached, it is entirely up to you if you want to speak them. Feel free to say, 'Thanks, but no thanks."

But, keep in mind that the majority of the media are genuinely concerned about the Virginia Tech communiiy and

want to let our many supporters know how we are coping with last week's events.

Next, I want to share with you the messages we think are important to convey. These messages are part of Virginia

Tech's continuing efforts to support one another as our community regroups to grieve, heal and move forward;

1. We will not be defined by this event.

First, as an academic family we will endeavor to analyze, leam and, ultimately, come to some

understanding of the event. Our Principles of Community remain our values.

Virginia Tech - our traditions, communi$, history and promising future-will prevail. Our motto Ut

Prosim-That I May Serve underscores our spirit.

Finally, everything we do as move forward will commemorate, honor and respect the numerous

individuals affected by this traqic event.

lnvent the Future.

'lnvent the Future" captures our role and spirit as a world+enowned research institution. Nothing in the

events of last week will alter who we are and what we reoresent. When classes resume, our academic

excellence, the commitment and talent of our students, and our clear role in shaping a positive future for the

world will again be apparent, Hokies are, and always will, embody learning, discovery and engagement.

Embrace the Virginia Tech Family.

a. We are a unique, special famlly- more enduring and closerto one another than a typical university

community.

b. Assisting the families and friends of those injured and bereaved is our focus. We are also committed to

the assistance and support of one another.

b.

c. We will nurture the legacy of the 32 Virginia Tech family members we lost. The Virginia Tech family will

celebrate their lives and accomplishments. Our memorials to them, both public and private, will reflect

those sentiments.

It is also our intention to do whatever we can to promote the healing process within our community. We consider our

communications to be a critical element of that process. We are regaining control of the Virginia Tech reputation and

legacy, and believe these messages are crucial to accomplishing that goal'

Please contact us with any questions or concems you may have. We want you to have everything you need to

promote constructive, healing conversations among all the constituencies of our community'

Lawrence G. Hincker

Associate Vice President, University Relations

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My name is Kay Heidbreder. I serve as the University Legal Counsel andAssistant Attorney General assigned to Virginia Tech. In this capacity, I providelegal advice under the direction of the Attorney General to the University. Givenmy position, Dr. Steger has asked me to provide an overview of the legalmandates under which Virginia Tech operates with respect to the protection ofstudent information. This overview is not meant to be legal advice to this panel.Rather, Dr. Steger believes that it is crucial for this Panel to have some context ofthe legal landscape for institutions of higher education. In addition, he has askedthat my remarks center on the interplay between the Counseling Center, thestudent disciplinary system, faculg interaction with students and the policedepartment. He has also asked me to share the constraints that the Universityfaces in providing student records to the public at large.

At any institution of higher education in Virginia, there are a number of lawsprotecting the privacy of students and student records. These laws include TheFamily Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C.A. 312329, HIPAA 42U.S.C. Section 1320, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Section2.2-3700,Code of Virginia, as amended, and the Government Data Collection andDissemination Practices Act, Section 32.2-3800, Code of Virginia, as amended.The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (aka FERPA or BuckleyAmendment) sets forth criteria for the dissemination of information to protect astudent's rights of privacy.

The University is restricted in its ability to share a student's educational recordswith third parties, external to the University, absent a properly executed releaseor a court order. While it is debatable whether the FERPA protections end at thestudent's death, the other laws contain no such limitation. Exceptions to thesenon-disclosure requirements include sharing records with employees within theUniversity who need the information to do their job. For example, an instructorcan share grade information with the Registrar. However, there is neverpermitted a disclosure for medical or counseling records. This absoluteprohibition tracks the restrictions covering disclosure of medical records asprovided in HIPAA or the federal legislation that protects health information forevery individualtreated by a medicalprofessional in the United States. FERPAalso provides a quirky privacy provision that places a wall between theeducational records at an institution and the law enforcement records maintainedby the campus police department. To put this in concrete terms, educationalrecords cannot be freely disclosed by the administrative offices with the police

department. To give an example, a student is charged in the University'sdisciplinary system with a violation of the acceptable use policy that prohibitssending harassing e-mails to a fellow student. The University's hearing officer isprecluded from sharing the outcome of the hearing with the campus police.Another example is that police are not informed when students are treated forpsychiatric problems. In the same vein, the police are not given healthinformation when a patient is released from a hospital. This latter exampleactually relates to the privacy protections contained in HIPAA.

In addition to the federal statutes, state law also restricts the University's ability todisseminate student records. The GeneralAssembly has articulated the privacyconcerns in the Virginia Freedom of lnformation Act by exempting frommandatory disclosure a student's scholastic records. While the Freedom ofInformation Act permits limited disclosure of records at the University's discretion,FERPA and other state laws preclude disclosure. In particular, I would draw yourattention to the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act,Section 2.2-3800 Code of Virginia, as amended. Specifically, that statuteauthorizes the University to collect, maintain and share information with thirdparties only to the extent necessary to accomplish the University's mission ofeducating the student. lt does not provide for unlimited disclosure in the lawenforcement context to third parties.

The protections afforded by federal and state laws to the individual are mostabsolute in the medical context. For example, a medical screening is not part ofthe University's admissions process. The Code of Virginia, Section 23-7.5,requires that each prospective student provide a health history, but this history isnot all encompassing. The health history is really a listing of diseases againstwhich the student has been immunized. The purpose of this code requirement isto guard against the potential outbreak of controlled diseases in the closeconfines of a residence hall. Even this modest requirement is not absolute as theGeneral Assembly has waived the immunization requirement on a student'sreligious grounds.

Given the legalframework, let me tell you what I can about Mr. Cho based onpolice records. There was a narrow window in late 2005 to early 2006 that hisbehavior was called into question. The Virginia Tech Police made a referral tothe University's disciplinary system for an incident in which he sent anunwelcomed e-mail to a female student in late 2005, or approximately sixteen(16) months before April 16, 2007. The disciplinary system contacted the e-mailrecipient to determine whether she wanted to pursue the matter. She declined todo so. Therefore, there was no cause for action on the part of the University.Since Mr. Cho's enrollment in Fall 2003, he had no other interaction with thedisciplinary system.

As has been reported publicly, the Virginia Tech Police Department also receivedan inquiry during the 2005-2006 academic year from the Chair of the English

Department concerning Mr. Cho's classroom behavior based on the content ofsome of his writings and the fact that Mr. Cho took pictures of other students withhis cellphone camera. The Chair of the Department did not share the specificwritings with the Police, nor did she file a formal police report. As determined byan informal review conducted by the Police Department, the behavior was notcriminal in nature. The Police offered to provide any necessary assistance.lnstead of further Police involvement, the Chair talked to Mr. Cho and the Chairand he agreed that he would attend private tutoring sessions that would allowhim to complete the class assignments without the necessity of his returning tothe class. Records show no further class based complaints related toinappropriate behavior. Further, no referral was made to the student disciplinarysystem about this event.

An additional contact on December 13, 2005, between Mr. Cho and the VirginiaTech Police has been documented. According to public records maintained bythe Montgomery County General District Court, the Virginia Tech Police broughtMr. Cho to the aftention of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardationand Substance Abuse Services as a result of a concern raised by a fellowstudent who knew Mr. Cho. ln turn, Mr. Cho was brought beforq the GeneralDistrict Court Special Justice, who ordered Mr. Cho to undergo evaluation at theGarilion St. Albans Behavioral Facility. On December 14,2005, the SpecialJustice for the General District Court ordered Mr. Cho to follow-up out-patienttreatment because of the danger he presented to himself as a result of mentalillness. No follow-up report was made to the Virginia Tech Police.

In summary, the impact of these laws that I have outlined is to limit what can beshared about students publicly or with third parties, within the organization, andeven with the police department. Given the constraints imposed by the law,there are restrictions on what Virginia Tech can share about Mr. Cho publicly.This was the reason why Virginia Tech did not release Mr. Cho's academicrecords to the F.B.l. until the F.B.l. had obtained a subpoena. lt is also importantto stress that it is not just Mr. Cho's records that are protected by these laws.Virginia Tech would be precluded from releasing similar information about any ofthe victims of the events of April 16. Furthermore, any complaints filed by thirdparty students about Mr. Cho could not be shared publicly, not just to protect Mr.Cho, but also to protect the identity of those third pafi complainants as well.

Thank you for your time today. Next David Ford, Vice President for AcademicAffairs, will speak with you about the events of April 16,2007.

M:ay 21,2007

Topic: Emergency Policy Group Process/Action for April 16, 2007

Chairman Massengilland Members of the Review Panel,

I am David Ford, and I serve the university as Mce Provost for

Academic Affairs. One of the responsibilities I have by virtue of my

position is to be a member of the university's Emergency Policy

Group. lt is in that capacity that I share with you today my account of

the processes used and actions taken by the Policy Group related to

the shooting incidents in West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall and

in Norris Hall on the morning of Monday, April 16,2007.

Shortly after 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 16, I was informed that there

had been a shooting in West Ambler Johnston Hall and that President

Steger was assembling the Policy Group immediately. By

approximately 8:30 a.m., I and the other members of the group had

arrived at the Bunuss Hall Board Room and Dr. Steger convened the

meeting. I learned subsequently that as he awaited the anival of

other group members, President Steger had been in regular

communication with the police, had given direction to have the

Governor's office notified of the shooting, and had called the head of

University Relations to his office to begin planning to activate the

emergency communication systems.

When he convened the meeting, President Steger informed the

Policy Group that Virginia Tech Police had received a call at

approximately 7:20 a.m. on April 16, 2007, to investigate an incident

in a residence hall room in West Ambler Johnston. Within minutes of

the call, Virginia Tech Police and Virginia Tech Rescue SQuad

members responded to find two gunshot victims, a male and a

female, inside a room in the residence hall.

Information continued to be received through frequent telephone

conversations with Virginia Tech Police on the scene. The Policy

Group was informed that the residence hallwas being secured by

Mrginia Tech Police, and students within the hallwere notified and

asked to remain in their rooms for their safe$. We were further

informed that the room containing the gunshot victims was

immediately secured for evidence collection and Virginia Tech Police

began questioning hall residents and identifying potential witnesses.

In the preliminary stages of the investigation, it appeared to be an

isolated incident, possibly domestic in nature. The Policy Group

leamed that Blacksburg Police and Virginia State Police had been

notified and were also on the scene.

The Policy Group was further informed by the police that they were

following up on leads concerning a person of interest in relation to the

shootings. During this 30 minute period of time between 8:30 and 9

a.m., the Policy Group processed the factual information it had in the

context of many questions we asked ourselves. For instance, what

information do we release without causing a panic? We learned

from the Morva incident last August that speculation and

misinformation spread by individuals who do not have the facts

causes panic? Do we confine the information to students in West

Ambler Johnston since the information we had focused on a single

incident in that building? Beyond the two gunshot victims found by

3

police, was there a possibility that another percon might be involved

(i.e. a shooter), and if so, where is that person, what does that person

look like and is that person armed? At that time of the morning, when

thousands are in transit, what is the most effective and efficient way

to convey the information to all faculty, staff and students? lf we

decided to close the campus at that point, what would be the most

effective process given the openness of a campus the size of Virginia

Tech? How much time do we have untilthe next class change?

And so with the information the Policy Group had, at approximately 9

a.m. we drafted and edited a communication to be released to the

university community via email and to be placed on the university

website. We made the best decision we could based upon the

information we had at the time. Shortly before 9:30 a.m., the Virginia

Tech community - faculty, staff and students - were notified by email

as follows:

"A shooting incident occurred at West Ambler Johnston earlier

this morning. Police are on the scene and are investigating.

The university community is urged to be cautious and are

asked to contact Virginia Tech Police if you observe anything

suspicious or with information on the case. Contact Virginia

Tech Police at231$411.

Stay tuned to the www.vt.edu. We will post as soon as we

have more information."

The Virginia Tech EmergencyMeather Line recordings were also

transmitted and a broadcast telephone message was made to

campus phones. The Policy Group remained in session in order to

receive additional updates about the West Ambler Johnston case and

to consider further actions if appropriate,

At approximately 9:45 a.m., the Policy Group received word from the

Virginia Tech Police of a shooting in Norris Hall. Within five minutes

a notification was issued by the Policy Group and transmitted to the

university community which read:

"A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings untilfurther

notice. Stay away from all windows."

Also activated was the campus Emergency Alert system. The voice

message capability of that system was used to convey an emergency

message throughout the campus. Given the factual information

available to the Policy Group, the reasonable ac'tion was to ask

people to stay in place. The Policy Group did not have evidence to

ensure that a gunman was or was not on the loose, so every

precaution had to be taken. The Virginia Tech campus contains 153

major buildings, 19 miles of public roads, is located on 2,600 acres of

land, and as many as 35,000 individuals might be found on its

grounds at any one time on a typical day. Virginia Tech is very much

like a small city. One does not entirely close down a small city or a

university campus.

Additionally, the Policy Group considered that the university schedule

has a class change between 9:55 and 10:10 a.m. on a MWF

schedule. To ensure some sense of safety in an open campus

environment, the Policy Group decided that keeping people inside

existing buildings if they were on campus and away from campus if

they had not yet arrived was the right decision. Again, we made the

best decision we could based on the information available. So at

approximately 10:15 a.m. another message was transmitted which

read:

"Virginia Tech has cancelled all classes. Those on campus are

asked to remain where they are, lock their doors, and stay

away from windows. Persons off campus are asked not to

come to campus."

At approximately 10:50 a.m., Virginia Tech Police Chief Flinchum and

Blacksburg Police Chief Crannis arrived to inform the Policy Group

about what they had witnessed in the aftermath of the shootings in

Norris Hall.

Chief Flinchum reported that the scene was bad; very bad. Virginia

State Police was handling the crime scene. Police had one shooter

in custody and there was no evidence at the time to confirm or negate

a second shooter, nor was there evidence at the time to link the

shootings in west Ambler Johnston to those in Norris Hall. The

police informed the Policy Group that these initial observations were

ongoi ng investigations.

Based upon this information and acting upon the advice of the police,

the Policy Group immediately issued a fourth transmittalwhich read:

"ln addition to an earlier shooting today in West Ambler

Johnston, there has been a multiple shooting with multiple

victims in Norris Hall. Police and EMS are on the scene.

Police have one shooter in custody and as part of routine police

procedure, they continue to search for a second shooter.

All people in university buildings are required to stay inside until

further notice. All entrances to campus are closed."

Information about the Norris Hall shootings continued to come to the

Policy Group from the scene. At approximately 11:30, the Policy

Group issued a planned faculty/staff evacuation via the Virginia Tech

website which read:

I

"Faculty and staff located on the Burruss Hall side of the

Drillfield are asked to leave their office and go home

immediately. Faculty and staff located on the War

Memorial/Eggleston Hall side of the Drillfield are asked to leave

their offices and go home at 12:30 p.m."

At approximately 12:15 p.m.the Policy Group released yet another

communication via the Virginia Tech website which further'informed

people as follows:

"Virginia Tech has closed today Monday, April 16, 2007. On

Tuesday, April 17, classes will be cancelled. The university will

remain open for administrative operations. There will be an

additional university statement presented today at noon.

All students, faculty and staff are required to stay where they

are until police execute a planned evacuation. A phased

closing will be in effect today; further information will be

forthcoming as soon as police secure the campus.

I

Tomorrow there will be a university convocation/ceremony at

noon at cassell coliseum. The Inn at Virginia Tech has been

designated as the site for parents to gather and obtain

information."

Tomorrow there will

A press conference was held shortly after noon on April 16,2007,

and President Charles W. Steger issued a statement citing "A tragedy

of monumental proportions." Copies of that statement are available

on request.

The Policy Group continued to meet and strategically plan for the

events to follow. ,A campus update on the shootings was issued at

another press conference at approximately 5 p.m. University

employees began immediately to provide counsel and care for the

families of the deceased and injured victims. Before Dr. Zenobia

Lawrence Hikes, Vice President for Student Affairs, briefs you on

those ongoing activities, do you have any questions?

10

6ry% fr^ Q/'^' "'-'L( P Zt:t-

Comments by Virginia Tech Chief of PoliceWendell Flinchum on May 21,2007 Io+he

Virginia Tech Review Panel conceming the

Police resoonse at WAJ on 4-16-07

Coi Massengill and members of the panel. My name is Wendell Flinchum and I am the

Chief of Police for the Virginia Tech Police Department. I am pleased to have the

opportunity to speak to you about the Virginia Tech Police Department response to the

events at West Ambler Johnston Hall on April 16, 2007.

I would like to point out that the police investigation is still on-going and some of the

information could change as the investigation progresses'

I would like to first tell you about the Virginia Tech Poiice Department. Our department

was formed around 1945 and has grown into a professional organization. The department

is currently nationaily accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law

Enforcemint Agencies (CALEA). CALEA is an independent organization established to

develop a set of law enforcement standards that would improve the delivery of police

servicei around the country. CALEA accredits police departments throughout the

country if those departments can meet CALEA standards. The Blacksburg Police

Department and the Virginia State Police are also accredited by CALEA. Our

department is one of only a few University police departments in the country that are

naiionally accredited and is one of three University police departments in Virginia' We

received our third re-accreditation in November 2006.

Our department is a full service law enforcement agency. We currently have 40 sworn

officeri which are assisted by security guards, communication officers and administrative

staff. The officers are highly trained and attend the same police academy as our local

police and sheriff s departments. We formed an Emergency Response Team (ERT) in

tSSt *a this team trains regularly with the Blacksburg Police department's ERT. This

team and our entire department have a close working relationship with the Blacksburg

Police department which was demonstrated on Apil 1 6, 2001 .

I will now go into the police response at West Ambler Johnston on April 16' 2007 based

on the information we knew and obtained that moming.

West Ambler Johnston Ha ll

Police Respanse on

April 16,2007

CluWira Fhdrth\4ryltit T€cb Polico D€pl

wvi'qg1## *flmor r. trcordad by wPD Dlapatch

WAJ . THE IilMAL CALL*

F 7:20 AM - Aptil 16,2007 - Initial call is received on a WPD

ad ministrative telephone li ne.

) Caller advises dispatcher that a female student in Room 4040

WestAmblerJohnston (WAJ) Hall had possiblyfallen from herloftbed.

) Caller was provided information by another WAI resident who was

"near" Room 4040 and heard what sounded like someone falling

out of a loft.

Chlef Wand€ll Flimhum

Vlrglnia T6ch Police Dopt.

- -

4-!ienn, ..:L,.- !. - ..1. - .. ,-...rirl

uvq#** 'Times as recorded bYVTPD DisPatch

WAI - Follee/Rescue ResPonse*

Y 7 :2lAM - VIPD Dispatcher notllles W Rescue Squad of

female student possiblyfallen from her loft bed In WAJ.

Y 7z21.AM - WPD officer ls dlspatched to 4040 WAf baccompanyW Rescue Squad (per WPD prctocol')

Chi.l WdddlF lnchm

MOt J! T.dr Po|lc. o€9t

UVirglnqTecltI lnyQnl lne Fulute

*Times as tpcorded by WPD Dispatdl

WAJ - Pollcq/Rescue Response*

I ) 7:24AItl VTPD officeranlvesatWAJ.> After aniving at 4040 WAJ, WPD offcet finds that two people have been

shot Insldethe toom; lmmedlately requests addltional WPD resources.

D 7:30 AM - AddlUonal VIPD officen begln aniving at Room

4040.

Chlofw.ndd Flnolrum

VIE{nla To<rr Pol6 D€pt

WAJ - Follct/Rmcue RwPnm

> WPD officens securlng cdme scene;stafting preliminary

nvestigation.> Preliminary resident interviews unable to provide a suspect description.

D No one on floor or in WAJ saw anvone leave Room 4040 after the initial

noise was heard.

Clid WsrdC FrdrrnVirgidr To.*r Polica Dept

WvfuginiaTe& *Estimated Time; No Dispatch Entry.| - lnrenl lhe Future I

WAJ - Pollce Responee

) 7:40 AM - WPD Chief Flinchum notified by phone of WAJ

shootings.**

F 7:51AM - Chlef Fllnchum contasts BlaclsburgPollceDepaftment(BPD)

F Requests BPD Evidence Technician respond to WAJ.

) Requests BPD Detective to assist with investigation.

Chisf Wg'd FlndimM{id€ T6ch Polie Dqt

!A&6dt|4'"

*Estimated Time; No Dispatch Entry.

WAJ - Follce Response

F 7:57 A.M. - Ghief Fllndum notifles the Offie of tlte BecutiveVice President.**

) 8:00 A.M. - Chlef Fllnchum alrlves at scene In WAJ. girre asrscod€d by Chief Flinchum's card $Nips at WAJ)

F By this time, WPD Detectives and BPD Detectives already on scene atWAJ; investigation underway.

D Local State Police Special Agent contac{ed; responded to scene.

Cfiavltoda Fh|nlVl|!h. Ldr Pol6 O.9t

flWginiafecn 1I lnl'na me |UWB

WAJ - Polle Rsponse

D 8:11 AM - Blacksburg Police Chief Kim Grannls anives on

SOgng. (nme as recoded by BPD Dispatch)

) 8:13 A"M. - Chlef Flinchum requesb additionalVIPD & BPD

officen on scene to assist with securing WAI entanoes and

assist in investigation. (Time as rccord€d by wPD Dlspatch)

Ci|cw'nd F|Indlurr

vkginl. T.dr Polioa D.9l

UVirginiaTbctrI nwnl nd mlt ?*Times as recorded by WPD Dispatch

WAJ - Follce Response

) 8:t5A.M. - Chief Fllnchum rcquestsWPD Emergency

ResponseTeam (ERT- WPD equivalentof a SWATTeam)

respond in anticipation of search wanants and/or arestwanantseruice.

Chhrwt d FhdtunVlOh! T..i Pol6 D.pt

$vkglni*dtlnwnt tho Future

WAJ - Follce Responso

F 8:19 AM - Chief Grannis rcquests BPD ERT rcspond furftesame rcason.

D 9:15 AM - Both ERTteams arc staged atthe BlaclsbugPolice Departmentin anticipaUon of search wanantsand/oranest wanant service.

Chl€f w'nd Fhdu.m

VlElnlr T.dr Poloo Oat

, ;4]F:ni;!sElt ke- !

WVirginiaTedrtnvant nc Fuat tB

WAJ - Pollce Response

F Wtness tells VIPD investigatorc about acquaintance ofEmily Hilsche6 Individual may have been with her earlier

that same momlng.) Individual not a Wstudent; Individual does not live on campus.

0fficers searchingfor info on acquaintance.

F Investigators search for acquaintance's vehicle In campus parking

lots; become more confident individual has left campus.

> WPD & BPD officers sentto acquaintance's residence; indlvidual

is not home; surueillance initiated.

Ctlof Werdg] Flinchu.

vk!ffll. T.dr Pola. D.9(

uvq$#?sl' ilnwnt the Futurc

D BOL (Be 0n the Lookout report) to Blacksburg Pollce DepartnentandMonttomery County Shedffs ffi ce for indMdual's vehicle.

F All of the previous actions including the B0L, occured between8:16 AM and 9:24 AM.

Cnbf W.nd€ll FllndrLrn

vlQinb To.h Polic. D€f,!

t-UViginiafecn I| - lnvent ttvFuturs I

WAJ - Pollce Response

F Meanwhile...on campus:Ffficers canvassing WN for possible witnesses.

>VTPD, BPD, & VSP processing Room 4040 cdme scene

and gathering evidence.

)Officerc searching intedor and exterior waste contalnercand sunounding areas nearWAJ for evidence.

C J$r.rdd FhrrtlVlrdrfi T.dr Pol6 O.!t

U\tuginiaTecttlnwnt the Fulun

WAJ - Pollce Responso

F Meanwhlle...on Gampus:

F Investigaton securing identification of victims.

)Following up with rcscue squad personnel for any

additional evidence/informatlon.

}'Allocating & asslgning additional rcsponding lawenforcement.

DTrying to locate the first residentwho told the ResidentAdvisor about the noise in 4040 WAJ

chi€{ \iv€id€! Fllndxm

ViQlnir T6ci Pollc. S.

UVirginiaTectr- lnwnt lho Fllura

WAr - Pollce Response

F Note...) W midence halls were already locked befiore, during, &

following the WAJ double-shooting. (Exterior residence halldoorc are locked from 10:00 P.M. to 10:00 A.MJ

) All evidence recovered fmm WAJ cdme scene and witnessinformation gathered atWAJ indicated the WAJ scene was anisolated, singular evenS never any indication of additionalkillings to follow.

) Even after a month into theWAJ & Noris Hall investif,ations,stillno infomation from theWAJ crime scenethatwouldindicate that the Nonis llall shootings would later occur.

CllJtvdia fldrrnVltlhr T..i ttolico Dept

WAJ - Pollce ResponseF Flom 8:10 AM to 9:25 AM - Chief Flinchum pnlides

updated infomation via phone to W Policy Group

regarding progrcss made in WAJ investigation...as ltbecomes available.

F9:25 AM - VIPD Police Captain joins W Policy Group

and provides updates as information becomes

available.

ChlC W€rd€ll Flinchum

Vlrlinb T€dr Polic. O6d.

WAJ - Pollce ResPonse

) 9:24 A.M. - Montgomery Coun$ Deputy Sherlff alefts on

acq ualntance's veh i cl e an d i n iUates traffi c stop off campus.

D Detectives en-route to assist with questioning acquaintance.

F 9:31A.M. - VSPTroopermads on'scene to assist Montgomery County

Depu$ Sheriff with tnffic stop. (Time as recorded bv VSP Salem Division

Dispatch)

D 9:30 - 9:42A.M. - Questloningof acquaintanceongolng,

OldfNd.l ni|.hntvlEldr T.dr Po{6 o.pl

*Times as recorded by WPD Dispatc{t

Nonb Hall - Polleey'Rescuo Rcponse

) 9:42A"M. - FirstcallmadebWPD Dispatch aboutshootlngat Norls Hall.

D 9:45 A.M. -VIPD and BPD ofrces arc fiFtto arlve atNonls Hall.

F 9:50AM - Flstteam of officercon Second FloorlnsldeNorris Hall; last shot fired as they rcach second floorlanding trlage and rcscue of victims beginslmmedlately.

Clid wr.rddl FlndrmVl€ld! L.h PoN6 O.pt.

Comments by Zenobia Lawrence Hikes' Ed.D.Vice President for Student Affairsto the Virginia Tech Review Panel

May 21,2007

Report on Healing and Recovery Initiatives atVirginia Tech Post-APril 16

l. lntroductionChairman Massengill and members of the Review Panel, I am Zenobia Lawrence Hikes,

Vice President for Student Affairs.

The Virginia Tech community is one of exceptional resilience and compassion.

Following the horrific events of April 16, our community of faculty, staff and students

mobilized in countless ways to provide support to grieving families, the injured and

hospitalized, enrolled students and the university at large. On behalf of the Office of thepresident, the Office of the Provost, the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating

Officer, the Division of Student Affairs, the Graduate School, and Human Resources, I

would like to share with you some of the collaborative initiatives, support services,programs, and activities we employed to begin the healing and recovery of our

community.

Ceremoniesln every culture, ceremonies play an important role in the process of healing and

recovery. On Tuesday immediately following the tragedy the university came together in

a convocation held in'Cassell Coliseum. Featured speakers included President George

Bush, Governor Tim Kaine, University President charles Steger, noted author and

University Distinguished Professor Nikki Giovanni, and leaders representing four major

religions. The convocation was televised world-wide and served to signal the strength

and unity of the Virginia Tech community in the wake of the tragic events of April 16'

Approximately 10,000 were in attendance in the coliseum and an additional 25,000 were

accommodated in overflow seating in Lane Stadium'

On the same evening as the convocation, the students of Hokies United organized a

candlelight vigil on the Drillfield. This event was attended by thousands of students,

alumni, iaculty, staff, and friends who came together to mourn and pay their respects. ltwas for this vigil that Hokie Stones were first placed in a semicircle in front of thereviewing stand to honor the deceased victims. Also initiated at the vigil were message

boards on which mourners could write condolences and expressions of grief. As the

number of boards grew over several days, tents were erected on the Drillfield to protect

them from the elements. Together with the Hokie Stones, the message boards have

come to serve as the focal point for the collective grief of the university community and

as the repository for flowers and other mementos symbolizing the loss of students and

faculty who were our dear friends and colleagues.

Throughout the days following the tragedy, the Memorial Chapel served as a place ofquiet refuge where members of the university community could go for a moment ofreflection. Representatives from religious and faith-based organizations made

themselves available at the chapel to those who desired pastoral counseling.

Comments by Zenobia Lawrence Hikes, Ed.D-Vice President for Student Affairsto the Virginia Tech Review Panel

MaY 21,2007

Report on Healing and Recovery lnitiatives atVirginia Tech Post-APril 16

l. IntroductionChairman Massengill and members of the Review Panel, I am Zenobia Lawrence

Vice President for Student Affairs.

The Virginia Tech community is one of exceptional resilience and compassion.

Following the horrific events of April 16, our community of faculty, staff and students

mobilized in countless ways to provide support to grieving families, the injured and

hospitalized, enrolled students and the university at large. On behalf of the Office of thepresident, the Office of the Provost, the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating

Officer, the Division of Student Affairs, the Graduate School, and Human Resources, I

would like to share with you some of the collaborative initiatives, support services,programs, and activities we employed to begin the healing and recovery of our

community.

GeremoniesIn every culture, ceremonies play an important role in the process of healing and

recovery. On Tuesday immediately following the tragedy the university came together in

a convocation held in Cassell Coliseum. Featured speakers included President George

Bush, Governor Tim Kaine, University President Charles Steger, noted author and

University Distinguished Professor Nikki Giovanni, and leaders representing four major

religions. The convocation was televised world-wide and served to signal the strength

and unity of the Virginia Tech community in the wake of the tragic events of April 16'

Approximately 10,000 were in attendance in the coliseum and an additional 25,000 were

accommodated in overflow seating in Lane Stadium.

On the same evening as the convocation, the students of Hokies United organized a

candlelight vigil on the Drillfield. This event was attended by thousands of students,

alumni, iaculty, staff, and friends who came together to mourn and pay their respects, ltwas for this vigil that Hokie Stones were first placed in a semicircle in front of the

reviewing stand to honor the deceased victims. Also initiated at the vigil were message

boards on which mourners could write condolences and expressions of grief. As the

number of boards grew over several days, tents were erected on the Drillfield to protect

them from the elements. Together with the Hokie Stones, the message boards have

come to serve as the focal point for the collective grief of the university community and

as the repository for flowers and other mementos symbolizing the loss of students and

faculty who were our dear friends and colleagues.

Throughout the days following the tragedy, the Memorial Chapel served as a place ofquiet refuge where members of the university community could go for a moment of

reflection. Representatives from religious and faith-based organizations made

themselves available at the chapel to those who desired pastoral counseling.

Family SupportA number of initiatives were directed specifically at meeting the needs of the families ofVirginia Tech students, and I would like to highlight just a few of these. In an effort torespond to the high volume of calls from families of Virginia Tech students concernedabout their safety and welfare, the university established a 24 hour call center that wasstaffed by university volunteers as well as representatives from the Virginia Departmentof Emergency Management (VDEM). As the volume of calls diminished, the Dean ofStudents Office assumed the call center responsibilities.

To support the grieving families who had lost students and faculty, individual familyliaisons were assigned, the majority of whom were from the Division of Student Affairs,the Graduate School, and the Provost Office. These individuals provided personalizedservices and information to assist families with processes such as the retrieval of studenteffects; removal of student vehicles; access to benefits available from the CriminalInjuries Compensation Fund, the Red Cross, and other community agencies; resolutionof student accounts; and family participation in commencement ceremonies.

Individual liaisons were also assigned to injured students and their families to assistthem with the recovery process and reintegration to the academic community for thosewho were not graduating. President Steger, joined at times by Governor Kaine andAttorney General McDonnell, visited injured students in area hospitals to check on theirwelfare and let them know that the university was concerned about them.

Deceased students were honored at the 2007 spring commencement by the awarding ofposthumous degrees. Their families were invited as guests of the university to attendcommencement to be recognized and accept their son's or daughter's diploma and classring.

To remember and honor the victims of the tragic events of April 16, the Virginia TechFoundation established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process.The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to: assistance tovictims and their families, grief counseling, memorials, communication expenses, andcomfort expenses. In addition, a general Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund as well asspecific memorial funds in the name of each of the decedents have been established.Additional attention is being focused on the school-age children of deceased facultymembers.

ll. Student Health and Wellness

Gook Counseling CenterIn the days following the April 16 tragedy many events and support activities were takingplace to facilitate the healing process. In the area of student health and wellness, theuniversity's Gook Counseling Center took the lead in terms of providing psychologicalassistance to students on campus. To meet anticipated demand for Increased services,Cook Counseling Center extended its hours of operation and offered services both in theevenings and on the weekends, Counselors worked closely with groups of students withspecial needs, such as residents of West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall, survivingstudents who were in Norris Hall at the time of the incident, members of various studentorganizations and programs that had lost members, and roommates of deceasedstudents. To date approximately 60 outreach presentations have been made to faculty,staff, and student groups, and the volume of appointments in the counseling center hasincreased at least 50o/o over this time last year. Knowing that commencement would be

an especially difficult time for students and their families, Cook Counseling Centerenlisted 50 mental health professionals as volunteers to assist the regular staff.Counselors were present at each commencement exercise throughout the weekend.

Anticipating an increased need for psychological counseling in the upcoming monthsand years, the center staff completed several grant applications in an effort to helpfinance expanded services. The center is providing counseling for the students who willremain in Blacksburg during the summer. For students outside of Blacksburg during thesummer, the center is also facilitating counseling referrals.

Schiffert Health CenterThe university's Schiffert Health Center also played an important role in the healing andrecovery process. Medical personnel from the center visited hospitals where injuredvictims were treated and then provided special follow-up wound care to a student whohad suffered gun shot wounds. To be sensitive to the psychological needs of studentswho may have experienoed trauma, medical personnel incorporated psychologicalscreening questions into their conversations with students who presented for physicalinjuries.

Services for Students with DisabilitiesThe Services for Student with Disabilities Office has taken the lead in providingaccommodations for any injured students who may need assistance in the classroomand anticipates that there will be an increased need to provide accommodations forstudents with psychological disabilities.

Recreational SportsRecreational Sports provided a valuable service to the university community by keepingits fitness facilities open during the week of authorized closing so that students andfaculty could exercise and engage in stress relieving activities. In addition, they openedfitness classes to all students and families of the victims.

lll. Faculty and Staff Health and Wellness

Concern for the health and wellness of the campus was not focused solely on studentneeds. Human Resources took the lead in addressing the needs of faculty and staff.lmmediately upon learning of the shootings on campus, Human Resources (HR)contacted ValueOptions, our employee assistance provider, to request assistance andcrisis counselors were on campus by mid-afternoon. Both small and large groupemployee sessions were scheduled to provide information related to common reactionsto trauma and stress, as well as tips for self-care and recovery support. Squires StudentCenter was designated as the location for individual meetings with employees, withseveral counselors assigned to that location throughout the day. lnformation wasprovided to employees who are parents to assist them in communicating with theirchifdren. To date, 127 group information sessions, reaching 2,980 participants, havebeen held with colleges, departments, and workgroups and over 800 individual sessionshave been held as of May 15,2OO7.

Numerous support resources were developed by ValueOptions and made availablethrough group sessions as well as one-on-one sessions including self-care tips andcoping with trauma. This material was disseminated to employees through UniversityRelations and the universitv websites.

lSbq!,,d-;.."ftr! ._..-.''..*,'--*,*^....*.,-,c

Training programs are being developed, with the assistance of experts in the field, tohelp supervisors effectively manage employee issues that may emerge from the events.Additional resource information focused on resilience and rebounding from trauma hasbeen developed and is being shared in hard copy and on the internet.

lV. Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Collaboration

To meet our students' needs and to provide a less stressful end to the semester, anumber of measures were taken that involved collaboration between Student Affairs andAcademic Affairs.

Flexible Options for Gompleting the SemesterOn April 18, the Office of the University Provost in collaboration with the college deans,provided three options for students to complete the semester. These options took intoaccount the education of our students, as well as their physical and mental well-beingrealizing that various students would react differently in the aftermath.

Classes resumed on Monday, April 23, and students had the option of designating, on acourse by course basis, how they wished the semester grade to be assigned by thefaculty. Grades could be based on the following:

. The materials which had already been submittedr The material already submitted plus any other assigned material which the

student chose to submit. All the material which otherwise would have been submitted

In support of the flexible options and to encourage students to continue their educationalexperience, the Division of Student Affairs supported students who decided to remain intheir residence halls. Housing and dining options were continued despite the student'schoice of completing the semester. The college deans and the faculty were very helpfulin advising students and in facilitating a successful end to the semester.

Deferred Academic SuspensionsTo support our students further, the Office of the University Provost decided that therewould be no academic suspensions in the spring of 2QQ7. Students in academicdifficulty were allowed an additional probationary term without requiring academicappeals. This change will impact the number of available residence hall rooms for thefall semester; however, the Division of Student Affairs is in full support of this decision.

Classroom SupportWhen students returned to classes, the university activated the largest knowndeployment of mental health practitioners in U.S. history. The schedules of the victimsand injured were researched through the registrar's office and approximately 305counselors attended these classes to provide support for the faculty and students.Counselors were identifiable by purple arm bands. Others who were available to providegeneral assistance and support were identifiable by yellow arm bands.

The Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (CEUT) held a number ofworkshops through the period of Wednesday, April 18, to Friday, April 20, to help facultyprepare for resumption of classes on Monday, April 23. Among the workshop topicswere: engaging the students in conversation surrounding the tragic events, respondingto students who experience difficulty with the discussions, and describing the gradingoptions the faculty made available to students for completing their individual courses.

4

-ri-.-.-;!i,'d!i*. _,Ail

Deferred Judicial CasesDuring the days following the tragedy, Judicial Affairs also provided options for studentswith pending judicial hearings. The office's most immediate focus for judicial hearingswas graduating seniors and students with serious offenses.

Other students were given the option of resolving their cases before the end of thesemester or in the fall.

V. Student Support Services

Dean of Students OfficeThe Dean of Students Office played a key role in coordinating the campus response tothe tragedy. In collaboration with others, the office coordinated the work of the familyliaisons and served as the central clearing house for information related to the victims ofthe tragedy. They worked closely with the State Police to facilitate the return of students'personal property from Norris Hall, provided an information hotline for students andparents, and processed a staggering volume of letters, cards, and remembrances for thevictims.

Cranwell International CenterCranwell International Center responded to the special needs of international studentsthat resulted from the incidents of April 16. Complimentary international telephone cardswere distributed to students who needed to contact their families abroad to assure themthat they were safe. To address the unique concems of Korean students, staff madetelephone contact with each undergraduate and many graduate students from Korea tooffer assistance. In addition, the center responded to departments that requestedpresentations on responding to the special needs of international students.

Multicultural Programs and ServicesMulticultural Programs and Services worked closely with the leadership of the AsianAmerican Student Union and other campus leaders to address concerns about potentialretaliation and requests from the press. The students were assured of the universitv'sconcern for their safety.

Residence LifeResidence Life has played a key role in the efforts to promote healing and recovery oncampus. lmmediately following the events of April 16, resident advisors were deployedto personally speak with each resident student on campus by Tuesday afternoon andoffer counseling resources. As reports from concerned faculty and families werereceived, the professional staff followed up appropriately with individual students andmet with student groups to facilitate their discussions about lost friends or roommates.As residents returned to campus, counselors toured through the buildings and were oncall for staff to contact for residents. Exterior doors to all residence halls remainedlocked to help ensure a sense of safety and well being among residents.

Housing and Dining ServicesHousing and Dining Services provided complimentary on-campus housing and meals forvictim's families and friends during commencement weekend. To be sensitive to thespecial needs of these guests, the housing arrangements included access to counselingservices, security coverage, and24 hour a day guest services.

The Graduate SchoolWhile the Division of Student Affairs provided support services to the general studentpopulation, the Graduate School focused its efforts on the specific needs of graduatestudents. lnitiatives included providing support to those who lost friends and facultymembers, attending to the unique academic needs of graduate students, andassisting graduate assistants to carry out their teaching and research responsibilities.The Graduate School maintained regular communication with all graduate students andopened the multipurpose room in the Graduate Life Center as a place for graduatestudents to gather and to take advantage of on-site counseling services. Specificoutreach efforts were directed at supporting Korean graduate students as well as thosefrom other Asian countries.

Vl. Student Activities and Programs

Gorps of CadetsThe Corps of Cadets participated in a number of ceremonial events related to the April16 tragedy. The cadet regiment provided the band, color guard, and ushers for theconvocation and then provided buglers for Echo Taps during the candlelight vigil. lnaddition, the cadet regiment served as honor guard for the memorial wreath at WarMemorial Chapel and then at the cenotaph.

University Unions and Student ActivitiesUniversity Unions and Student Activities served as a central gathering place andrepository for memorials during the weeks following the April 16 incident. Also, thestudent centers have displayed memorial tributes from around the world. SquiresStudent Center and the Graduate Life Center remained open throughout the entire weekfollowing the incident to provide counselors and community support to assist those indistress. In addition, the various union facilities were used as venues for memorialservices and commemorative events. Plans are currently underway for a fall healingconcert that will bring the campus community together to remember the victims.

Hokies UnitedWe are especially proud of the work of Hokies United, a student-driven volunteer effortorganized to help respond to local, national, and international tragedies. As mentionedpreviously, Hokies United banded together immediately after the tragedy occuned andwas able to pull together a candlelight vigil held on the Drillfield the evening of April 17.In addition, they organized a series of unifying activities intended to bring the communitytogether. These included a casino night in War Memorial Gym and a picnic on theDrillfield that was aftended by an estimated 15,000 people. And on the first day back toclasses, Hokies United organized once again to hold a campus-wide moment of silence.

Vll. Conclusion

Finally, the Virginia Tech campus community remains committed to the process ofhealing and recovery as evidenced by the combined efforts of our students andemployees from across the university in such departments as Physical Plant, Athletics,Human Resources, Student Affairs, the Graduate School, the Provost Office, andacademic departments, to name just a few.

CONTACT:

Larry Hincker

(s40) 231-s396

hincker@l't.edu

MEDIA ADVISORY: Virginia Tech to release llndings and recommendations of April 16

review committees

BLACKSBIIRG, Va., August 21,2007 -Yitginia Tech will release the findings and

recommendations of tlree post-April 16 review committees at a press conference Wednesday,

August 22 at 2:30 p.m. at the Holtzman Alumni Center Assembly Hall. The press conference will

last approximately one hour.

The press event will be led by Larry Hincker, associate vice president for university relations.

Other speakers include Virginia Tech President Charles Steger; James Hyatt, executive vice

president and chief operating officer; Earving Blythe, vice president for information tecbnologli;

and Jerome A. Niles, retired dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

On May g,2007,President Steger called for three separate intemal reviews in the wake of the

April 16 tragedy. He asked each group to examine "strengths and weaknesses of our existing

systems/infrastructure and how they may be improved or augmented to address emelgency

situation that might arise in the future."

==> The Security Infrastructure Group was charged with examining the university's existing

secwity systems and recommending changes that would enhance the university's ability to

respond quickly and effectively in situations where the safety of the campus community is

jeopardized. This group was also directed to identi$ stategies that might decrease the probability

of such a situation occurring looking at both technologicial and behavioral aspects. James Hyatt

chaired this group and will present its findings.

:> The Information and Communications fnfrastructure Group analyzed and inventoried

the communication infrastructure and information systems used during the crisis period,

evaluated their perfomance, and identifies tactics and strategies for improvemetts. Earting

Blythe chairedthis group andwill present itsfndings.

=:> The Interface Group evaluated the relationships between the university's student

counseling services, academic affairs, judicial affairs, and the legal system. It was charged with

examining the existing systems and the interface between them and determining what constraints

legal or otherwise hamper effective interactions in order to respond and support at-risk students.

Jerome A. Niles chaired this group and will present its findings.

Copies of each report will be available to members of the working press beginning at noon on

Wednesday only if a 2:30 p.m. embargo on its contents is honored. Hard copies may be picked

up in the lobby of the Holtzrnan Alumni Center outside adjacent to Assembly Hall. Only hard

copies will be available at this time.

Parking is available in the parking lot in front of the Inn at Virginia Tech. No parking is available

adiacent to the Holtzman Alumni Center.

LElryComments August 30, 2007

Charles W. StegerResponse to Virginia Tech Review Panel

Let me begin by saying that this university, notwithstanding the joy and exhilaration that

comes from the start of the new s€,mester and acadernic year, is still traumatized to an

extent and continues to gneve over the tagedy ofApril 16. On our calnpus, 32 people

were murdered and at least 27 injured by a profoundly sick young man. Moreover, he

was a member of our own community, which magnifies the violation we all feel.

For virtually all of us within the Virginia Tech family, our hearts will never lose the ache

we've felt since that honible day.

We are trying hard to support those most in need. Nineteen injured students have

retumed to the Virginia Tech campus to continue their education here and we are doing

everything possible to make that transition back to the classroom as easy as it can be.

In addition, the office of Recovery and Support was created to facilitate more effective

and on-going two-way communication between the university and the families of the

victims.

I believe that wonderful opportunities exist for Virginia Tech to collaborate with these

families in some incredibly meaningful programming to commemorate the spirit and

generosity of our fallen Hokies.

I am here to speak today to the findings and recommendations of the Virginia Tech

Review Panel that was ably led by Colonel Massengill. I want to thank Governor Kaine,

Col. Massengill, and all the mernbers of the panel who gave so much time and thought to

this difficult topic. They have provided a valuable and necessary public service.

Govemor Kaine's leadership from the early moments of April 16 and his encouragement

and support ever since have been inspirational to our university, to the cornmonwealth,

and beyond.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of hundreds of people within the universitywho worked on our own reviews and/or worked with the panel in sharing information...and the thousands faculty, staffand students who stepped up on April 16 and in the

weeks that followed. And finally, I once again want to thank the thousands of people

who flocked to our aid on April 16 or expressed their support.

We asked for this review. We asked that it be direct and objective. It is extraordinarilycomprehensive.

It is painful to hear the blunt an4 in some cases, critical findings. Yet, it was necessary.

. ...Necessary for those who have lost something more precious than anything in theworld - their loved ones. ...Necessary for those of us who interacted with the deeply

disturbed student. ....And necessary for those of us with the responsibility for findingways to implement actions to seek to prevent any such tragedy happening ever again.

We are just now begiruring to digest the findings and recommendations. We are

distributing the report to campus leadership and the board ofvisitors. It is already clear

that many of its recommendations for future actions are consistent with ow own released

last week.

We must evaluate which actions we can implement immediately, which might have

secondary implications that require further study, which are the province and

responsibility of groups outside the university, which require changes in law, and whichwill require additional resources.

I can't review everything in the report, but let me note just a few key points.

As noted in our own reports on the "interface" between units, as we move forward weneed to be more aggressive in identifying and assisting students at risk. The Panel report

indicates the same.

Whether Cho should have ever been in a large college - or any college - is a legitimatequestion. When people did reach out and try to help, he rebuffed the system' He hid his

homicidal tendencies from mental health professionals throughout his life.

Althougtr, hindsight now provides us with the sigrrs or indications within the university,he clearly kept from the university the exte,lrt of his troubles and prior mental health

history. Ours is a system that asks for students to help us help them. Mental health

colleagues work tirelessly to help individuals with ailments cope with college, but it is a

cooperative effort.

Some say the 'system' ...the continuum of support from childhood through college...failed this student. Some aspects "the system" worked...broadly speaking. It simplywasn't asked to do enough. We didn't ask it do to enough and for some aspects outsideVirginia Tech the same is true. For example, the report notes that "professionalparticipants and family stakeholders are uniformly frustrated with almost every aspect ofthe civil commitment process in Virginia."

We believe that actions that we announced last week that we refer to as "ExpandingCapacity in the System" will greatly improve our ability to identify problems.

I refer to the three major recommendations. If lift them up now because they are key tomuch of what we have heard from the panel.

Refining and expanding the Care Team, a key student affairs group that identifiesand responds to students at risk (among other responsibilities).Creating a Threat Assessment Team charged with examining the most complexcases of distressed students and empowering it to act quickly, when necessary.

. Expanding case Management capacityby adding case managers to the Dean ofStudents office and Cook Counseling Center to improve follow-up with students

and to improve information flow through appropriate units about students at risk'

Virtually all college students are legal adults. Over the past 30 years, in-loco-parentis has

been challenged, largely dismantled, and almost legislated out of existence. Yet, we afe

seeing in this report and other public discussion a growing recognition that families do

not and should not surrender responsibility for a student's ongoing well-being. There are

many recommendations in this report relative to communication and privacy laws that

will bolster involvement of support groups, including farnilies.

In Cho's case, no one at this university had any foreknowledge of his mental health

problems that seemed dominant throughout his life before college. Colleges need

feedback loops in order to identiff, assess, and help students at risk. We need some way

ofunderstanding a student's life before college, ifthere are aspects that would prevent

that student from success or, in the extreme, could create problems for others.

Indeed, the information about his earlier mental health problems and special education

programs would have been invaluable not only in a general sense in assisting him as a

student, but whe,n he had his one encounter with the public mental health system in 2005.

We agree that we need to break down the perceived barriers to privacy within our ownorganization and with organizations with which we interact. It is still a grey area and

some of the recommendations will require a better understanding of existing laws,

clarifrcation of existing laws, and changes in laws...which will engender muchdiscussion.

In the end, we acknowledge the 'connecting the do{ scenarios and will do everl'thing inonr power to end potentialvroblemy^

rrfu ry rd*"'fr' L/-/*r'-I can assure you that Virginia Tech will not Ue tsaystander in tfie pdlltical process. Wewill be forceful advocates for bridging the legislative gap between individual privacyrights and the good oflarger society.

The Panel report says the police agencies and rescue groups did an outstandingjob on

this day of the hagedy. I agree. Their heroic work in Norris undoubtedly saved lives.

Based on feedback given to me by other law enforcement leaders and in the report itself,our police followed standard protocols for a homicide investigation and securing thecampus on the morning when the first fwo shootings were discovered. They immediatelysecured the crime scene and notified residents in the immediate area. With theinformation gleaned in only minutes, they developed legitimate leads and quicklyfollowed them. Based on the crime scene evidence, they did just what they should have

done.

The report notes that "The notion that there was a 2-hour gap...is a misconce'ption' There

was continuous action and deliberations from the first event until the second and they

made a material difference in the results of the second event'"

I am not aware of anything they leamed that would have indicated a mass murder was

imminent. Indeed, the report notes that there was no similar event in U'S. history' The

report notes, "Based on pist history, the probability of more shootings following a

dormitory slaying was very low. The panel researched reports of multiple shootings on

"u*pur.i for the past 40 years, and no scenario was found in which the first mr.uder was

followed by a second elsewhere on campus"

This crime was unprecedented in its cunning and murderous result.

Yet, it happened here. We now own it forever.

We respect and commend the panel for the 'what might have happened scenarios.' They

are iltuitrative and useful for future actions. Nobody can say for certain what would have

happened if different decisions were made. However, to say that something could have

bein prevented is not to say it would have been. Moroever, it is entirely possible that this

tragedy, horrific as it is, could have been worse.

Yet, their recommendations are sound and will be helpful.

As the Panel report notes, Cho is ultimately responsible for the curmage on our campus.

Irrespective of suggested changes in action, we recognize as does the panel, that no

plausible scenario was made for how this horror could have been prevented once he

began that morning.-@ we recognize that actions leading back several years could lead

us to numerous "what-if' scenarios.

All of these recommendations will be valuable to higher education.

We believe that our people acted quickly and to the best of their abilities in the early

hours of April 16 based on what we knew at the time. Still, we acknowledge the findings

and recommendations of the panel. The distance in time and extraordinarily thorough

work ofthe panel provides the hindsight and necessary clarity to objectively review our

actions that were not available to us in thsheat of the moment. And the report also

reinforces the bravery, selflessness, and integrity with which the community faced this

horrific challenge.

It is my belief that our new notification systems will facilitate the speed by which we can

employ university notifications in emergency situations. But there are pitfalls and

possibly unanticipated consequences by the community if in receipt of sketchy

information or lacking a recommended course of action.

Still, we recognize there is now an expectation for rapid communication of some

information, even if not explicit. In some instances, this may be better than no

information. Indeed, this may be the new protocol for American municipalities and cities

as well.

Nothing we can do now will bring back those precious lives lost. My heart goes out the

families who lost families members. We will make changes throughout our university

and related systems and changes in attitudes to ensure their memories are honored and

remembered. As one panel membel said, this report is a beginning of the path to reduce

the risk of future tragedies.

Our university is shong. We have tremendous pride in who we are. There is an

indomitable Aokie Spirit. And each day we cope better and better. But, I know that Ispeak for my colleagues when I say'.. I will hurt forever.

-end-

A./""L,.i*rd *tr 6 re

A6/23/2007 11:01 FAX

85/ZVZAA7 a9:2L

540 23t 4Zg5

H482312149

VT PRESIDENII'S OFFICE

AD:OFFTCE

IfnCI"-L

On behalf of everyorne associated with Virginia Tecb" inctuding the farniliesof the victims of our tecent Uagedy, I would like to convey oul sinceregratitude to the New York Yankees' organization for this wonderfulcontibutisn to the Hokie Spirit Mernorial Fund-

/-/qgf

REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIVERSIW IN RESPONSETO THE TR.AGEDY OF APRIL '16,2007

|/i.ay 4,2007

Overview Statement

Virginia Tech's Emergency Response Plan partitions emergency decision-makers into

funttional groups to maximize efficiency. The main two groups are the Policy Group

and the Emergency Response Resource Group (ERRG). The Policy Group coordinatespolicy and procedure issues specific to response and recovery activities necessitated by

ihe nature of the event. This group was convened immediately on April 16, 2007 when

the tragedies occuned. The Policy Group members include the university's executive

leadership including the President, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating

Officer, Associate Vice President for University Relations, University Provost and VicePresident for Academic Affairs, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Vice President forStudent Affairs and General Counsel. As required by the Emergency Response Plan, a

Vice President in Charge was named as well as an Emergency Response Coordinator'The Emergency Response Coordinator chaired the ERRG, and reported information

back to the Vice President in Charge. The ERRG provides support for emergencyoperations, addresses the safety and welfare of students, employees and visitors, and

assures the continuity and timely resumption of university operations. The ERRG

consists of directors and lead administration in the academic and administrative areas

involved in responding to the emergency. Since the recent tragedy, the focus of theERRG has been to both restore university operations and plan for major activities

through the beginning of the Summer Session. The entire university community has

worked closely with state agencies and volunteer groups to respond to the tragic eventsof April 16. The following highlights just a few of the critical activities and future plans ofthe university in response to the tragedy of April 16.

Gounseling Services

The Cook Counseling Center has provided and coordinated counseling services forstudents since the day of the tragedy. The Center immediately established extendednight and weekend hours, and ensured counselors were located in high traffic student

areas such as Squires Student Center and G. Burke Johnston Student Center. TheCenter also provided training to professors for how to assist students when classesresumed on April 23. On the day classes resumed, the Center coordinated the activitiesof over 280 mental health volunteers on campus and ensured that counselors wereavailable in each academic building and in all classes affected by the loss of a studentor faculty member. The Center worked to enlist the services of the WellnessCorporation, which is providing 24 hour counseling services as necessary. The Centeris also working to develop a response to a grant request that the Commonwealth will

submit to the Federal Govemment for emergency support to the Community SeMceBoards across the state. The grant would empower each of the community service

ORIGINALrqr.,, r,;idr;{&rrt" , . :

Page 1 of8

'/L/

boards in the five regions of the Commonwealth to provide mental health services foreach student at the comrnunity agency in their region. These services would either bepro bono or at a reduced rate to students and their families. The grant would besubmitted to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) in theDepartment of Health and Human Services as an emergency response grant(sometimes known as a'surge'grant). Finally, the Center is also working with HumanResources staff to develop plans for the level of counseling services needed duringCommencement, through the summer session, and for orientation activities.

Human Resources coordinated counseling services for faculty and staff. Faculty andstaff enrolled in COVA Care, the Commonwealth of Virginia's health insurance program,

receive employee assistance benefits through a contract with ValueOptions. Whileservices are typically accessed individually by phone, the events of April 16 wananted a

quick response and immediate availability. On Monday, April 16, at 9:39 a'm., HumanResources contacted ValueOptions to request assistance and an immediate presence

on campus. Counselors were on campus by Monday afternoon. By Tuesday'ValueOptions sent additional resources and an incident commander to coordinate with

Human Resources and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counselors.ValueOptions and Human Resources worked closely with state, university andcommunity resources to identify needs and available resources, and coordinateservices. The coordination efforts will continue, and include planning for services during

commencement, and in the weeks following.

Human Resources implemented a communication plan to immediately inform collegesand depafiments about the EAP resources, including group information sessions thatcould be provided at the college, department, or unit level, as well as individual

sessions. Email messages or personal phone calls were made to most seniormanagement areas and larger departments including those directly impacted by thetragedy. lnformation sessions with these groups began the moming of Wednesday,April18.

Squires Student Center was designated as the location for individual meetings withemployees, with several counselors assigned throughout the day. Counselors wereassigned to provide access to services on the weekends of April 21 and 29 on a walk-inbasis. Although the EAP was specifically focused on faculty and staff, it was decidedthat students who requested assistance would also be served. Employees were alsoable to make direct contact with the EAP to schedule individual appointments, whichmade the EAP fully accessible to employees in our off-campus offices. Daily briefings,occurring at the beginning and end of each work day, enable Human Resources and theEAP coordinators to respond quickly to all requests for group meetings, andimmediately to all requests for individual meetings. Several programs were provided in

coordination between the EAP and the university's Work/Life Resources Office toVirginia Tech parents to assist them in communicating with their children.

Page 2 of 8

lnformation was immediately developed, in coordination with Cook Counseling Center,and disseminated to employees about ongoing supporl resources through UniversityRelations and the University and Human Resources websites. A website,http://virqiniatech.healthandperformancesolutions.net, titled "Coping with Tragedy''wasdevefoped with access via the Human Resources website. As of May 2, 2007,approximately 100 information sessions (2,600 participants) with colleges anddepartments had been held or scheduled, as well as approximately 635 individualsessions.

Following Commencement, new training programs will be developed, with theassistance of experts in the field, to help supervisors be effective in managing employeeissues that may emerge from the events. Support for employees will continue to beoffered in a variety of formats and methods, using internal and external resources.Human Resources is currently developing a plan for these next phases.

Security

In addition to being the first responders to the tragic events, the Virginia Tech PoliceDepartment coordinated the presence of all the state, regional, and local police

departments that came to campus to provide assistance. Officers from other stateuniversities including George Mason University, Hampton-Sydney College, JamesMadison University, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Liberty University,Longwood University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, University ofRichmond and the University of Virginia also provided much needed support' lnaddition to providing generalcampus security as usual, the Police Department provided

ongoing security for both crime scenes while maintaining order on campus with theexcessive media and visitor presence. The Police Department also provided securityfor the Convocation on April 17, which entailed accommodations for both the Governorof Virginia and the President of the United States. In addition to securing Norris Hall,

the Police Department has also assisted the Virginia State Police with the retum ofitems from Norris Hall to victims and families

The Police Department is working closely with staff from Athletics and theCommencement Committee to develop a plan for security coverage at Commencement.Commencement ceremonies in the larger venues, including the Graduate Life Center,Cassell Coliseum, Lane Stadium and Bumrss Hallwill be covered by representativesfrom RMC Events, the company that handles security checks at athletic events. Allother ceremonies, including the Corps of Cadets commissioning will be covered byVirginia Tech police officers. Security for the National Capital Region ceremony hasalso been arranged, Security standards for the National Capital Region will be thesame as the main events on the Blacksburg campus.

Beyond Commencement, the Police Department is looking at how to prepare campusfor the summer and fall semesters. This will involve a strong presence at orientationactivities to ensure parents and students are aware of the university's efforts to provide

Page 3 of 8

a safe and secure environment. The university is going to contract a firm to perform a

campus security review, and the Police Department will be a critical part of the review.

All of the Virginia Tech Police Department officers exhibited genuine concem for thestudents, faculty, staff and community during the tragic events. Chief Flinchumrepresented the university with great integrity during press conferences while under a

tremendous amount of stress. The entire Police Depadment has very much embodiedthe university's motto, Ut Prosim: "That I May Serve".

Student Affairs and Services

Units in Student Affairs have had the challenging task of providing assistance to thevictims and the victim families, while ensuring that student services and activities on-campus were provided in the same manner as before the tragedy, One of the firstactions by Student Affairs after the tragedy was to assign a family liaison to each victimfamily. The liaisons have coordinated the interactions and communications between thefamilies and the university. This arrangement has ensured that the needs of thefamilies are met, and provided the families a method to request assistance as issuesand needs arise. In many cases, the family liaisons attended memorial and funeralservices with the families.

Housing and Dining Services assisted families with packing and moving belongings forboth on and off-campus residents. When classes resumed on April23, approximately80 to 90% of students had retumed to the residence halls, and lunch counts in thedining halls were the same as before the tragedy.

Student Affairs' staff are now preparing for Commen@ment, including coordinatinglodging at Commencement for families of the victims, in addition to planningaccommodations for the approximately 1,000 families who were already scheduled tobe lodged on-campus during Commencement. Victim's families will be provided specialaccommodations and will be housed in Peddrew-Yates. There are also rooms availableat the Hotel Roanoke for overflow if necessary. Counselors will be onsite to providesupport to the families.

University Unions has worked closely with Hokies United, the student group whoworked to place the white board memorials on the Drill Field. Staff assisted thestudents with moving the boards into Squires Student Center when the weather waspoor, and then assisted in renting a more stable tent to house the boards so they couldbe retumed to the Drill Field. Moving and Hauling assisted the students with therelocation of the boards to Squires Student Center, and then the return back to the DrillField. The boards will remain on the Drill Field through Commencement. The Corps ofCadets is standing guard at the tent housing the boards from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Staff areworking to develop a long-term plan for the boards.

Page 4 of 8

The Office of the University Registrar has worked to order posthumous degrees andrings for the deceased, and was successful in working to have frames for the diplomasdonated. Duplicate ciegrees and rings were ordered for blended families. Staff alsoworked to modify the Commencement program so that victims of the tragedy will behonored.

lnfrastructure

Units that support campus infrastructure including Physical Plant, Parking andTranspoftation and Information Technology have worked together to coordinate theclean-up of both Ambler Johnston and Nonis Halls, manage traffic and parking on-campus, as well as assist with the relocation of equipment and other items from NorrisHall.

Legal Counsel negotiated contracts for the clean-up of both Ambler Johnston and NorrisHalls with WEL, a Virginia firm. In Ambler Johnston, Physical Plant installed gypsumwallboard partitions that fully enclosed and isolated the two affected rooms from the restof the fourth floor. Upon completion of the clean-up work, the university had the workaccepted by a third party certified industrial hygienist. The residence hall was ready forthe retum of students on April 23. ln Norris Hall, the clean-up work commenced withWEL covering the windows of the significantly affected classrooms. Physical Planterected a temporary chain link, screened fence that encircled the entire Nonis Hallbuilding. The chain link fence stopped traffic flow between Bumrss Hall and Nonis Halland prevented access to the building during clean-up. Although the screening will beremoved from the fence once clean-up is complete, the plan is to leave the fence inplace through Commencement. The clean-up work in Nonis Hall consisted of twophases: (Phase 1) bioremediation and (Phase 2) removal of contaminated asbestosfloor tiles, ceiling tiles and lights. The Virginia Tech Police Department providedcontinuous security for the building throughout the entire clean-up period. Once all workin Norris Hall is complete, the doors to the hallway and classrooms on the second floorwillremain closed and locked.

Moving and Hauling assisted with the move out of furniture, equipment and other itemsfrom Norris Hall to the buildings engineering staff now occupy, including Whittemore,McBryde, Hancock, Torgersen, Durham and the Gateway Building. The PoliceDepartment assisted with the move by providing security in the stainruells to restrictaccess to the affected space while staff retrieved personal belongings. Both PhysicalPlant and the Police Department also assisted with the removal of personal effects fromthe building. The Key Shop provided new locks and keys for the new faculty and staffoffices very quickly.

Communication Network Services (CNS) also provided critical support. CNSimmediately activated the emergency call center and managed the enormous callvolume. At the same time, CNS worked to provide instant tumaround for telephone andinternet connections to the new engineering locations. When the ERRG was notified

Page 5 of 8

that the engineering departments would not have adequate computers when classesresumed on April 23, CNS immediately provided 28 computers to the departments, aswell as 7 additional laptops. CNS worked to have cellar providers bring portable units tocampus to increase capacity during times of heavy calling volumes and has arangedfor these providers to retum for Commencement. In addition to providing additionalvoice capacity, CNS removed wireless access restrictions so that visitors to campushad adequate intemet access. The department is now assisting with plans forCommencement, and working with the Police Depaftment to retain data from all

equipment involved in the investigation.

Parking and Transportation has managed parking and the high volume of traffic on

campus since the tragedy. A media parking plan was developed to ensure traffic flowon-campus when classes resumed on April 23. Staff worked with the BlacksburgTransit to ensure services would be on schedule. Through coordination with theBlacksburg Transit, staff also ensured that services were provided for an extendedperiod the Sunday before classes resumed so that students arriving in the commuterparking lots would have transportation to the residence halls. Fleet Services provided

buses to support on-campus memorial events during that week as well' Thedepartment is now coordinating arrangements for Commencement, including specialparking for families of the victims.

Financial Services

As the university has done in the past during emergency events, a fund was establishedfor the Office of Risk Management to be able to accumulate costs for potential

reimbursement from insurance and other sources. The Office of Risk Management hasbeen working diligently on cost recovery. Human Resources' staff submitted allnecessary workers compensation claims, and provided salary information toadministration so a policy decision could be made on whether or not to payout thecontracts for the faculty and graduate students who were killed in Norris Hall. Thepayout of the contracts for the deceased was approved, and all service areas wereinstructed to waive outstanding charges for deceased and/or injured students during theSpring semester. Purchasing has expedited emergency purchases and contracts, andworked to established a temporary procedure for the approval of emergency contractsso that requests in support of April 16 activities could be rapidly processed.

University Development and Relations

To remember and honor the victims of the tragic events, University Developmentworked to establish the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, the Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund

and individual scholarships for the 32 deceased. As of April 30, over $1.25 million hadbeen received, and over 9,500 gifts had been logged. A website was developed toprovide information on the funds and how to give to the university. The Virginia TechFoundation officers are considering the allocation of funds, usage of funds, and how thefund can be used to assist the children of the deceased faculty.

Page 6 of 8

';*da**- r /., t

University Development provided much needed event planning expertise to the entirecampus communi$. Staff worked with departments and colleges to provide eventplanning for the numerous memorials and ceremonies. University policy requires thatdepartments work through University Unions to reserve space on campus (except

academic and/or athletic space). In the emergency situation, a temporary process wasestablished so that departments could contact one office to utilize all university space,including academic and athletic controlled space.

University Relations has been the first point of contact for a wide range of groups tryingto communicate with the universifi, from students and parents, to the to numerouscompanies and individuals offering assistance or requesting information. UniversityRelation's staff worked with Information Technology to qqickly add servers to ourproduction environment to support vt.edu. Email blasts to the university community,and information on the tragedy was immediately posted to the university's website assoon as the tragedy occurred. Staff also developed the "ln Memoriam" website athttp://www.vt.edu/traqedv to honor and remember those lost, as well as to provide

information on news and notices related to the tragedy such as information on memorialservices.

University Relation's staff worked to prepare for, and actively participated in, thenumerous press eonferences that were held the day of the tragedy and in the weeksfollowing April 16. Staff managed a media presence that was excessive; at the peak

there were approximately 350 media groups on campus. Staff also worked to assist theexecutives with sending out university-wide communications in the days after thetragedy. University Relations has also provided guidance for departments on how torespond to allthe communications that are being received campus-wide.

lssues

As discussed briefly in the previous paragraphs, the ERRG facilitated and submitted a

number of issues to the Policy Group and university executives for consideration,including:

tuition and fee reimbursement (see Attachment A);outstanding bills for deceased and/or injured students;planning for faculty children;post Commencement coverage for faculty and staff;payroll for deceased faculty; andpreservation of memorials

Less administrative policy decisions have also been fonrvarded for consideration, suchas a request for a Hokie stone grave marker by the family of Cadet Matthew La Portewho was killed on April 16. The universi$ typically does not approve such requests, butmade an exception in this case.

Page 7 of 8

University Libraries is working to archive the impromptu and formal memorial displays,including all the letters, banners and other items mailed to the university after thetragedy. These activities are being coordinated with the Library of Congress and othergroups who have experience archiving events of this magnitude. Likewise, memorialcommittee has been established to make recommendations on a permanent memorial.

University staff continues to facilitate necessary policy decisions and develop long-termplans to address student, faculty and staff needs for the upcoming months. A mainfocus is to address and provide for special staffing needs to ensure that employees arenot ovenrvorked. The identification of alternate space for the activities of f.lorris Hall willbe a subject that requires a great deal of careful consideration and planning.

The entire university community has pulled together to protect life safety, secure theuniversity's critical infrastructure and facilities, and resume teaching and researchprograms after the tragic events of April 16. A considerable amount of work has beenaccomplished in response to the emergency. However, the university also hassignificant work and planning ahead in order to fully respond and react to theemergency. Therefore, the ERRG will be released following commencement, and theExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer will form a working committeedrawing from university administrators responsible for various administrative andacademic operations to assist in addressing special areas that need attention. Thefocus will be to place the responsibilities for addressing and implementing changes inthe hands of those who are charged with the ongoing operations of the university.

Page 8 of 8

Talking Points - Updated 4llgl|i 1:3(l p.m.:

1. Web site lbr donations ar.rd fraudulent site warningsa. Vilginia Tecli lias set up the Hokie Sp irit Memorial Fund, the official lrlace for

donatiotls. Other websites soliciting c.<rnations for victims of the shoot.ilgs atVirginia Tech April i 6 may be fi.aLrdu I :nt.

b. Separately, the united way of New Ri rer Valley has established an accounr roprovide assistance to victim's fumilier lor funeral and burial costs, tra.rrsportatiorlcosts, 01' other imr.nediate costs. Donalirns rnay also help with uncove,red medicalcosts for wourded victins and for cor:r:rrurity agencies that may incur unusualcosts associated witli r-esponding to th,: event. contributions rlay be nrade viawww.unitedwaylrv.org or by rrailing g.ifts to UWMRF, p.O. Box 62()2,

L.

Christiansburg, VA 24068. Please ind (ate that your donation go specilicaliy tothis fund. For trore infomration: 5401.1i1-2066 or stephanie@unitedu,a.ynrr..or.g.

c. As an altenlative, donations can also te made to the American Red Cl.c,ss or theSalvation Amry, who irave been onsit(: n Blacksburg aiding with relir:f'effor1s.

Infotmation fol students on how the sernester v'ill be compieted iras been Doste)d on theWeb si te al. www.vt.edu.

Situation in hospitals as of Wedrresday, April I 3 at 7:33 p.rn.a. Eric Earnhart Carillion NRU Medical ,Janter, two patients still in hospital in good

condition. One patient was released th:s eveningb' carillion RoA Memorial - one patient in serious conditio'and one palient was

transfened to another hospital (not na rr:d).

NBC leceives package lrorn Nor.ris shootera. NBS News leceived a package with pL otos, video, and writings alleged.ly from

Clio Seung-Hui, the gunntan responsibk fol the fatal shootings at Norriri Hall.NBC tunred .rigi'als of tbis potentiall I crucial evidence over to the FBL

). l0 enttl ylltg vrctlll'lsa. Face identil-rcations of victims is some irnes unreliable; it is not uncorrrnron for

loved orles under great duress to nrisidr:r tify victims. The first means of makilgdefinite identifications is by fingerprinr s Wren docurnented fingerprirrtr; are l'rotavailable, dental recolds can be nsed tc tr,o5i1iu.1t identify victims. Obtainingdocumented fingetprints aud dental reco'ds can be a tinie-consuning taslk. Whenthese ider.rtificatious are rnade, the first trr be notified are the next of kin to thevictir.n. It is after and only after these p,rsitive identifications and fan.rilynotificatior.rs are made, that law enforcr:nrent is prepared to release the identitv ofa victin.i to tlie public.

Gatliering place fol Glad studentsa. Tlie GLC Multipurpose Room will be r.villable forthe rest of the weel.: liom

7:30arn to 10:30 pm as a gathering plac e for the graduate community. 'izisit theMultipurpose room to offer reflections lpoems, photos, statements, or other),conlments to help us prepare actiou steps for a positive future, seek answers to

J.

4.

o.

:

.

questious you lnight have, or have a q riet moment. Dean Karen Depauw will beavailable on wednesday and rhursdal'10:00arn-12:00 noon to talk with graduarestudents. Graduate School staffwill alsr be available to answer questions andaddress concems as tliey arise. Refreslr:nents wiil be provided throughout thetlilee days.

7. Cards, letters and othel condolencesa. The virginia Tech community has beer: literally overwhelmed by exp:rr:ssiols of

suppoft and condolences fronr alound the world and we are so grateful. At thispoint, instead of sending flowers, may \ve suggest donations be made to the HokieSpirit Memorial Fund. Details can fou:rJ at www.vt.edu.

x

We've l.rad several questions, parliculaly fronr schoolchiidren, about lvhere tonrail cards. Tirey can be sent to the De;nr of Students office, 201 w. Rr,anokeStreet, Blacksbulg, VA 24061.

; i I .

Funeral Arrangenrcntsa. Families of the victims are makirrg the r own individual funeral aransements,

none of which are available to the unive rsity at this point.

9. Crisis connseling avaiiablea. Sevelal orgattizations are providing cris s counseling services for studr:uts,

faculty, and staff. Faculty and staff tluorrghout the state are accessing r:ounseling:services through the state employee sy:;lem program, which has about a dozenstaff menrbers working in Blacksburg iurd more throughout the state. lhe ThomasE. Cooli Counseling Center is working rrith the Red Cross, New RiverCommunity Seruices, and others to prcvide counseling services for students.cou'selors are meeting with individua.s, as weil as groups as reqr.rested.

10. Judicialsystena. students who allegedly violate the uni r,:r'sity policies for student Life are

requiled to attend a judicial hearing to ,1:scuss the violation(s) iir questic,l. TheOffice of Judicial Affails receives referrrls fi'om local police, residencr: hall staff;dining hall staff, Conimunication Network Services, faculty, a:rd students. After ajudicial referral is received, a cliarge le t:r is se't to the student(s) ororgalrizati on(s) invo lved.wwwj udicial.vt.edu <lrttD ://www.i Lrclic !rl.vl. edu/>

11. Coritact the Virginia Tech Police has had with the Nonis Hall gurlman, CHO lieung-Hui(sooNG-wHE).

a. Potential stallringi. Orrce his identification was con:i rled, records were reviewed eLrd it was

deterr.nined that there was contall with Clio in the fall of 2005.ii' In Noven.rber, Cho had made con:act tluough phone calls and irLlrerson ,

with a female student. There was never any direct thr-eat made to thestudent. The str.rdent notified Vi:'ginia Tech Police Depaftment and officersresponded. Tlie str-rdent declinei 1o press charges and referred to Cl1o'scontact as "annovins."

)

1ll.

iv.

However, the investigating offic'::'referred Cho to the Universit'"

disciplinary systen, which is the r)ffice of Judicial Affairs. The outcome

ofthatr.eferralislrandledwitlrintaeurriversityarrdotttsidethescopeofthe police dePartment.

In December, cho instant messaged a second femaie student. A13lrin, no

tlrreal. was made against that stu<k:nt. She rr.rade a complaint to Virginia

Tech Police and asked that cho r lve no furlher contact with her. officels

follorved up the next morning ar:c spoke with Cho conceming tliis matter'

b. Mental llealth Concen.rs fol Cho

i.Laterthatdaypoliceleceiveda,:Irllfl.omanacquaintanceofClto'swhowas collcemed that cho might haue been suicidal. officets again met with

Cho and tall<cd with him at lengJt'

ii. Out of concern for Cho, officers z.sked him to speak to a counselor' He

weut voluntarily to the police de partnrent'

iii. Based otr that interaction with tl.e counselot, a telrlporary detenl:i'rn order

was obtained and Cho was taketr :o a mental health facility'

c. Contact witli English professor

i. It was also in tlie fall of 2005 tlt 11 the Chair of the Englisir Deparhnent,

Dr.. Lucirrda Roy, expressed conc:ms r.egarding Clro ar-rd his course

writing assignments. Her concerls were urade to the previous chief and a

d etective.ii. These course assiErments were firr a creative writing course an'J the

students were ellcouraged to be ilnaginative and artistic'

iii. The writings did not expl'ess an / tl.rreatening inter.rtions or allude to any

criurir.ral activity. No criminal vlclation had taken place'

iv. Dr. Roy chose to leach out to thil student, ottt ofconcem for hinr and his

nrental wellbeing.

d. Othel incidentsi. Since tlrose colltacts iu Decembe:: of 2005...more than a yeal'ago"'we are

1ot aware of a1y additional incid:nts or leporls made to the Vir:ginia Tecll

Police DePartmet-rt for Cho'

12. Burress Hall incidenta. At 7:53 a.nr. tl.re Univelsity operator rt:ceived a threat against President Steger'

Officers responded to his office in But:'uss Hall to make him aware of the

potential th'eat.b. Police preseuce in and aroutrd Bltruss F all was increased' which led to malry

rulorsand false assumptions about wlrat was going on. Tirat led to an

unwarrauted reporl of suspicious person within the hall'

c. Officers in-rmediately responded and errt,:red the building. The building'was

cleared and the reporl of a sr'rspicious ['e:son was unfounded'Ul9z:lltr(l.lllll LllrJ rvP\Jrr \Jr 4 oL'oHrvtvsu

These kinds of reports are not lrncol]lrIro l'l in the wake of what has takend. These kinds of reports are not uncomnron in the wake of what has taken place in

the past 48 hour.s on the Virginia Tech c urpus...which is one reason why we are

maiiitaining 1iigh police visibility throrrghout the university'

dt4Ldsaer*.....

NOTES/NEWS MEDIA QUESTIONS FROMPRESS CONFERENCE - 8/9/07 WYNDHAM HOTEL, ROANOKE

1. Regarding the Sat. appearance, do we know any more about what hedid there?a. No confirmation it was Cho; male in hooded sweatshirt

2. Was that handled correctly by the faculty member? What's theprocedure at the University for finding a bomb threat note?a. Would have liked to know about it; something for the university to

decide; can't tell you what was in this person's mindWhat's the W Police procedure if they'd called? What would you havedone? Police there?

lf we were called, we could have responded to the call

3. Was it Emily that was followed into WAJ?a. No it wa-s not Emily, an unsuspecting person; Emily entered from a

different entrance

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

You said "digging" for cell phone and hard drive?a. Poor choice of words, we're exploring files

What did you find at the Duck Pond?a. No findings

Made any cell phone calls? Did you get cho's cell phone records?a. Don't recall;no calls on 4.16

What was the content of the Eng. Dept. letter?a. rambling/no threats

How many wounded and how many injured?a. 23 wounded bygunfire

ls Cho's family cooperativea. Yes

ls the hard drive the most important piece of evidence you're lookingfofla. Yes, we'd love to have it

Expect a flnal report?

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

a. Not for quite a while

Did you find info. on his computer that's missing a HD?a. ldon't know

When was the NBC package filmed?a. Don't know, local hotel (photos)

Where were the guns stored?a. No info.

Follow-up on Cook Counseling Center?a. Multiple mental health agencies he visited/some in person/some

not; some in Cook, some not;we've done interviews/subpoenas

What is AX lshmael?a. Don't know

Any prescription drugs in his bodfa. No answer

Any motive from his family?a. No

Purchase of first gun?a. 2007

Do you know what he was treated for?a. No

Do you have a specific theory?a. No; not that we're pursuingb. ATF theory? That release of investigation was not authorized

Blood evidence from Ryan Clark? The footprint?a. Yesb. lt was Cho's footprintc. At West AJ

How many dedicated to the investigation?a. 12 very active

When students return, do you have specific plans for anything furtherfrom them?a. No plans

23.

24.

Suspicious male? How did you learn about it?a. From investigation; On 4114 one witness said door was chained;

another said it wouldn't open

Why now? Why this location?a. Central location to us and to local media

How may students returned surveys?a. No info. ; not helpful

how long was door chained?a. I don't know

What time was suspicious male spotted?a. 1Oam

Deleted whole email account?a. Personal account. notVT account

Questions to Corrine after coverage:

o Additional questions after coverage were related to specific evidence. Jay Warren continued to question Corrine on the bomb threat note

found on morning of 4116

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

Remarks to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

By Kay Heidbreder, University Legal Counsel

May 21,2007

Colonel Massengill and Members of the Review Panel, if I may. .. . . .

My name is Kay Heidbreder. I serve as the University LegalCounsel and

Assistant Attorney General assigned to Virginia Tech. In this capacity, I provide

lega|adviceunderthedirectionoftheAttorneyGenera|totheUniversity.Given

my position, Dr. Steger has asked me to provide an overview of the legal

mandates under which Virginia Tech operates with respect to the protection of

student information. This overview is not meant to be legal advice to this panel

Rather, Dr. Steger believes that it is crucial for this Panel to have some context of

the legal landscape for institutions of higher education. In addition, he has asked

that my remarks center on the interplay between the Counseling Center, the

student disciplinary system, faculty interaction with students and the police

department. He has also asked me to share the constraints that the University

faces in providing student records to the public at large.

At any institution of higher education in Virginia, there are a number of laws

protecting the privacy of students and student records. These laws include The

\n !rt::'|I., * -r ;.t : | * >. . - :'&L:

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C.A. 312329, H|PAA42

U.S.C. Section 1320, the Virginia Freedom of lnformation Act, Section2'2-3700,

Code of Virginia, as amended, and the Government Data Collection and

Dissemination Practices Act, Section 32.2-3800, Code of Virginia, as amended.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (aka FERPA or Buckley

Amendment) sets forth criteria for the dissemination of information to protect a

student's rights of privacy.

The University is restricted in its ability to share a student's educational records

with third parties, external to the University, absent a properly executed release

or a court order. While it is debatable whether the FERPA protections end at the

student's death, the other laws contain no such limitation. Exceptions to these

non-disclosure requirements include sharing records with employees within the

University who need the information to do their job. For example, an instructor

can share grade information with the Registrar. However, there is never

permitted a disclosure for medical or counseling records. This absolute

prohibition tracks the restrictions covering disclosure of medical records as

provided in HIPAA or the federal legislation that protects health information for

every individual treated by a medical professional in the United States. FERPA

also provides a quirky privacy provision that places a wall between the

educational records at an institution and the law enforcement records maintained

by the campus police department. To put this in concrete terms, educational

records cannot be freely disclosed by the administrative offices with the police

t,: . ^,,..,^-;.,;j:$.,:E4 :,1- - '

As has been reported publicly, the Virginia Tech Police Department also received

an inquiry during the 2005-2006 academic year from the Chair of the English

Department concerning Mr. Cho's classroom behavior based on the content of

some of his writings and the fact that Mr. Cho took pictures of other students with

his cellphone camera. The Chair of the Department did not share the specific

writings with the Police, nor did she file a formal police report. As determined by

an informal review conducted by the Police Department, the behavior was not

criminal in nature. The Police offered to provide any necessary assistance.

Instead of further Police involvement, the Chair talked to Mr. Cho and the Chair

and he agreed that he would attend private tutoring sessions that would allow

him to complete the class assignments without the necessity of his returning to

the class. Records show no further class based complaints related to

inappropriate behavior. Further, no referral was made to the student disciplinary

system about this event.

An additional contact on December 13, 2005, between Mr. Cho and the Virginia

Tech Police has been documented. According to public records maintained by

the Montgomery County General District Court, the Virginia Tech Police brought

Mr. Cho to the attention of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation

and Substance Abuse Services as a result of a concern raised by a fellow

student who knew Mr. Cho. In turn, Mr. Cho was brought before the General

District Court Special Justice, who ordered Mr. Cho to undergo evaluation at the

Carilion St. Albans Behavioral Facility. On December 14,2005, the Special

The protections afforded by federal and state laws to the individual are most

absolute in the medical context. For example, a medical screening is not part of

the University's admissions process. The Code of Virginia, Section 23-7 .5,

requires that each prospective student provide a health history, but this history is

not all encompassing. The health history is really a listing of diseases against

which the student has been immunized, The purpose of this code requirement is

to guard against the potential outbreak of controlled diseases in the close

confines of a residence hall. Even this modest requirement is not absolute as the

General Assembly has waived the immunization requirement on a student's

religious grounds.

Given the legalframework, let me tell you what I can about Mr. Cho based on

police records. There was a narrow window in late 2005 to early 2006 that his

behavior was called into question. The Virginia Tech Police made a referral to

the University's disciplinary system for an incident in which he sent an

unwelcomed e-mail to a female student in late 2005, or approximately sixteen

(16) months before April 16, 2007. The disciplinary system contacted the e-mail

recipient to determine whether she wanted to pursue the matter. She declined to

do so. Therefore, there was no cause for action on the part of thq -U-niversity.

Since Mr. Cho's enrollment in Fall2003, he had no other interaction with the

disciplinary system.

As has been reported publicly, the Virginia Tech Police Department also received

an inquiry during the 2005-2006 academic year from the Chair of the English

Department concerning Mr. Cho's classroom behavior based on the content of

some of his writings and the fact that Mr. Cho took pictures of other students with

his cellphone camera. The Chair of the Department did not share the specific

writings with the Police, nor did she file a formal police report. As determined by

an informal review conducted by the Police Department, the behavior was not

criminal in nature. The Police offered to provide any necessary assistance.

Instead of further Police involvement, the Ghair talked to Mr. Cho and the Chair

and he agreed that he would attend private tutoring sessions that would allow

him to complete the class assignments without the necessity of his returning to

the class. Records show no further class based complaints related to

inappropriate behavior. Further, no referral was made to the student disciplinary

system about this event.

An additional contact on December 13, 2005, between Mr. Cho and the Virginia

Tech Police has been documented. According to public records maintained by

the Montgomery County General District Court, the Virginia Tech Police brought

Mr. Cho to the attention of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation

and Substance Abuse Services as a result of a concern raised by a fellow

student who knew Mr. Cho. In turn, Mr. Cho was brought before the General

District Court Special Justice, who ordered Mr. Cho to undergo evaluation at the

Carilion St. Albans BehavioralFacility. On December 14,2005, the Special

:-. ',i:- .;,;'4,-L rL:L, .: - .r: L ,. ,

Justice for the General District Court ordered Mr. Cho to follow-up out-patient

treatment because of the danger he presented to himself as a result of mental

illness. No follow-up report was made to the Virginia Tech Police.

In summary, the impact of these laws that I have outlined is to limit what can be

shared about students publicly or with third parties, within the organization, and

even with the police department. Given the constraints imposed by the law,

there are restrictions on what Virginia Tech can share about Mr. Cho publicly.

This was the reason why Virginia Tech did not release Mr. Cho's academic

records to the F.B.l. untilthe F.B.l. had obtained a subpoena. lt is also important

to stress that it is not just Mr. Cho's records that are protected by these laws.

Virginia Tech would be precluded from releasing similar information about any of

the victims of the events of April 16. Furthermore, any complaints filed by third

party students about Mr. Cho could not be shared publicly, not just to protect Mr.

Cho, but also to protect the identity of those third party complainants as well.

Thank you for your time today. Next David Ford, Vice President for Academic

Affairs, will speak with you about the events of April 16,2007.

We have new information to release

ongoing investigation into Monday's fatal

State, local and federal investigators worked

through the night collectingn processing

evidence from within Norris Hall.

Andrtwouldliketotakeaminutetorecognizethe

outstanding professionalism and efforts put forth by my

officers since that initial 911 call Game into our

dispatch center MondaY morning.

I also want to commend the response and

dedication of those officers and investigators with

Blacksburg Policen Montgomery Gounty sheriffs officet

FLrtrctlu*r 7ut99

concerning the

shootings.

State Police, FBI and ATF...

Based on their hard work, we

confirm the identitY of the gunman

Soong-Hwe.

and analyzing

have been able to

at Norris Hall: Gho

He is a 23-year-old Korean here in the asa

resident alien'

Gho was enrolled as an

his senior year as an English

undergraduate student in

major at Virginia Tech.

Gho was in the U'S. as a resident alien with a

residence established in Genterwille, Va...and was living

on campus in HarPer Hall.

A 9-milimeter handgun and

were recovered from Norris Hall.

22-caliber handgun

Ballistic tests on the evidence seized from the

Norris Hall and the West Ambler Johnston Residence

Hall scenes were conducted at the U.S. Bureau of

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) lab

Maryland

Lab results confirmed that one of the two weapons

seized in Norris Hall was used in both shootings.

All of the deceased have been transported to the

Medical Examineds Office in Roanoke for examination

and identification.

The names of the 32 deceased students and

faculty will be released once all victims are positively

identified and next of kin notified...and Doctor Fierrot

the Ghief Medical Examiner of Virginia will go into more

detail on that in a minute.

ln

I also want to follow up on the discussion from

yesterday about the eperson of interestt from the first

shooting at the residence hall.

That individual was an acquaintance of the female

victim killed at West Ambler Johnston Hall.

He was stopped in hls vehicle off campus and

detained for questioning.

As officers were interviewing him, the shootings at

Norris Hall were reported

We are still looking to him for information as the

investigation continues.

We also have no information at this time to relate

the on-campus bomb threats made in the last two

weeks to either of yesterdayts events.

CLv9'lnrA,

Good morning-

We're here this morning to provide you with the latest information involving yesterday's

horrible tragedy. Capt. Flinchum and State Police Col. Steve Flaherty will provide you

with the latest information on the investigation. As we work with iaw enforcement

agencies who continue to notify family members of the deceased, I ask that you keep in

vour heafts the families of the victims of this terrible event.

I have some additional information regarding how the Virginia Tech community will

move forward and begin recovery in the coming hours and days'

First of all, Virginia Tech will cancel all classes for the remainder of the week to allow

sfudents the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed. The university will

re-open administrative operations beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18

understanding that some faculty and staff may wish to take additional time off this week

to grieve the loss of fellow colleagues and friends. We ask individual employees to , :

communicate with their suDervisors of their schedules for the balance of the week.

We will close Norris Hall for the remainder of the semester. Staff are currently working

to arrange alternative location for classrooms and faculty offices.

Counseling and other resources are available for students, faculty, and staff. Students

may receive counseling at McComas Hall and counselors will be available for extended

hours. Employees may receive needed support by going to the Brush Mountain Room in

Squires Student Center throughout the day.

As you know, the university will be holding a convocation ceremony al 2 p.m.at Cassell

Coliseum. This will be the first time the Virginia Tech community will come together

since the tragedy to share our collective solrow. At that time, President George Bush,

First Lady Laura Bush, Gov. Timothy Kaine, Mrs. Kaine members of our Board of

Visitors, members of the clergy, our students, and poet Nikki Giovanni wiII share

messages of condolence to the family and friends of the victims and words of hope to all

of us as we move forward past this tragedy.

Again we encourage all members of the Virginia Tech community to attend. Should the

coliseum be full, the event, we hope, will be broadcast on campus cable stations.

I know the Virginia Tech community, and the world at large, continues to struggle with

these horrible events. We hope that some the steps we are taking today, and in the coming

days, will help in that healing process.

Talking Points - Updated 4ll9l07 l:30 p.m.

1. Weba.

site for donations and fraudulent site waminesvirginia Tech has set up the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, the official place fordonations. other websites soliciting <,onations for victims of the shootings atVirginia Tech April 16 maybe fraudulent.Separately, the United way of New River valley has established an accounr to

be completed has been posted on the

condition and one patient was

h

2.

provide assistance to victim's families for funeral and burial costs. hansportationcosts, or other immediate costs. Donalions may also hetp with uncovered medicalcosts for wounded victirns and for conmunity agencies that may incur unusualcosts associated with responding to thr: event. contributions may be made viawww.unitedwaynrv.org or by mailing gifts to UWMRF, p.O. Box 6202,Christiansburg, VA 24068. Piease ind:cate that your donation go specifi,your donation go specifically tothis fund. For more information: 5401.'81-2066 or stephanie@unitedra,alnrv.org.As an alternative, donations can also Le made to the American Red closs or theSalvation Army, who have been onsitr' in Blacksburg aiding with relief efforts.

Information for students on how the semester willWeb site at www.vt.edu.

Situation in hospitals as of Wednesday, April 18 at 7:33 p.m.a. Eric Eamhart Carillion NRU Medical ,lenter, two patients still in hospital in good

condition. One patient was released th:s eveningb. Carillion ROA Memoriai - One patient in serious

transferred to another hospital (not nar:ted).

NBC receives package from Norris shootera. NBS News received a package with photos, video, and writings allegedly from

Cho Seung-Hui, the gunman responsible for the fatal shootings at Nor:ris Hall.NBC turned originals ofthis potentiall / crucial evidence over to the FBI.

5. Identifying victimsa. Face identifications of victims is some imes unreliable; it is not uncorrrmon for

loved ones under great duress to misidr:ntify victims. The first means of makingdefinite identifications is by fingerprinrs. When documented fingerprints are notavailable, dental records can be used tc positively identify victims. Obtainingdocumented fingerprints and dental records can be a time-consuming task. Whenthese identifications are made, the first to be notified are the next of kin to thevictim. It is after and only after these p,rsitive identifications and familynotifications are made, that law enforcr,ment is prepared to release the identity ofa victim to the public.

6. Gathering place for Grad studentsa. The GLC Multipurpose Room will be evailable for the rest of the week: from

7:30am to 10:30 pm as a gathering place for the graduate community. 'y'isit theMultipurpose room to offer reflections (poems, photos, statements, or other),comments to help us prepare action stells for a positive future, seek answers to

A-.

questions you might have, or have a q'riet moment. Dean Karen DePauw will be

available on Wednesday and Thursdal' l0:00am-12:00 noon to talk with graduate

students. Graduate School staffwill also be available to answer questions and :

address concems as they arise. Refreslrments will be provided throughout the

three days.

7. Cards, letters and other condolences ,

a. The Virginia Tech community has been literally overwhelmed by expressions ofsupport and condolences from around the world and we are so grateful. At this

point, instead of sending flowers, may we suggest donations be made to the HokieSpirit Memorial Fund. Details can fourd at www.vt.edu.

We've had several questions, particulaly from schoolchildren, about rvhere tomail cards. They can be sent to the De:rr of Students Office, 201 W. RoanokeStreet, Blacksburg, VA 24061.

8. Funeral Arrangementsa. Families of the victims are making the r own individual funeral arrangements,

none of which are available to the unilersity at this point.

9. Crisis counseling available ;

a. Several organizations are providing cri sis counseling services for studr:nts,

faculty, and staff. Faculty and staffthroughout the state are accessing counseling

services through the state employee syritem program, which has about a dozen

staff members working in Blacksburg itnd more throughout the state. the Thomas

E. Cook Counseling Center is working with the Red Cross, New RiverCommunity Services, and others to prcvide counseling services for students.

Counselors are meeting with individua.s, as well as groups as requested.

10. Judicial svstema. Students who allegedly violate the Unirersity Policies for Student Life are

required to attend ajudicial hearing to Lliscuss the violation(s) in question. The

Office ofJudicial AJfairs receives referrals from local police, residence hall staff,

dining hall staff, Communication Network Services, faculty, and students. After a

judicial referral is received, a charge le:ter is sent to the student(s) ororganization(s) involved.www j udicial.vt. edu <!!pJ qww. i-Udi! ial. vt. edu/>

11. Contact the Virginia Tech Police has had with the Norris Hall gunman, CHO tieung-Hui(sooNG-wHE).

a. Potential stalking ::

'

i. Once his identification was con.irmed, records were reviewed emd it was

determined that there was contart with Cho in the fall of 2005.

ii. In November, Cho had made contact through phone calls and irL person

with a female student. There was never any direct theat made to the

student. The student notified Vi.'ginia Tech Police Department and officersresponded. The student declinec to press charges and referred to Cho'scontact as "annoying." ,,

:

W"'f

5HTalking Points - Updated 4118/07 p.m.

1. NBC receives package from Norris shootera. NBS News received a package with photos, video, and writings allegedly

from Cho Seung-Hui, the gunman responsible for the fatal shootings at

Nonis Hall. NBC tumed originals of this potentially crucial evidence overto the FBI.

2. Identifying victimsa. Face identifications of victims is sometimes unreliablel it is not

uncommon for loved ones under great duress to misidentify victims. Thefirst means of making definite identifications is by fingerprints. Whendocumented fingerprints are not available, dental records can be used topositively identify victims. Obtaining documented fingerprints and dentalrecords can be a time-consuming task. When these identifications are

made, the first to be notified are the next of kin to the victim. It is after andonly after these positive identifications and family notifications are made,

that law enforcement is prepared to release the identify of a victim to thepublic.

3. Gathering place for Grad studentsa. The GLC Multipurpose Room witl be available for the rest of the week

from 7:30am to 10:30 pm as a gathering place for the graduate

community. Visit the Multipurpose room to offer reflections (poems,photos, statements, or other), comments to help us prepare action steps fora positive future, seek answers to questions you might have, or have aquiet moment. Dean Karen DePauw will be available on Wednesday and

Thursday l0:00am-12:00 noon to talk with graduate students. GraduateSchool staff will also be available to answer questions and addressconcerns as they arise. Refreshments will be provided throughout thethree days.

4. Cards. letters and other condolencesa. The Virginia Tech community has been literally overwhelmed by

expressions of support and condolences from around the world and we are

so grateful. At this point, instead of sending flowers, may we suggestdonations be made to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. Details can foundat www.vt.edu.

We've had several questions, particularly from schoolchildren, aboutwhere to mail cards. They can be sent to the Dean of Students Office, 201

W. Roanoke Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061'.

5. Funeral Arranganents

6.

a. Families of the victims are making their own individual funeralarrangements, none of which are available to the university at this point'

Crisis counseling availablea. Several organizations are providing crisis counseling services for students,

faculty, and staff. Faculty and staffthroughout the state are accessing

counseling services through the state employee system program, whichhas about a dozen staff members working in Blacksburg and more

throughout the state. The Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center is workingwith the Red Cross, New River Community Services, and others toprovide counseling services for students. Counselors are meeting withindividuals, as well as groups as requested.

Judicial systema. Students who allegedly violate the University Policies for Student Life are

required to attend ajudicial hearing to discuss the violation(s) in question.

The Office of Judicial Affairs receives referrals from local police,residence hall staff, dining hail staff, Communication Network Services,faculty, and students. Afterajudicial referral is received, a charge letterissent to the studen(s) or organization(s) involved.www judicial.vt.edu <http :/hvrvw.iudicial.vt.ed#

Contact the Virginia Tech Police has had with the Norris Hall gunman, CHO

S eung-Hui (SOONG-WHE).

Potential stalkingi. Once his identification was confimred, records were reviewed and

it was determined that there was contact with Cho in the fall of2005.

ii. In November, Cho had made contact through phone calls and inperson with a female student. There was never any direct threatmade to the student. The student notified Virginia Tech PoliceDepartment and officers responded. The student declined to press

charges and referred to Cho's contact as "annoying."iii. However, the investigating officer referred Cho to the University

disciplinary system, which is the Office of Judicial Affairs. Theoutcome of that referral is handled within the university and

outside the scope of the police department.iv. In December, Cho instant messaged a second female student.

Again, no threat was made against that student. She made a

complaint to Virginia Tech Police and asked that Cho have nofurther contact with her. Officers followed up the next momingand spoke with Cho concerning this matter.

Mental Health Concerns for Cho

7.

8.

b.

Later that day police received a call from an acquaintance of Cho'swho was concemed that Cho might have been suicidal. Officersagain met with Cho and talked with him at length.Out ofconcern for Cho, officers asked him to speak to a counselor.He went voluntarily to the police department.Based on that interaction with the counselor, a temporary detentionorder was obtained and Cho was taken to a mental health facility.

Contact with English professori. It was also in the fall of 2005 that the Chair of the English

Department, Dr. Lucinda Roy, expressed concems regarding Choand his course writing assignments. Her concems were made to theprevious chiefand a detective.

ii. These course assignments were for a creative writing course andthe students were encouraged to be imaginative and artistic.

iii. The writings did not express any threatening intentions or allude toany criminal activity. No criminal violation had taken place.

iv. Dr. Roy chose to reach out to this student, out of concem for himand his mental wellbeine.

Other incidentsi. Since those contacts in December of 2005. . .more than a year

ago...we are not aware of any additional incidents or reports madeto the Virginia Tech Police Departrnent for Cho.

9. Burress Hall incidenta. At7:53 a.m. the University Operator received a threat against President

Steger. Officers responded to his office in Bumrss Hall to make him aware

of the potential threat.b. Police presence in and around Bumrss Hall was increased, which led to

many rumors and false assumptions about what was going on. That led toan unwarranted report of suspicious person within the ha1l.

c. Officers immediately responded and entered the building. The buildingwas cleared and the report ofa suspicious person was unfounded.

d. These kinds of reports are not uncommon in the wake of what has takenplace in the past 48 hours on the Virginia Tech campus...which is one

reason why we are maintaining high police visibility throughout theuniversitv.

l.

11.

111.

d.

Dear Friends,

Many of you have asked tre about when, if, and in what ways you cau interact with the meclia inlight ofthe April l6 tragedy. Irrespective ofthe intense intereit in ald evcn before the event,ntany ofyou have engaged the ntedia, particularly professional association newslettcrs or,,tracle,,nted^ia focused on our respective disciplines. For exarnple, when attending prol.essionalcotrferetrces, you Inay be even tlre informal subject because events are norrnally atlendecl byvarious forms of working journalists. I don't think it's feasible to crawl in a shell l-or the nextseveral nronths and avoid normal disciplinary interactions.

still, there are solne caveats. Focus on what you know and what you do. speak about:

a

a

a

a

a

a

lJow we helped the cornmunity cope with our cxtraordinary losses,About the tremendous aid efforts frorn organizations arouncl the statc ancl countrv.About our l-lokie Spirit arrcl sense ol. l.arnily,About the ongoing rloral support li.orn alumni and the public,AboLrt the trernendous poise and character of our students, aAbout our institution's already strong acaclernic reputation,r About existing policy and procedures

. aud the list goes on.

Here are some areas to avoid:

a

a

a

o

The shooter''s mental health recor.dThe shooter's interaction with the nrental health systernTlre shooter's inter.action with the facultyShoulddt the university immediatety send a carnpus flash when a nrurcler tal<cs place oncamous?

Should universities do a better job of screening stuclents for mental health prgblems,iShould urriversity counseling centers take on larger roles? Should university counselingcenters take on smaller roles?

o

a

o Should privacy laws be loosened..eg. FERPA and FIIpAA?r Shotrld universities lrave instant communications systems that can reach studentsanywhere anytime?

Many of the issues both the rnedia and our colleagues are intelested in center ar.ound ..lessonslearned." Since that topic is the subject olboth oul internal reviews apd the Massengill panel,you can easily deflect suclr questions by say, "That,s what we plan to snclerstancl lr.onr theongoing reviews."

S incerelv.

Larry l{inckerAssociate Vice President folUniversity Relations

....-, ,, .] :.-_ -;l-!:4

Information about the upcoming emergency alert system was included in a letter to parents

in early May, so there is already awareness.

ldeas to consider

In our communications to faculty/staff/students/parents, should we include scenarios in

which the university may use the 3N system?

Within the W-hosted 3N website, should we include information about the othercommunication tools W can use during an emergency - email, voicemail, weatherline,

vt.edu website, siren system, PA system?

Create an information piece for Admissions and Dean of Students,

Timeline for communications

By mid-June

o Press Release announcing the 3N contract and upcoming July rollout.

July 2 (planned launch date):. lssue a Press Release to coincide with the launch of the emergency alerts website

and signup pages, so the university community can act as soon as the system is

publicized. This creates "actionable" news.. Send email to VT-wide Listserv with announcement, URL, and instructions on how

to sign up. Post a campus notice with same infonlation

General notes

Communications plan for 3N rolloutDraft: Thursday, May 31,2007

. Freshman Orientation (July 9-27): 'i#Xi,-tlr''t>*zJzrp7. lnclude information about 3N system in Orientation materials,. Set up a bank of computen for 3N signups (location TBD),. Coordinate with Rick Sparks, director of Orientation.

Mid-August (before first day of Fall classes)

' lssue a Press Release announcing the completion of a successful test of the

system and number of subscribers to date.W lT & You (August 15-19)

. Set up a bank ofcomputers for 3N signups.

. Coordinate with Joyce Landreth.

Early Fall (September/October). lssue a Press Release announcing subscriber rate (assuming it's good news).

"r4-----,- --,.-.,- i:a'- .: ,:

I

4il"Question from Commission:

As I was looking over W's emergency operations plan documents I wondered if we could obtain a

summary from VT (perhaps Mccoy to obtain) on what part of the EOC went into effect. lt would be good

to get a critique from them rather than us guessing about elements that they implemented. We heard

the policy group met but did they establish a full EOC?

Response:

Upon receiving information from Virginia Tech Chief of Police regarding the first shooting (West Ambler

Johnston),thePresidentdirectedhisstafftoconvenethePolicyGroup. Thegroupwasconvenedand

discussing the WAJ events by 8:25 a.m. on April l-5th. lncluded in this meeting were all the members

named in the Emergency Plan, with the exception of the Vice President for Information Technology who

was out of town on this day.

The Policy Group was receiving a briefing by the Virginia Tech Police Captain of Operations when

information regarding the Norris Hall incident was dispatched over the police radio. The Policy Group

remained intact much of the day April 1-5th making all policy decisions. lmplementation of these

decisions was communicated through the Vice President attending the Policy Group meetingto the

appropriate leadership team within their respective unit (e.g., facilities - EVP&COO; residential/dining -VP for Student Affairs; Registrar - VP for Academic Affairs). Given the horrific nature of this event and

its impact of the university, the Policy Group acted as the Emergency Response Team for the first 48

hours. An Emergency Operations Center, as outlined in the plan, was not established.

On Wednesday, April $'h, the university named the Emergency Response Resource Coordinator, former

Virginia Tech EVP&COO, to lead the Emergency Response Resource Group. The Group met daily to

address critical issues and formulate recommendations for approval by the Policy Group. The Policy

Group also continued to meet daily throughout the weeks leading to Commencement.

Statement by Charles Steger, President

430PM

with me today is the secretary of Public Safety for the commonwealth of virginia, John

Marshall and the Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Steve Flaherity. Also present ifthe Mayor of Blacksburg, Ron Rordharn; the chief of Blacksburg PD, Kim Crannis; the

chief of Virginia Tech Police, Wendell Flinchum.

I want to repeat my horror, disbelief, and profound sorry at the events of today. People

fro. *o*d *r" world have expressed their shock and sorry. I am at a loss for words to

explain or understand the camage that visited our c.rmpus'

I know no other way to speak about this than to tell you what we know'

It is now confirmed that we have 3l deaths from Norris Hall, including the gunman' 15

other victims are being treated at local hospitals in the Roanoke and New River Valleys.

There are two confirmed deaths from the shooting in Ambler Johnston Domritory in

addition to the 3l inNonis.

We have not confirmed his identity of the gunman because he canied to/"$rr. We are

in the process of attempting identification.

Nonis Hall is a tagic and sorrowfirl crime scene. We are in the process of identiffing

victims and in the pto""tt of notiffing next of kin. This may take a while' We will not

release any names until we are positive of this notification' We anticipate being able to

release a list sometime tomorrow.

We are asking students to contact their parents to let them know their status.

Our investigation continues into whether there is a connection between the hrst and

second incidents. We believe the shootings are related.

We know that parents will want to embrace their children. We are not suggesting that

you come to campus. However, if parents feel that they must come to campus, we are

iocating counselors at the The Inn and Skelton Conference Center'

As you can imagine, security, investigatior5 operational, and cotmseling resowces ilre

1r"ry tu*"d at thJ moment. And we understand the desire, indeed the compelling need to

getinformation on the part of family, students, and loved ones, but unfodunately this is

all the information we have at the time.

/.rOrt)o"7

-No-w-a-stafernent gf*"r-ryor. q--

, , ,1.- ::r|:-: l-drrai^:.,

€w,'TUl3g.

Good morning-

We're here this moming to provide you with the latest information invoiving yesterday's

honible tragedy. Capt. Flinchum and State Poiice Coi. Steve Flaherty will provide you

with the iatest information on the investigation. As we work with law enforcement

agencies who continue to notify fanrily members of the deceased, I ask that you keep in

your hearts the families of the victims of this terrible event.

I have some additional information regarding how the Virginia Tech community will

move forward and begin recovery in the coming hours and days.

Fkst of all, Virginia Tech will cancel all classes for the remainder of the week to allow

students the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed. The university will

re-open administrative operations beginning tomorow, Wednesday, April 18

understanding that some faculty and staff may wish to take additional time off this week

to grieve the ioss of fellow colleagues and friends. We ask individual employees to

communicate with their suDervisors of their schedules for the balance of the week.

We will close Norris Hall for the remainder of the semester. Staff are cunently working

to arange alternative location for classrooms and faculty offices.

Counseling and other resources are available for students, faculty, and staff. Students

may receive counseling at McComas Hall and counselors will be available for extended

hours. Employees may receive needed support by going to the Brush Mountain Room in

Squires Student Center throughout the day.

As you know, the university will be holding a convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. at Cassell

Coliseum. This will be the fust time the Virgrnia Tech community will come together

since the tragedy to share our collective sorrow. At that time, President George Bush,

First Lady Laura Bush, Gov. Timothy Kaine, Mrs. Kaine members of our Board of

Visitors, members of the clergy, our students, and poet Nikki Giovanni will share

messages of condolence to the family and friends of the victims and words of hope to all

/\f rro oo f^-r,a-n aao+ +Lir t-^n-n"PcrDL Lruo ucl6vLrJ.

Again we encourage all members of the Virginia Tech community to attend. Should the

coliseum be full, the event, we hope, will be broadcast on campus cable stations.

I know the Virginia Tech community, and the world at large, continues to struggle with

these horrible events. We hope that some the steps we are taking today, and in the coming

days, will heip in that heding process.

JIC Talking Points Document

April 17,2007-04-17

News today:

* U. S. President George Bush and Mrs. Bush, and Virgnia Govemor Tim Kaine and

Mrs. Kaine are expected to join aimost 10,000 mourners during a memorial ceremony on

the Virginia Tech campus today to remember the 32 faculty and students killed yesterday

by a gunman.

* The convocation is being heid at 2 p.m. today in Cassell Coliseum on the university's

campus.

* More information about this tragedy and the status of the investigation will be released

to the media as soon as it is available. The next news conference is scheduled for 5 p.m.

in Alumni Hall. which will be carried live on network teievision.

* Later today, an evening candlelight vigil will be held on the university's Drillfield at 8

Background:

* A gunman entered an acadernic building and a residence hall at Virginia Tech early

Monday moming April 16, and shot and killed 32 faculty and students before turning the

gun on himself. An accurate list of those wounded is not available at this time.

* The Virginia Tech Police Deparfinent has confirmed the assailant as Cho Seung-Hui,

23. Cho was enrolled as an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English lnajorat Virginia Tech. Cho, a South Korean native, was living in the United States as a

resident alien with a residence established in Centreville, Va. Cho was living on campus

in Harper Residence Hall.

* A 9-millimeter handgun and22-caliber handgun were recovered from the scene at

Norris Hall. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) lab inMaryland conducted ballistic tests on the evidence seized from the Norris Hall and theWest Ambler Johnston Residence Hall crime scenes. Lab results confirmed that one ofthe two weapons seized in Norris Hall was used in both shootings.

* An active police investigation involving the Virginia Tech Police Departmext, the

Virginia State Police, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and several

other law enforcement agencies is underwav.

* Police officials *, "url"n,ty

in tl,. pro""r, of notifying the victims' next of kin.Officials have not said when a list of the victims will be available.

* The university has assembled a group of cormselors to assist family members, students

and employeesin ciealing with their grief. Counseling for students is available between 9

a.m. -b 9 p.m. today at the Cook Counseling Center. For information call 540-231'6557

or visit the Web site at www.ucc.vt.edu

* Counseling assistance for faculty and staff will be heid in Squires Student Center,

Brush Moutain, Room A, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. For more infonnation call 540-

443-36}6.More detailed information on the counseling is available on the Virginia Tech

web site.

* President Chades Steger has announced that the university is ciosed for the remainder

of the week. Nonis Hall, the scene of the mass murder, will be ciosed for the remainder

of the semeste

* More information about this tragedy and the status of the investigation wiil bL made

available for the media as soon as it is available.

* Anyone with information relating to the incidents is asked to contact the Blacksburg

Police Department at 540-23I -6411.

J+.4+.1+ll'':rft

. ,..1...;-t. .,.,,.t.., -"..--- -...1

As of 516/07

Questions and Answers

What memorials are being considered to honor the victims of this tragedy?

President Steger has publicly committed to the construction of a permanent

memorial to the victims of the tragedy. A committee has been appointed to consider the

elements of this memorial and it is anticipated that a design competition will be

conducted to aid the committee's deliberations. The committee will be recommending

the construction of a temporary memorial sometime dwing the fall semester.

Virginia Tech has established 32 individual memorial funds in the name of each

of the victims. These funds may be used for scholarships, to endow Chairs and othersimilar pulposes, with the final disposition to be determined in cooperation with the

families.

What language will be used to reference the incident itself? Will there be some

reference to 4116?

As we go forward, University Relations will be referring to this with some variantof "AJ-Norris EvenUTragedy/Shootings". We will not be using any reference to the

numbers "4" or "16'" as we do not want the date itself to become convenient shorthand

for others to characterize the tragedy.

What is the status of the acceptances of offers for admission to Virginia Tech forFall Semester 2007?

'We are very pleased that acceptances are slightly ahead of last year's record pace

of acceptance of offers of admission and we expect to have a final tally within the nextfew days. In addition, it appears that acceptance rates among African-American,Hispanic and Asian-American students has increased from last year.

Do you have any plus to honor those shooting victims who were wounded but notkilled?

We certainly want our memorial observances to embrace the surviving victims as

well. Beyond that, many of those who were wounded are still recovering from theirinjuries, and as a University, we are very respectfrrl of their need for privacy in this timeof healing.

What is being done to assist the families of the victims?

The University is providing financial assistance to the deceased victim's familiesfor memorial expenses, grief counseling, communications expenses, comfort expenses

and other costs directly related to this tragedy. Some disbursements have already been

made to the families and we are coordinatine ow efforts with those of other charities and

As of 516/07

relief agencies to insure this aid has the maximum impact for the families. Future

financial assistance will be made in keeping with the needs of the families and we cannot

predict how great these needs will be or for how long they will be needed. The Virginialech community will be there to help for as long as the families need/want us to be.

What is the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund? How much money has been raised?

What are some of the larger contributions which have been received to this point?Where does the money go?

The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund was established within the Virginia Tech

Foundation as a vehicle for donors to make monetary contributions which will assist the

families of the victims. So far, over $2.5 million has been received and/or pledged. As a

matter of policy, we do not divulge the names of individual contributors, but it can said

that the outpouring of support has been almost overwhelming.

In addition to the Hokie Spilit Fund, 32 individual memorial funds will be created

in the names of the victims of the tragedy and one individual university-wide scholarship

- The Hokie Spirit Scholarship - will be awarded. The specific elements of each

memorial and the criteria for the scholarship are currently under development.

How is the University policing the unauthorized use of Virginia Tech logos as itrelates to the Norris-AJ Event?

Virginia Tech has literally been bombarded with requests to license items whichmemorialize the tragedy. To date, only the student group Hokies United has receivedpermission to use the University's logo for this purpose. In addition, we are constantlypolicing e-Bay and other websites to prevent the unauthorized use of any of VirginiaTech's logos. It is a very laborious but necessary undertaking.

How can I reassure prospective faculty membens that Virginia Tech is still a greatplace to teach and do research?

The Norris-AJ Event has not and will not prevent us from fulfilling our mission as

a place of learning, discovery and engagement. Virginia Tech is a warm, caringcommunity which boasts an intangible attribute defined as "Hokie Spirif'that has

become almost palpable around here. The pride and passion that many external to the

University associate with Virginia Tech's exploits on the athletic fields are just as evidentto those of us on campus when it comes to academic rigor in the classrooms and research

in the laboratories. The spirit embodied in the University's new slogan - Invent theFuture - is as strons as ever.

2

t;. - -.,.;):,<;..-

As of 5/6/07

How will the University pay for the many unexpected expenses that will arise as a

result of the Norris-AJ Event?

The specific answer to this question will be determined more fully in the coming

weeks and mtnths. This much can be said: we know the Governor and key members ofthe Virginia General Assembly are very much aware of the enormity of the challenges we

face going forward in managing "the business" of the University.

If a faculty member receives a media call, not just now but over the coming months'

and is asked to describe how his/her body ofwork has changed because oftheNorris-AJ Event, (or any media request related to the Norris-AJ Event for that

matter) what should we do?

If a faculty member is comfortable and knowledgeable with the subject matter

being discussed, feel free to participate in the interview. But if there any concerns

whatioever, the Faculty member should not hesitate to call or e-mail Larry Hincker or

Mark Owczarski and let them know you've received a media call. Generally, a briefdiscussion with Mark or Larry will provide direction as to how any particular call should

be handled. We believe that there should be minimal discussion about the shooter, the

events, and pundit analysis until at least after completion of the Governor's Commission

and the gnivlrsity's after action-review. It is perfectly acceptable when a faculty member

is talking to the media to defer any particular question not within one's purview and ask

them to call Larry's offtce.

How will Virginia Tech be cooperating with the Govemor's Commission?

The University has designated Linwood McCoy as its liaison with the Governor's

Commission. In discussing this tragedy with Govemor Kaine in the immediate hours

after the shootings, President Steger requested that the Govemor conduct an independent

investigation of t}re events and Virginia Tech will assist the Commission in every way

possible. All requests for information from the Commission will come only through Mr.

McCoy. Any requests should be forwarded to Mr. McCoy.

When we call upon prospective research or cor?orat€ partners end they say, "Oh,isn't Virginia Tech where that guy killed all those people", how should we respond?

There is no cookie cutter response to this kind of tragedy' Something like, '!es,Virginia Tech has had a very difficult time of it lately, but we will not permit a single act

of violence to define the University. That is exactly why we are here to talk to you today

about..." would suffice. Most people you meet are likely to express their own thoughts

of remorse and condolence and the response is pretty much the same'

While this might seem like common sense, we do not want to leave any

impression whatsoever that Virginia Tech (and the New River Valley, by extension) is

anything other than a great place to live, work and do business.

J

. . d &,;:rrl;d!r:r i, "!r:- ... ; . :,,. ,

Ls of 516/0?

Is Nikki Giovanni's poem-ending -'tve are Virginia Tech, we will prevail' - a new

University slogan?

The words to that poem have become a symbol for the resolve of the entire

University Community to recover from this tenible ordeal and are crucial to ow healing

process. While the words themselves will not be apart of any formal long-running

campaign, the spirit embodied in the words will be with us for a long, long time. Feel

free to use them.

What do I do if a member of the news media sticks a microphone or a TV camera inmy face at a Virginia Tech event?

You are never REQUIRED to speak to the media. Most times, politely telling a

reporter "no thank you" will suffice. If a reporter is particularly troublesome, just walkaway and do not feel guilty about doing so.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of support for the entire Virginia TechCommunity. Are there procedures in place for handling requests by entertainers'authors, etc. who wish to donate proceeds from events/sales to the Hokie SpiritMemorial Fund?

Steve Clark and Mary Grace Theodore in the University's Development office are

managing all such offers of assistance. We are receiving reports of additional, larger and

more organized efforts that are being planned and scheduled throughout the coming

months. We have been providing direct links to the University's Hokie Spirit MemorialFund to those who wish to assist and will continue to do so. We are moved by

extraordinary generosity of so many groups and individuals and are grateful for theirthoughtfulness dwing this difficult time for The Hokie Nation.

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A.s of 516/07

Spokesperson's Q&A

While you may be asked something like the following questions in your capacity as a universityadministrator, we recommend deflecting and forwarding questions to University Relations. Wesuggest that these topics be the province of designated spokespersons or individuals with directresponsibility for the topic (e.9. chair of a committee or task force reviewing the topic.).

What is Virginia Tech doing to insure the safety of its students?

The health and safety of university community is paramount. Let's take a look at

a number of campus security instruments which already exist. Residence halls are

normally locked 12 hours per day and secured with key-card access. They have been

locked24/7 since April 16 and will remain so indefinitely. The campus has 5l blue lightemergency phones connected to the campus 9l l center. The Virginia Tech Police

Department is a nationally accredited, full-service 60 person law enforcement agency

with 40 uniformed officers and a2417 dispatcher. Alerts are posted as needed on the

widely-used campus website. We have campus sirens and loudspeakers and we use

broadcast e-mail and voicemail to hardline c€rmpus phones. A text messaging system

will be in place by this slrnmer.

Beyond that, we want to be thoughtful in our approach to the creation ofadditional security measures. We do not want to do things which might make us feel

good while having little effect on the security of the campus. That having been said, we

are fully cooperating with Governor Kaine's independent commission - a review tlrat

President Steger personally requested shortly after the tragic events - and we welcome

this analysis. Simultaneous to those deliberations, we are currently conducting our orvrl

intemal security audit to see what changes might be made prior to the issuance of the

Commission's report.

There were several bomb threats prior to the Norris-AJ Event. Since thenr therehave been additional bomb threats. IIow does the University respond to these

threats, and has that changed since the Norris-AJ Event?

The Virginia Tech website provides specific information as to Virginia Tech's

response to these types of threats which were made prior to the Norris-AJ event. Each

was thoroughly investigated and cleared. A number of additional threats were made inthe days following the Norris-AJ Event. It is an unfortunate commentary on our

cont€mporary society that such tlueats are quite common after a tragedy of thismagnitude, but each threat was taken seriously, investigated appropriately, and found to

be a hoar. We teat all such thLreats seriously and will continue to do so.

As of 5/6/07

Do you have confidence that your policies regarding the mental health of VirginiaTech students is sufficient to track individuals in the future who may be prone toviolence?

Mental Health statutes and regulations have been created to, understandably,protect the privacy of anyone who seeks treaunent or is required to seek treatment formental health issues. We will comply with the letter and spirit of those laws. The

Governor's commission will examine this issue more broadly and we will await the

results of that examination to determine what new steps, if any, might be taken.

What will happen to Norris Hall?

A Committee is examining that very question. Initially, we said all options were

on the table, specifically implying the demolition of Norris Hall. Upon reflection, thegravity ofthe situation from an academic and research profile leads us to conclude thatadditional consideration of the future of Norris Hall is necessary. Nonis is one of the

larger buildings on campus with over 70,000 square feet of offices, laboratories and

classrooms. Norris classrooms alone represent about 5% of campus capacity. Still, at

this point, it is our belief that second floor classrooms will never be used again in that

manner. We will present proposals and options to ow University community in earlysunmer.

IIow will we, as ! University, position itself in the gun debate which will ensue as iresult of the Norris-AJ Event?

Our position has not changed. We believe that law enforcement officials ought to

be the only ones on campus carrying weapons - concealed or otherwise.

Speculation - on and off campus - has suggested that some loss of life might have

been averted if we'd closed the campus. How should we respond to that?

The Virginia Tech Campus contains 153 major buildings, 19 miles of publicroads, is located on 2600 acres of land and as many as 37,000 individuals might be found

on its grounds at any one time on atypical day. Virginia Tech is very much like a smallcity. How does one close a city? Virginia Tech is a University, not a prison. Be that as

it may, the Governor's commission will investigate all aspects of the Norris-AJ Eventincluding this one. We will receive the commission's recommendations and makechanges, if any and as needed, to protect the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitorson campus.

,iirt .- - . -:41't!,i..-idlrtsi

KSR 05t03t2007

Commencement Spring 2002 - Media Guidelines

At colleges and universities across the nation, commencement is a joyous time to celebrate andacknowledge the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of those students (along withtheir family and friends who supported them along the way) who have completed their academiccourse of study.

This year, Vrginia Tech's commencement ceremonies come just four weeks after the tragicevents at West Amber Johnson and Norris halls. This year's joy and celebration will betempered with grief following the loss of 32 members of our community.

As you report on these ceremonies, we ask that you be respectful of both the accomplishmentsand pride of the approximately 5,000 graduates and their families as well as the sorrow felt bythe families of the 32 deceased and the entire Virginia Tech community.

on Friday, May 1 1 and saturday , May 12, we anticipate some 30,000 to 40,000 students andguests on our campus. We hope you understand that the needs our students and their familiesare our highest priority this weekend.

In addition, we have worked to accommodate the needs of the press. These guidelines, wehope, will help you accomplish you job while ensuring the dignity and respect that must beafforded to all the students, families, and guest who will participate in the ceremonies.

General lnformation

. All media representatives will be required to obtain media credentials andprominently display them at all times while you are on campus. Credentials may beobtained Thursday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and again from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. inthe lobby of the Holtzman Alumni Center. Credentialing will continue at 5 p.m. in thelobby of the South Tower (facing Spring Road) at Lane Stadium.

. All commencement and convocation events will be staffed by Vrginia Tech publicinformation officers (PlOs) who will be credentialed with large white badges. Thereare here to assist you during the weekend.

. Seating at all commencement and convocation venues is prioritized for graduatesand their families and guests. We ask you to stay in the areas designated for mediaand to respect the decorum afforded to the ceremonies. Questions related to pressseating and use of cameras may be directed to the PlOs

. At all commencement and convocation ceremonies, members of the press are notallowed on the floor (where graduates are seated) or on or near the stage were theceremony takes place.

. To ensure that our graduates and their guests can fully focus on and participate inthe commencement ceremonies, we ask you to refrain from interviewing studentsand families during the ceremonies and avoid up-close contact with them. Anyinterviews graduates or their guests may wish to participate in must take placeoutside the commencement or convocation venue

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KSR 05to3t2007

Due to space restrictions at the various commencement venues, tripods can beaccommodated only in the specified areas in Lane Stadium (for more detail, pleasesee below). Use of broadcast cameras and flash photography at universityconvocations will be directed by university PlOs stationed at all events.

Pool still photography is available for the Graduate Commencement Ceremony(Friday, May 11, 3 p.m., Cassell Coliseum) and the University CommencementCeremony (Friday, May 11, 7;30 p.m., Lane Stadium) through the Roanoke Timesand the AP wire. Contact: TBA

Pool broadcast coverage (three cameras) will be available for the Graduate andUniversity commencement ceremonies and for the College of Engineeringconvocation (Saturday, May 12,8 a.m., Cassell Coliseum) courtesy of Virginia TechAthletics broadcast media unit. Contact is Kevin Hicks (cell: 540-998-5921).Coordinates are:

1. TBA

General questions on Friday, May 11 may be directed to Mark Owczarski (cell: 540-357-0126)

Driving / Parking Information

. Spring Road, which runs along the west side of Lane Stadium and Cassell Coliseum,will be closed to thru traffic beginning Friday, May 11 beginning at 8 a.m.

. Media satellite trucks must be parked at the Environmental Health and SafetyParking Lot (located off Tech Center Drive) and the Litton Reaves Parking Lotaccessible off Washington Street (next to Virginia Bioinformatics Institute Phase 1) orDuck Pond Drive (next to Virginia Bioinformatics Institute Phase 2)

. All other press vehicles may park in the Litton Reaves Parking Lot

. Please note: NO press vehicles or satellite trucks my be parked on the Drillfield orother major campus roadways the week of May 7 - 13.

. All media vehicles must display a media parking pass made available when you

. check in during credentialing.

. DO NOT park in any handicap or metered spaces.

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KSR

Thursday, May 10

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Media sign in andCenter.

o5t03t2007

credentialing at the main entrance of the Holtzman Alumni

Friday, May 11

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Media sign in and credentialing at the main entrance of the Holtzman AlumniCenter.

5 p.m.: Media sign in and credentialing continues in the lobby of South Tower lobby, LaneStadium.

2 to 2:30 p.m. Media Availability: Gen. Philip Abizaid, U.S. Army (Ret.), former Commander ofthe United States Central Command

. Fifth Floor, media dining room, Lane Stadium (enter via elevator in South Tower)

. Media credentials must be worn to be admittedPress conference format; introductory remarks followed by questions and answers

3 p.m. Graduate Commencement Ceremony - Cassell Coliseum:. Media credentials are required to be worn at all times.

a

10 posthumous diplomas awardedAssigned media space in section 15Mult box will be available in section 15Pooled still photography provided by the Roanoke Times.Ceremony will be broadcast via satellite feed on coordinates

o Satellire: Galaxy 26 (G-26) satellite formerly known as IA-6o Located at 93 degrees West, Transponder: 1-D

5 p.m. Lane Staduim Press Box Available to Working Press. Media credentials must be worn at all times.. Mult box available for radio media outlets

Broadcast outlets may use platform outside press box to shoot ceremony. Use oftripod acceptable only on this platform. PlOs will escort interested press to platformsCommencement broadcast and sound available in press box.lnternet access

University Commencement Ceremony - Lane Stadium:Pooled still photography from stadium floor provided by the Roanoke Times.Ceremony will be broadcast via satellite feed on coordinates

o SateLlice: Galaxy 26 (G-26).\ T.^.:f a,,t :t Q? r'lonroae I^7aef

7:30 p.m.

cafel I i re forne-l v known as 14-6Tr:ncnnnder. I -fl

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KSR 05t03t2007

Saturday, May 11

Approximately 30 college and departmental convocations will be held on this day. Virginia Techpublic information officers (PlOs) will be present at all ceremonies to assist reporters if needed.

Media credentials must be worn at all times to attend these ceremonies.

Please do not enter the venue floor, where our graduates will be seated and do not blockfamilies' and graduates' views. Ushers and PlOs will be available to assist you; please followtheir guidance.

To ensure that our graduates and their guests can fully focus on and participate in thecommencement ceremonies, we ask you to refrain from interviewing students and familiesduring the ceremonies and avoid up-close contact with them. Any interviews may occur outsidethe venue

Because of intimate nature of convocations and the venues, no broadcast cameras will beallowed in Saturday convocations.

Guidelines to assist in major venues:

Cassell Coliseum - College ceremonies (Engineering, Ag & Life Sciences, Business). Wll host Engineering (8 a.m.) Agriculture and Life Sciences (11 a.m.) and the

Pamplin College of Business (2 p.m.). Engineering will be broadcast via satellite feed

o Digital KU-bando Sateflite: Galaxy 26 lG-26) satelfite formerly known as IA-6o Located at 93 degrees West, Transponder: 1-D

. Assigned media space in section 15

. Moat box will be available in section 15

. Please do not enter the venue floor, where our graduates will be seated and do notblock families' and graduates' views. Ushers and PlOs will be available to assist you;please follow their guidance.

. To ensure that our graduates and their guests can fully focus on and participate inthe commencement ceremonies, we ask you to refrain from interviewing studentsand families during the ceremonies and avoid up-close contact with them.

' Othercolleges'/departments' ceremonies(variouslocations):. University Relations will provide a distribution amp with TV signal and sound outside

the following venues:o 11:30 a.m.: Communications in Commonwealth Ballroom, Squires Student

Centero 2 p.m.: Political Science and International Studies in Commonwealth Ballroom,

Squires Student Center

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Virginia Tech As We Move FolverdThemes or Key Messages

Virginia Tech will not be defined by these events.. A terrible tragedy happened here of honific proportions, and while we must

live with this memory and knowledge, we will persevere. We will prevail. It, does not change who we are, what we do, or our very special place within the

higher education community.

We are determined to learnfrom the tragedy to help us and every universityWe are conducting internal investigations to fully review not only the incidentbut also the protocols, policies, infrastructure, and operating practices thatensure campus safety.In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy President Steger personally

requested that the State ofVirginia undertake an independent investigation,and we are cooperating fully the resulting commission that was appointed byGovernor Kaine and is chaired by retired Virginia State Police SuperintendentGerald Massensill.

Il'e are inventing the future.. We are defined by our mission of learning, discovery, and engagement. Wewill continue to teach, learn, and serve our community, just as we have alwaysdone. It is a future that now must accommodate and reconcile our loss, but onethat is no less promising."Invent the Future," expresses the school's beliefthat higher education can

change futures and make the world a better place. Our position as a majorresearch institution with a special bent for teaching and learning has notchanged."Invent the Future" also reflects our commitment to helping students and theentire Virginia Tech community to define their own futures and achieve theirhighest potential.

We share a spirit of community. We are dffirentfrom other large universities.We will celebrate and embrace the Hokie Spiri! the special bond that weshare and that has sustained us and will continue to do so.

We have a sense of family and togetherness here that is virtually unheard ofon other large campuses.Students, faculty, stafi and alumni maintain a special affection for VirginiaTech precisely because ofthis sense ofcaring.Hokie Spirit will enable us to prevail in the face of tragedy and grow strongeras we move forward together.

II/e are doing all we can to support the families of those who were lost, and those whowere injured and their families.

The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund is a vehicle for donors to offer assistance tothe families. It is already providing funds for grief counseling, memorialexpenses and other costs.

The Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund is a single university-wide scholarstrip that

will be awarded to a student (criteria yet to be established).

We are establishing 32 individual memorial funds in the name of each of the

victims. These may be used for scholarships and other similar purposes, withthe fural disposition to be determined in cooperation with the families.

. Family liaisons continue to do their work.

. President Steger is committed to leaving a legacy for those we have lost.

We are thanl{ul for the outpouring of support.. We have been touched and sustained by the outpouring of support from all

over Virgini4 the nation and the world. The world is one in its support of the

Hokie Nation.

-end-

.t*.er..:

--,)tF

Dear Parents and Family Members,

I appreciate the responses that some of you sent to the letter I sent earlier thismonth and the various points of view expressed. One point of consensus is thateveryone wants more communication, so I will endeavor to write more freguently.

Family Advocafes - In most cases, I have heard overwhelming praise from youfor the work of our family liaisons. Each of them has been extraordinarilydedicated to assisting you. But, as you can understand, many are exhaustedboth physically and emotionally. An expert in this aspect of crisis responserecently pointed out that we are victims trying to care for victims, and that shouldnot be. Therefore, over the next month or so, we will gradually be transitioningfrom your current family liaisons to family advocates. These are professionalswho work for Virginia Tech and whose sole function it will be to work with youand with the injured students. We will share more information as it becomesavailable.

Victim Advocates - Most of you are aware of and have availed yourselves ofthe services of the Criminal lnjuries Compensation Fund (CICF). However, youmay not be aware of another service that office provides. In collaboration withthe Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, CICF can arrange for youto be assigned a victim witness officer (i.e., victim advocate), who can help youfind resources in your local community to assist with a number of issues, fromcounseling, to financial planning, to immigration issues, and much more. Thisservice is available to families in states other than Virginia as well. Whether youlive in Virginia or elsewhere, I encourage you to call Mary Vail Ware, Director ofCICF, and she can arrange for a victim advocate to work with you. You maycontact Ms. Ware by calling 1-800-552-4007 or 804-367-1018, or by sending ane-mail note to mary.ware@vwc.state.va. us.

Norris Hall Tours - As you know, families were invited to tour the classroomsbefore they were refurbished and the media was allowed in. Until that wing ofthe building is renovated (the feasibility study is under way), the classrooms willremain locked and access will not be permifted. In fact, for at least severalmonths, access to the entire building will be restricted to those with Virginia TechlD cards. However, you may still request a tour of those classrooms bycontacting Police Chief Wendell Flinchum atilO-231-6411.

Intermediate Memorial - Work is already under way on the intermediatememorial, which, as you know, will be on the site of the original memorial createdby the Hokies United students. The original 32 stones will remain in place untilthe intermediate memorial is completed. At that time, the original 32 stones willbe individually packaged so they can be given to the families. Again, I will sharemore information as it becomes available.

Govemofs Wrginia Tech Review Panel-As you may be aware, because ofthe various privacy laws, primarily HIPAA, neither I nor the Virginia Tech ReviewPanelcould have access to Mr. Cho's medical records. As I result, I sought andreceived about 10 days ago from Mr. Cho's father a release of his Virginia Techmedical records, which includes counseling records. The release also permittedme to share these records with the Virginia Tech Review Panel, which I havedone. We are in the process of reviewing these records.

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund - Even before some of the families released astatement last week, we had been in contact with officials from Columbine andan expert involved with the September 11 fund to obtain their counsel as we seekto administer the funds that were donated to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund in anequitable and responsible manner consistent with the stated purpose of the fund,which includes, but is not limited to: assistance to victims and their families, griefcounseling, memorials, communication expenses, and comfort expenses. Weare continuing to refine our plans and processes for the use of those funds,taking into account the input we have received.

Communication - Your input is always welcome. E-mail is the quickest meansto communicate. lf you will send your notes to President.Steqer@vt.edu, theywill not be mixed in with the other e-mail that I receive, which continues to arrivein high volume. Also, I know that Governor lGine invited you to meet with him inperson in Richmond next week. He and I are both interested in your views, but I

don't want to burden you with another trip to Blacksburg at this time. Rather, weare making plans for university officials to visit with you. lf they have not alreadydone so, members of my staff will be contacting you in the near future to arrangea time to visit with you to hear your views in person. Although it may not bepossible to visit in person with families who are outside the U.S., we will seektheir input by phone or letter.

Thank you for your time. Again, let me say that movrng on is not the same asforgetting. We will never forget. Wishing you peace,

Sincerely,

Charles W. StegerPresident

Dear colleagues,The last few weeks have been quite tumultuous, and rvhile things may seem to be returning tonormal, it's likely that we'll need to continue to discuss the events of April 16 for some time.We'll need to gauge where our donors are in relation -o these events, and offer them t.he

appropriate reassurance. We'll need to address the ner:essary changes to the campaign and ourcurent fundraising efforts. We'll need to be both refl()ctive and optimistic. With these aims inmind, I'm offering up some talking points to give you some guidance as you begin workingthrough the days ahead.

If we can all be patient during this time, we can get through this together and help oui: donors, as

well. If you need help writing any pieces over the next few months, especially forcollege/university program publications, let me and rr y staff know. If you have any publicationspending, please let us know right away.

University Relations messagingYou mav be feeling a little anxious about how to mak: the transition between discussine theevents oi Apdl 16tr and the campaign and other, happ er, topics. Since this evdrit nas afieiteiievery aspect of the university, we will rely on central :ommunications from oui colle;lgues'inUniversity Relations to take the lead in making that tr;rnsition. It is critical that develc,pment,communications be synchronized with messages that irre being formulated and distributed by burcolleagues in University Relations.

The next issue of the Virginia Teclt Magazine, originally scheduled to be all about the campaign,is being rewritten to mark the events of April 16. This issue will be our first opportunity to talk inbroad terms about the need for us to both mourn, and ;ecognize when it is timb 1o prer;s ahedd.

Other central communications, most often in the form of letters to many of our mainconstituencies from senior leadership, will carry the sz me overall message.

Current plans call for a letter from President Steger to'be sent to donors within the next twoweeks. That letter will not only carry the message abo,re but will also explain what thr:se eventshave meant-and will continue to mean-for the camllaign. This means that your next _ , ,

communication with your donors need not carry this s rme message, but it is importanr that it beappropriately respectful and in keeping with the unive::sity's main messages.

As you talk to your donors, keep in mind the followinll university messages:

is something that happened to uLs, andlnse what we are all about.

community, just as we have alvrays done.ule that now must accommodate our loss.

We are strong.We will NOT be defined by these events. Thiswhile it was clearly catastrophic, it does not ch

We are still inventing the future.We will continue to teach. learn. and serve ourWe will continue to invent the future. It is a futbut one that is no less nlomisins

We share a spirit of community.We will celebrate and embrace the Hokie Spirit, the special bond that we share and thathas sustained us and will continue to do so. Tt e whole world has now seen what weaiready knew: that the Hokie Spirit is strong tlrroughout our community-incJudingstudents, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and fri :nds.

University Development messagingHere are a few key messages you can share with your donor constituent groups:

r The response to the April events on our campLs has been both gratifying andoverwhelming. Supporl is coming in from neu friends and old, individuals an,Jcoryorations, and we are carefuily processing r:ach gift.

o We are not actively soliciting or raising funds for any of these initiatives. Ratlrer, we arefocused on ensuring that offers for support are appropriately and expeditiously handled.

,

o Those who wish to make a gift through the university have 34 ways in which they can doso: the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, the Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund, and memorialfunds in the names of each of those we have lost.

Specific fund messagesThe Hokie Spirit Memorial Futtd

The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund was established immediately following the events of :

April 16 in order to provide the university with a means to offer assistance to the familieslof those affected by these events. That assistance includes, but is not limjted to:

r Grief counselingr Memorialso Communicationexpenses. Comfort expenses

The Hokie Spirit Scholarship FundThe Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund is a single rawarded to a student based on criteria vet to be

Some of this money has already been disburserl for these purposes. Such disbursement isbeing made in keeping with the timetables of tlre families and in conjunction urith amrmber of other agencies-federal and state vi :tim assistance programs, as well as localcharities, are all rushing in to aid these familier and we want to be sure that our effortsare coordinated so they can have maximum im:act.

We cannot predict how great these needs will te; no1'can we predict how much moneywill be raised. We're getting reports of larger, rnore organized efforts that are beingplanned and scheduled throughout the coming rnonths. As from the outset, our firstpriority will continue to be meeting the needs and honoring the wishes of the frlmilies.Plans bevond that have vet to be formulated.

niversity-wide scholarship that will beestablished.

Named Memorial Ftutds i

FinalWe have established 32 memorial funds in the names of each of the victims.determination of how those funds will be used (memorial awards, scholarships,professorships, faculty suppolt etc.) will be mirde in cooperation with the fam:ilies. Someofthese funds have already been designated.

Other questionsUniversity Development is happy to accept donations from groups who have conducted theirown fundraising efforls. However, we cannot enter inro any partnerships with these independentfundraising efforls. We cannot allow external groups 1o use our logo or otherwise give theimpression that the university is endorsing them. Whi e it is not our place to steer donors awayfrom private fundraising efforts, it is our place to explain to them how they can best supporl thevictims' families and the university community: by gi ving to the 34 funds described above.

Stay tuned for further updates to these messages as ne:ded (particularly as regards campaignplanning.). If you have any questions or require further cladfication, please contact me or one ofmy staff. We are eager to help everyone get through tlris hard time and move into a brighterfuture.

Notes from July 18, 2007 MeetingVT Review Panel

Massengill: all records needed have now been received; Over 2,000 hits onwebsite. Closed meeting on July '1gth to talk with attorneys; not enough emphasison families early on in the Panel's work but wants to do more in the future.

Casteen: welcome and emphasized difiiculty in securing (locking down) a largecampus.

Phil Schaenman (IriData) the Panel and TriData staff activities:

Allhigh schooland W records and most medical records received.Some records destroyed or never completed.Interviews conducted with high school and W staff.Lots of police contact everywhere and continuing with state police.Met with NYPD on Friday and talked about police decisions.Met with survivors and medical examiner's staff; reviewed autopsies.Spoke with 20 other colleges on security plans.Reviewed materials sent to NBC news.Expect activities to drop off after this week and concentrate on writing report.

Outline of the Report:

Scope.Detailed time line.University setting and securityCho's mental health issues.General access to camous.lncident in West AJ.lncident in Norris Hall.EMS, hospital, and ME's Office.Aftermath (recovery and healing process).

Report will criticize and will include recommendations. Will try to be fair andbalanced.

Good presentation by Don Challis, President of VALEA and Chief of Police andW&M; gave good marks to Wendell for his swift action to have EmergencyResponse Team on the scene which probably saved lives in Norris.

Suggested it is a good idea to have a Threat Assessment Team for campus tolook out for potential weird students, etc. but a bad idea to arm the students.

Things to consider:

Where police reports; need to be high in organization (no lower than 1 step belowpresident).Avoid lockdowns.Allow police to notify campus community of emergencies without going throughadministration hierarchy.Establish close relationship with local EMS, fire, and police; joint training anddrills.Complete threat assessments on the front end.lmproved funding for security.Conduct crime prevention assessment-cameras, locks, etc.Training on FERPA and HIPM laws and regulations.MOU's between state and local police agencies.Retirement benefits for campus police should be same as other law enforcementofficers.High turnover rates need to be addressed through more competitive salaries.

(Some of the same things mentioned by VP of International Association of Chiefsof Police from Smithfield, Virginia. The IACP is also going to issue a report withrecommendations. IACP says areas that need further study include resources,fire arms restrictions, mental health issues.)

Judge Strickland asked how the university could "lockdown" campus during theMorva incident and not lockdown the campus during the Cho incident. ChiefChallis said he could not speak to the differences but discussed once again thedifferences between and public school (K-12) and a large open college campus.

Chief Challis also asked about what efforts were now being made to improvesecurity on campuses? Any recommendations to screen students for imminentdanger? He noted that everyone he talks with is reviewing policies andprocedures; he also noted that the "response" to an incident was the Police &EMS responsibility; the "response to the response" was an administration issue.

Tom Ridge discussed Pre-incident Threat Assessments-who does it, can it bedone better, should an outside person (town) be included, etc. Gov. Ridge alsonoted good job by Wendell to not delay getting ERT on campus.

Ms. Ellis asked if there was a need for a "victim's services specialist" within thePolice departments; any recommendations? \l/ho has one? Chief Challis did notknow if anyone had such a position, Ms. Ellis referred them to look at FairfaxPolice Deoartment for model.

Dr. Depue asked about funding status for police and Challis responded:Campus police normally below municipalities and state.Retirement benefits are less.Often have to be creative to obtain needed training.Police departments are not the primary mission of the university.Retention of good officers is a problem.

*Massengill observed how everyone bristles at the word "lockdown" andsuggested something has to be done. Perhaps better training of the universitycommunity; students need to be told (trained) what do to in emergencysituations, etc.

Professor Bonnie gave presentation of Va. Mental Health Laws and Practicesand discussed review being conducted by the Commission on Mental HealthLaw; expect preliminary report in winter of 2007-08 with a full report/plan by thefall 2008.

Dr. James Madero from Calif. School of Prof. Psychology gave presentation onhandling seriously troubled students; stressed the need for a Violence PreventionProgram that includes a Violence Prevention Team on campus. The team would:Conduct violence audit.Review polices & procedures.Review training.Est. Incident Response Teams (one for students, one for faculty/staff). This teamneeds to include a threat assessment specialist.Recommend prevention procedu res.Evaluate program.

Emphasized that some sharing of information is possible even under FERPA andsuggested going to Dept. of Ed's website for clarification that has been postedthere.

Dr. Richard Federman, Director of UVA's Counseling & Psychological ServicesCente(CAPS) reported organization at UVA and how work closely with thehospital. Pointed out that UVA's environment was different than Tech's becausethey had a hospital and worked more closely with the doctors. He said Cho wouldhave been picked up as a potential problem at UVA from hospital records.

Dr. Federman report how CAPS works and the meetings it has with every deanonce each month; no budget problems because funded from student fees butemphasized need for a stable budget to support student counseling.

Dr. Sood gave presentation about mental health issues. She discussed:Cho's background and predictability of behavior problems.FERPA and HIPAA interpretations.Discussed Chos' withdrawal behavior.Need to explore family issues,Signs (flags) at Tech before the incident.University's and Police response to the flags.Discussed safeguards to ensure follow through on troubled students.Need to ask what are the capabilities of the university to handle problems.How does the university track troubled students.Are parents contacted? Should they be?Evaluate core mission of the university v, counseling resources.Examine W's philosophy on dealing with students (remedial or punitive).Look at the culture of Blacksburg and W.Early identification of mental health issues.Philosophy of higher education toward mental health issues.Dr, Sood then shared information about who was interviewed at Tech.

Comments from family members and others:

Lori Haas mother of Emily-urged Panelto not rush work to meet the deadline;discussed frustration with FERPA and HIPAA; can't get information from theuniversity; has requested mental health assistance for daughter but universitywould not do it ??? (l'm not sure if this was in reference to FERPA or a lack ofresponse by the university.); in the aftermath, the university should havecommunicated to all students, faculty, and staff but this has not happened; thereshould be one state agency that deals with all services for victims so it would not

be such a maze to go through; there should be ONE advocate for each victimwho has full knowledge of all the things available.

Dr. Novak signed up to speak but left the meeting.

Mrs. Granata signed up to speak but declined when called.

Mr, McCain, Lauren's father, just wanted to say thank you for your efforts and toreport that his family prays for them daily.

Catherine Reed stepmother of Mary Reed-very emotional comments about all

the things they continue to worry about. More of a "sharing" presentation thanrecommendations.

Kara Gonecker-mother of a child lost to a gun incident but not at W; veryemotional appealon gun control.

: i.i-.--, .-.- ::a!tat-i;::a. : .ii.:...-':r :r.:::r., -.,"..i*i-

Dennis Bluhm father of Brian-reported the top administration at W had been

very cruelto "us" and W liked to hide behind laws. VT and state needs to takeresponsibility and needs to take care of families.

Erickson ? deferred to not speak.

Joseph Samatha father of Reema-someone needs to be responsible and

apologize; W not doing a good job with the use of the funds; should not closeHokie Spirit Fund on August '1"'; wants the Governor's panelto hold up closingthe fund; appealed to everyone to pause to listen, include everyone, and thenact.

Sally Norris-victim of poor mental health care; apparent allergy to Kozar whichlead to serious problems. After several minutes she was interrupted and asked tolet parents speak and then return if there was time remaining.

Mr. Erickson decided to speak; talked about incident of stalking his daughter atW; stalker has been dealt with by the judicial system with a year in jailsuspended, but he is still at W taking classes; they have a protective orderagainst him but worry about their daughter; does not believe the university hasever talked to stalker's parents because of FERPA and HIPM; had praise for theWomen's Center at W and the Police Dept. but worries that not enough attentionis paid to this incident.

Patrick Strollo-father of Hillary who was injured; Hillary doing well but wanted tomake sure he asked "why did the university not send an email after the WAJincident?" He is very much against FERPA and HIPPA and for parents right toknow about their child.

Roger O'Dell-father of Derek; read Derek's note to the panel; relayedcomments from his wife, a friend, and himself; urged quality work rather than fastwork by the panel; need answers, someone needs to take the heat. (This guyappeared a bit strange to me.)

Several others spoke in favor of carrying guns on campus. One even suggestedthat carry a gun was a God-given right guaranteed by the Declaration ofIndependence (certain unalienable rights....). Another spoke about mental healthdoctors causing deaths because of the drugs they prescribe-suggested non-drug alternatives be used.

Oh, by the way, Sally Norris declined to continue her talk when her turn camearound again. Because she had at least 20 more minutes of material to presentto the Panel. Col. Massgengill suggested she meet with Dr. Sood afterthemeeting to share her thoughts.

A long meeting for everyone!

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSUpdated June 18, 2007

[This information is intended to help you, should you have to discuss these items. lt is notintended to make you become a 'spokesperson' for the university. Do not guess or discuss anyissue either in a private setting, with a group, or in a public setting if you feel at all uncomfortableor not completely knowledgeable. l

Memorials/Assistance

What is being done to help the families of the deceased?

Through the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, we have provided financial assistance to the

deceased victims' families for memorial expenses, grief counseling, communicationsexpenses, comfort expenses and other costs directly related to this tragedy. We are

coordinating our efforts with those of other charities and state relief agencies to insurethis aid has the maximum impact for the families. In addition, almost since the day of theshootings, a Virginia Tech employee has been designated as a liaison between theUniversity and the families of the deceased as a way to determine the on-going needs ofeach family. Our liaisons advised that some families sought more frequentcommunication from the University, and just last week, a weekly communication directfrom Preside,lrt Steger to the families was created as a mechanism to more effectivelymaintain dialogue with affected families.

Many of the monetary needs of the families may not be clear for several months and theintent of the Hokie Spirit Mernorial Fund is to provide assistance for some time to come.

The University intends to use the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to provide such things as

health insurance for the families of the faculty, undergraduate education expenses forchildren of deceased faculty, and financial and mental health services for victims'families. [More info on www.r'tnews.vt.edu]

Who administers the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund?

The University and The Virginia Tech Foundation.

How much money has been raised so far?

Donations to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund now total over $7 million and the

outpouring of support has been almost overwhelming. Little children have literallybrought their piggy banks to the University to contribute. A homeless Louisiana residentdisplaced by Hurricane Katrina made a contribution to the fund. The New York Yankeesdonated $ 1 million to the fund and many other corporation and foundations have made

very significant gifts to honor the victims of the tragedy. None of this money was

actively solicited by Virginia Tech, but instead was donated by hundreds of individualsand corporations who just wanted to do something to try to ease the pain of the VirginiaTech community.

I

How long will you keep providing financial aid?

That is still to be determined, but we are confident that the Virginia Tech community willbe there to help for as long as needed.

What is being done to help the injured and their families?

The Hokie Spirit Monorial Fund will pay tuition and fees for injured students ttroughSpring 2008, as well as to pay for medical costs not forgiven or otherwise covered byinsurance. Funds had previously been disbursed to provide assistance for travel costs,communications costs and on-going counseling.

What kind of memorial is being considered to honor the victims of this tragedy?

Thirty-two (32) separate named endowed funds have been created in honor of eachvictim lost. Each of, the named funds is fully endowed allowing each fund tomemorialize a victim in perpetuity. The final determination of how each of the mernorialfunds will be directed is being developed in close conjunction with the wishes of eachfamily.

An intermediate memorial to replace the temporary version placed by the student groupHokies United immediately after April 16 is planned for the same location on theDrillfield across from Bumrss Hall. The intermediate msmorial will mimic the ad hocversion with 32 substantial engraved Hokies Stones in a semi-circle in front of theDrillfield viewing stand. The Hokie Stones from the original mernorial will be offered tothe victims' families.

A future committee will be created which will, with broad input from many stakeholders,advise the University on design and construction of a permanent memorial several yearsin the future. fMore info on www.vtnews.vt.edu]

Who is on the committee which established the memorials? Were the familiesrepresented?

The families will be directly involved in the development of the individually namedendowed funds. A committee chaired by Vice-President of Alumni Relations whichincluded a member of the Board of Visitors, four students, an alumnus and two staffmembers was responsible for the recommendation of the intermediate memorial.

WiII the memorials also honor the wounded, or only those who were killed?

The physical memorials will honor those precious lives lost on April 16.

Is the University licensing the use of VT logos :for merchandise relating to theincident?

Virginia Tech has been bombarded with requests to license items that mernorialize the

tragedy. To date, only the student group Hokies United has received permission to sue

the University's logo for this purpose. The Univsrsity is currently researchingappropriate vehicles to expand additional commernorative licensing, but nothing is

finalized.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of support for the entire Virginia Techcommunity from all kinds of sources. Are there procedures in place for handlingrequests by entertainers, authors, artists, etc. who wish to donate proceeds fromevents/sales?

Mary Grace Theodore and Steve Clark in the University's Development office are

managing all such offers of assistance. We are receiving reports of additional, larger and

more organized efforts that are being planned and scheduled - the event in Yankeestadium with Dr. Steger throwing out the first pitch, for example - throughout the comingweeks and months. We are moved by the extraordinary generosity of so many groups

and individuals and are grateful for their thoughtfulness during this difficult time for TheHokie Nation.

Impact on School

What will happen to Norris Hall?

A phased re-use of Norris Hall begins June 18. The building will be dedicated to officeand laboratories for the Departnent of Engineering Science and Mechanics and Civil and

Environmental Engineering departments which had been the primary building tenantsprior to April 16. Because of the trauma experienced by the University community,there will be no general assignment classrooms in Norris and a plan is being developed toconvert these classrooms to other uses. Since the building will no longer be multi-use and

will be devoted solely to departmental activities, the ESM department will, over the longterm, consolidate offices and labs which currently reside in three other buildings. [Moreinfo on www.vtnews.r4.edu]

What is the University's expectation of students who say they just cannot go intoNorris for any reason, when certain aCademic disciplines Qaboratory researchactivities within a certain major, for example) might require it?

The University, the College of Engineering and the ESM Departrnent leadership fullyunderstand the anxiety some individuals may feel when faced with the reality ofreentering Norris Hall. To the extent possible, accommodations will be made by the

College and Department on a case by case basis and the University has made

arrangcments for continued counseling at any desired level for incoming - and retuming

- students, faculty, or staff.

.'i; ..2., .

Virginia Tech already faced a shortage of classroom space prior to the decision tosuspend traditional classroom activity in Norris Hall. How will this situation beaddressed?

The University is working on a short term plan to be implemented by the beginning of theFall Semester to manage the classroom crowding situation. Yes, we are tight, but we willfind a way. In the intermediate term, additionat classroom space is currently underconstruction in multiple campus locations which will be available for classroominstruction over the next couple of years. Beyond that, the Board of Visitors recentlyapproved capital activities which we hope will accelerate the construction of additionalclassroom AND laboratory space when the projects are completed in the 2010-2011 timeframe.

What will happen to the AJ Residence lfall?

Both the East and West wings of Ambler-Johnston will continue to be used as residencehalls. As AJ contains the second largest number of dormitory rooms of any campusresidence hall, this facility is a critical component of the University's on-campus housingsystem. The area of rooms in West AJ where the shootings occurred on April 15 will notbe occupied by students and will be sealed offfrom the rest of the rooms in West AmblerJohnston. Various options for that space are still being considered, and the entirebuilding is due for scheduled renovation in 2010.

How has acceptance of offers for admission to prospective Freshmen been?

We're gratified to say that acceptances are up compared to last year. As of May 17, wehad received deposits for 5215 freshmen students for the Fall 2O07 semester, slightlymore than the enrollment target goal of 5000 and higher than the 5185 deposits we'dreceived at the same time last year. We've also received many wonderful, heartwarmingletters from accepting Freslune,n and their families about wanting to be part of the HokieNation. These incoming Tech Freshmen are really excited to be Hokies and we're evenmore excited to have them.

Did you receive any rejections specifically because of the shootings?

Literally, no more than a handful.

IIow long will you provide counseling for students?

We will provide counseling services for students trying to cope with this tragedy for aslong as it is necessary.

We keep hearing about this "Hokie Spirit". IIow would you describe what thatmeans?

(Everyone who interacts with various externql "stakpholders" will have to answer this inhis or her own way and in his or her own words. Here's one answer but it won't work

for everybody).

Hokie Spirit is that intangible passion which binds us all as Hokies. It is a spirit whichallows us to be confident that Virginia Tech will not be defined by thehorrible events ofApril 16, but instead will be defined by how we reacted to those events. We're inventive,practical people, whether we're in a NASA laboratory, in an office in Tysons Comer, ona farm in Southside Virginia or in a classroom in Derring Hall. We say hello and weshake hands. And we mean it. Oh, and we Hokies play a little football, too.

Campu s Safetv/Securitv

What security measures did Virginia Tech have in place before the incident?

Each Freshman and his or her parents received a letter from Dr. Steger and Dean Hikeswhich outlined the safety and security measures which exist on campus to protect the ,

safety of Virginia Tech's student, faculty and stafl, We hope that you had a chance toread it, because it provides an excellent sunmary of the many tools campus authoritieshave at their disposal to protect the University Community. fFact sheet available]

For example, the Virginia Tech Police Department is a nationally accredited, full service60 person law enforcernent agency with 40 uniformed officers and a 24/7 dispatcher.The campus has 51 blue light emergencyphones connected to the campus 911 center.

We have campus sirens and loudspeakers. In addition, effective for the Fall sernester, allresidence halls are now on 24/7 key-cud ageess, a text messaging service will be in place

and an integrated emergency communications system is the works.

We also are looking toward our own intemal review and the findings of the Governor'spanel for guidance as to what additional steps might be taken to enhance c€Impus security.

We heard there were several bomb threats prior to the shootings. In the daysimmediately after the inciden$ there were additional bomb threats. How does theuniversity respond to these types of threats and has that changed since theshootings?

Each bomb threat was thoroughly investigated and found to be baseless. A number ofthreats were made in the days following the shootings - which, unfortunately, are quitecommon after a tragedy of this type. Nevertheless, each tbreat was taken seriously,investigated appropriately by law enforcerne,nt authorities and found to be a hoax. Wetreat all such threats seriously and will continue to do so.

Some have said that faculty should be armed so they can protect themselves andtheir students in such cases. How do you respond to that?

. : , :l

Our position has not changed and will not change. We believe law enforcement officialsought to be the only ones on campus carrying weapons - concealed or otherwise.

Who is conducting your internal review and when will the results be available?

We are looking at three broad areas: telecommunications infrastructure, the physicalinfrastructure as it relates to safety and security, and, most importantly, the intemalprotocols for information exchange. Our preliminary schedule calls for the reviews to becomplete by late August. That timing should also be helpful to the Govemor's panel,which is simultaneously undertaking its own review.

Youtve said you are cooperating with the Governorts panel. Does that mean youwill abide by any recommendations it makes?

It is still too early in the Panel's deliberations to speculate as to what, specificrecommendations might be made. At the same time, though, we don't want an incident

, : like this to ever happen again anywhere - including at Virginia Tech - and we willcertainly take very seriously any specific recommendations the Panel would make whichmight lead to a safer campus.

llental Ilealth

Ifow do we know there are not more troubled students on campus?

Predicting human behavior is difficult under the best of circumstances. Typically, thereis a pattem ofbehaviors which is often exhibited by students in the classroom that can bepredictors ofsfudents in distress and our faculty is the first line ofhelp for these students.When a student exhibits behaviors like missing classes, disrupting class, inappropriatedisplays of anger and hostility, faculty members have a variety of options which areavailable to address the behavioral issues in the most appropriate manner for the students.These actions can range from personal counseling by the instructor to a refelral to theHead of the Departnent and the Dean of Students.

Isn't it the school's responsibilify to look for those behavioral signs and deal withthem.appropriately so the student body can be protected?

ln the overwhelming majority of situations with students, our system for faculty responseto students in distress has been very effective. At its best, the system provides for acomprehensive, accessible and responsive approach to students' issues. It is ineveryone's interest - an individual student, as well as, the university community at large

- that we work aggressively to improve our system. We must work to insure that allfaculty members understand how the systsrn works and what resources exist to assist

them. In addition, we need to improve the integration of information for makinginterve'ntion decisions and find ways to include faculty in the response where appropriate.

What do privacy laws say about what a school can and can't do with informationabout a studentts mental health?

Federal law specifically prohibits the sharing of a student's mental health records wirftanyone (including the parents of a student) unless the student specifically authorizes suchsharing. The statutes goveming mental health privacy and the regulations which havebeen written to implement those stafutes, are being examined by a number of state and

federal bodies including a Cabinet Level commission appointed by President Bush. It istoo early to speculate if, or when, changes will be made in privacy law or theinterpretation of such laws.

What is the school's policy about sharing information between departments or withthe police when a student is having psychological problems?

When a faculty member identifies a student who is showing some of the waming signs

noted earlier, that faculty member has several avenues within which inappropriate studentbehaviors can be addressed. The Faculty member may raise the issue with theDepartment Head and/or, the Dean of Student Life and/or, if the warning sign issufficiently grave, with the Virginia Tech police departnent (please note this step is veryrarely necessary or taken). Often, when a student in distress has been identified, aCareTeam, composed of representatives of several campus disciplines, will monitor theactivities of students who have been identified as exhibiting behaviors consistent withstudents who might be in distress. Sharing of information specifically related to mentalhealth counseling is prohibited by federal law.

What is the school's policy about alerting police when a student is suspected to bedangerous?

Faculty, staff and students are urged to contact the Virginia Tech Police immediately ifdangerous and inappropriate student behaviors are openly exhibited. Virginia Techpolice protocol has established very specific guidelines for police officials to follow inthe event there is an intervention ofany type.

Overvierv and Talking PointsHokie Spirit Memorial Funds

Hokie Spirit ScholarshiP Funds

Named Memorial Funds for Victims

OVERVIEWThe response to the April events on our campus has been both gratiffing and

ovenrhilming. Support is coming in from new friends and old, individuals and

corporations, and we are carefirlly processing each gift.

We are not actively soliciting or raising funds for any of these initiatives. Rather, we are

focused on ensuring that offers for support are appropriately and expeditiously handled'

Those who wish to make a gift through the university have, in fact,34 ways in which

they can do so. The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, the Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund, and

memorial funds in the each of the 32 lost.

The Hokie Spirit Memorial FundThe Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund was established immediately following the events ofApril 166 inbrder to provide the university with a means to offer assistance to the

families of those lost. That assistance includes, but is not limited to:

r Grief counselingo Memorials. Communicationexpenses. Comfort expenses

Some ofthis money has already been disbursed for these purposes.

Such disbursement is being made in keeping with the timetables of the families, and in

conjunction with a number of other agencies - federal and state victim assistance

progru-r, as well as local charities are all rushing in to aid these-families and we want to

t" rut" that our efflorts are coordinated so they can have the maximum impact.

We cannot predict how great these needs will be; nor can we predict how much will be

raised. Weie getting reports of larger, more organized efforts that are being planned and

scheduled throughout the coming months. As from the outset, our first priority will be to

meet the needs and honor the wishes of the families. Plans beyond that have yet to be

formulated.

The Hokie Spirit ScholarshiP FundThe Hokie Spirit Scholarship Fund is a single university-wide scholarship that will be

awarded to a student based on criteria yet to be established.

Named Memorial FundsWe have established 32 memorial funds in the name of each of the victims. Final

determination of how those funds will be used (memorial awards, scholarships'

professorships, faculty support etc.) will be made in cooperation with the families. Some

ofthese funds have already been designated.

Attachment PP

Remarks made durins the BOV Meetins

Kerrry J. RedicanPresident. tr'aculfv Senate of Virsinia Tech

June 4.2007

Thankyou Mr. Rector, members of the Board of Visitors, Ladies and Gentlemen

Once again, I'd like to emphasize that faculfy appreciate the opportunify toparticipate in this level ofthe governance process and your responsiveness to facultyissues.

I mentioned in my first report track in August, that faculty feel they work in apartnership with administration , Board of Visitors, staff, and students, Theevidence of how successful this partncrship can be was our collective response to thetragic events of April 16tr'. Concurrent with dealing with the shock and dismay ofApril 16"', faculty, students, and administration had to test the strength ofthepartnership and work closely together in a way that had never been done before inorder to complete the seinester. It was incredibly difficult and challenging but wedid it - we pulled together and made it happen.

Shorlly after April 16th, a special closed session ofthe faculty senate was held and astateme nt of support for administration was approved:

Statement in Support of President Charles W. Steger and Police ChiefWendell Flinchum

We, the members of the Faculty Senate of Virginia Tech ofter our fullsupport to President Charles W. Steger as he continues to lead theuniversity through these difficult times. We thank President Charles W.Steger and Chief Wendell Flinchum for their leadership and outstandingdedication to the Virginia Tech community in response to the tragic evenfsof Aprit 16th.

- The Faculty Senafe of Virginia Tech

In my August,2006 remarks, I reported that the issues ofconcern ofthe 2006-2007Faculfy Scnate were continuing efforts to reach the 60tr' salary percentile ofourpcer institutions and a faculty club. We apprcciate the both the administration andBOV making both of those issues high priority on your agendas and we are pleasedon the progress Yve are making.

tW- - ,,....ir

Attachment PP

L

It has been a vcry productivc year. Thc 2006-2007 Commission on Faculty Affairswas very active and in consultation with the Faculty Senate was successful ingaining University Council approval for policies on composition of committees forpromotion and tenure evaluation; annual and pre-tenure evaluation; part'timeappointments for tenure-track and tenured faculfy; and career track forinstructors and general employment policies for non-tenure track and tenuredfaculty. We believe that the implernentation of these policies will strengthen theacademic culture, provide for more opportunities for recruitment and retentionand have a positive impact in our diversity efforts.

Since my last report, Faculty Scnators also began a dialogue on how to take thePrinciples of Community to the next level, that is, incorporating them into theirwork. The ftrst stcp in this process was to communicate to the universitycommunity that faculty are serious about the Principles of Community. TheFaculty Senate passed a motion that faculfy should be encouraged to include a

statement in their syllabus reflecting support for the Principles of Community - a

statenrent similar to the current Honor Code statement in syllabi. It is anticipatedthat more discussion will take place regarding other ways to demonstrate thatfaculfy support for the Principles of Community.

At our May, 2007 meeting,,the 2007-2008 Faculty Senate oflicers were elected. Theyare Valerie Hardcastle (President) and Hardus Odendaal (Vice President). Valerieis both a Professor ofPhilosophy and Science and Technology Studies in the Collegeof Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. She has been at Virginia Tech since I992.Valerie received her Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Berkeley;Master of Arts from University of Houston and Ph.D. from University of California,San Diego.

Hardus Odcndaal is an Associate Professor of Electrical and ComputerEngineering. Hardus has been at Virginia Tech since 2001 and received hisBachelor of Scicnce, Master of Science, and Ph.D. from Rand Afrikaans,

f am certain you will enjoy working with Valerie and Ilardus.

I also want to mention that I have enjoyed working with Jean, Ennis, and Greg andI belicve they all did an outstanding job representing their constitucncics.

I'd also like to thank President Stcger and Provost McNamee for their efforts onsupporting a healthy climate for shared governance and for taking time out of theirschedules for regular meetings with Faculty Senatc leadership.

Finally, I lrave thoroughly cnjoyed working with all you on thc Board of Visitorsthis past year. Your friendliness, responsiveness, and willingness not only to hearfaculty concerns but to take action is most appreciated. On behalf of the faculty, wethankvou.

a$L,..,.- J I dr4r.ki!-,"-.

Larry will open with ground rules. Expect to take about 20 minutes. You will be

avaiiable for Q&A during conference but not after. You are leaving for'anothermeeting.'

Comments for CWS

To say that we are still dealing with the after affects of April 16 is an understatement.

Every day my heart is pained when I think of the families of those who lost their lives

and those injured by an insane and senseless act ofviolence. Every day there is another

concem or problem or pain that must be attended to.

However, one heartwarming aspect of this tragedy has been sharing of love and support

from people around the globe. Following the April 16 tragedy, there was tremendous

outpouring of support for the university community here in Blacksburg, our extended

Hokie family around the nations, and for the victims and their families. Some of this

support was manifested in spontaneous contributions to what was later to become the

Hokie Soirit Memorial Funds.

During those early hours, we identified possible uses of the funds, for the short term and

the long term. We attempted to respond as best we could as we always do when we

receive memorial contributions....not an unusual event. This was all taking place amidst

the endless sorrow, incredible tension, and wide range of emotions during an

indescribably busy time.

Later ltbecame apparent that the Virginia Tech Foundation, because of its mission and

incorporation as an educational foundation and not a benevolent foundation, was limited

in how the monies could be used. Moreover, we now realize that we are not in a position

to pre-suppose what is best for victims or their families. With no experience in dealing

with crime victims, we felt it best to seek expert advice in disbursements of these monies.

These monies were given to the university by more than 20,000 donors to administer and

apply as best we can to help the healing process. Still, it is very important for us to seek

input from families of victims and the surviving victims about distribution of the funds.

while we are very concerned about future and ongoing needs of the university

community in Blacksburg, we believe it is best to focus the funds on the current needs

and desires of families ofthe deceased and the injured students and faculty. They have

experienced extraordinary loss and emotional trauma and deserve the most support.

There is no script for a tragedy ofthis magnitude and depth ofpain. I am very pleased to

have someone ofKen Feinberg's caliber, experience, and long cafeer to help guide us.

Ken has been quite generous with his time helping us sort through how we can best use

the funds so generously given - in small quantities and large - by caring people, schools,

companies, organizations, yes, even Sports teams - from ever)'vvhere in this nation and

often beyond our borders.

We will don't have an exact formula for proceeding and that's why we'll be seeking

input from families and those injured.

You have a copy of Mr. Feinberg's extensive credentials in the media packet' but by way

of introduction, let me note a comment from our local congressman, Rick Boucher, who

was in Congress during the discussions about how to assist families and those injured in

the September 1ls attacks.

,,The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund was established through generous contributions from

Southwest Virginians and thoughtful citizens from across the country. I applaud the

selection of Ken Feinberg as Administrator of the Fund. He will draw on his extensive

experience to ensure that the assets of the fund are applied in the most effective manner

to assist the victims of this tragedy and their families in their time of greatest need," said

U.S. Representative Rick Boucher.

Now, Mr. Feinberg.

/6/Thank you all for joining me here today. This will be

the last press conference that we hold. I have knownmany of you for years and I think you can appreciate

that I have gone above and beyond to try and

,y

accommodate your requests. The last few days have

taken a tremendous toll on the University, itsleadership and me personally. I have tried to workwith all of you to provide the information that the

world wants and needs. There is nothing left for us

to do, other then move forward. Wtrdrill down any

more this point. Ci;+

It is now time to move tor*ard?U;rginia Tech is notgoing to be defined by this event%\Me are going to

-orr. forwald u"do^o? rfiffTumily, our students and ourcommuni{fueare going to continue to establish apositive legacy. We are going to "invent our future"and learn from our past.

I want to thank you all for your coverage and forsupporting the families of our students. If you have

any questions which like me to answer for you in thefuture, please do not hesitate to contact me

274tu+April 16'h Tribute 2008

The idea of the tribute on the anniversary of April 16th by the university is

understandably a sensitive issue with a range of opinions. The expectationsof the university to call upon itself to take the effort to make anypresentation to the public would seem likely if it were for the students &staff but because of the global context of the tragedy the university shallalways be scrutinized by the media and public for the continuing actions ittakes.

It can be expected that in April 2008, Virginia Tech will be confrontingpeople coming from near and far to pay their respects on the anniversary as

well as the media.

Office of Recovery should be ready to handle requests from otherinstitutions or individuals also act as a liaison between the media andUniversity Relations. Basically the Office of Recovery should be re-tooledto handle various matters towards April2008.

The display of items received from others to Virginia Tech show the widerange of how the world responded in support of the victims, our universityand the institution of education and should be seen by the public, as manyitems were never seen last April. With this in mind any tribute should keepin mind the victims and the families, Hokie pride and the ideals of educationand peace since the majority of the tributes center around the ffagic loss ineducation.

Starting with the New York Yankee visit in March there will obviously haveto be a delegation meeting/greeting them. Along with the permanentmemorial there should be some display of the items received since April 16th

for their viewing.

There should be a coordination of the departments that are choosing to dotheir own tributes as those of the university such as a candlelight vigil.Reserving the spaces needed to do any of the events is critical so as not tointerfere with many of the daily operations of the university.

_\.,,:_

The Perspective Gallery in the Student Union is scheduled to do an exhibitof items received since April 16'n and I had suggested that more personal

related items of the victims be displayed there. The Theater Department willbe reading some of the poetry and letters that had been sent to the university,with possibility of having invited readers and are to be reviewed by theEnglish Department and the Music Department has a concert planned.

There should be a larger display of items perhaps in the CommonwealthBallroom of the Student Union or the VT Armory Art Gallery and or inmultiple locations around campus. There could be viewings of some of thetributes over institutions did on DVD and perhaps some of the audiorecordinss sent. It can be asked of the familv victims if thev would likeanything displayed during this period. It would be good if this display couldbe seen for a least a month as it may take time for people outside the area tocome here to view it all. As seen with the earlier display in Schultz DiningHall people came out of there way to see only a fraction of items.

As I have already experienced with the Student Union display there are morethan enough people will gladly volunteer their time to helping in the effortsof a display and VT Engage could be useful at this time.

We need not use much of the universities manpower if carefully coordinatedas the staff should not be taxed again instead we could honor the staff forhaving gone tbrough the those difficult months.

We can expect on the day of April 16ft various speeches by Universityoffrcials. The victim families and injured victims should be invited toparticipate if they wish too.

There should be invitations to dignitaries including President George Bush,Governor Tim Kaine also an open invitation to all VT alumni and to collegesand schools in Virginia. It may be expected that other officials from collegesmay show as they can contribute to the understanding of this tribute.

Again this show of support will be a great and moving representation for notonly the victims and Virginia Tech but a positive statement for educationand non violence on campuses and peace.

There could possibly be any number of conferences held either by StudentGovernments or Alumni or any other department that has a delegationcoming. In the name of peace alone many people will want to come.

What is important is to seize the moment to make the statement for peace

and understanding and to reflect back to all the good wishes sent here.

I know there is something I left out but as it has been we have made it up as

we went alone.

April22'2007From Gene Fife

At"/rd* - /"/ a'*--^o<

6-t/2t'r*n- FZr ^*/41/v /-{a/-7V"1+r)--

This past week has brought unthinkable tragedy to Virginia tech and to our entire

nation. As with millions of others, my thoughts and prayers go out to all of those

who have lost loved ones, certainly to the many distraught families that are suffering

the most.

I am also thinking of the many outstanding students we have, each of whom has

reached out to one another (and perhaps unknowingly to each ofus) and have

represented the university with compassion, dignity and a maturity far beyond apy

reasonable expectation. These fine young students are our greatest,assets.

And finatly my thoughts and deep respect goes out to charles Steger for the

remarkabie leadership he has provided along with that of his top officials and

support personnel. They have all risen to the occasion and at our darkest hour, have

represented Virginia Tech at its finest.

So what do we do now?

In the hope that we not let the horrific events of last Monday deline who we are to

the world-. I submit these reflections to consider as a possible way to proceed from

here. My hope is to stimulate discussion with the objective being to develop

concrete action plans to show that virginia Tech will rise above the horror that

exists today.

This week's tragedy will forever be etched in our history and the heating process -

will be a long one- and while many immediate actions are perhaps needed to aid the

initial recovery, we need to think slrategicalty in terms of lasting actions that guide

us fontrrrd. The following ideas suggest certain steps to consider:

1. Academic Excellence. This is the foundation for all that we do. we should

redouble o.r. "oil-it-ent to excellence across all of the academic disciplines

in which we engage and keep our focus on graduate researchl recruitment of

top faculty andldrdents; etc. In other words, stay the course in terms of the

priorities outlined in our campaign case statement--but with greater

emphasis. In tangible terms this means better communications' better

exe-cution and stronger efforts to provide the financial support for these

priorities.Eachdean,departmentheadandothersinpositionsofiesponsibility should be brought together to listen and talk to one another

buCako to renew their sense of responsibility to communicate with their

constituencies about our core priorities. Including them will energize them

.tt td;t,-*;e-.-,sdAi;ir-;;;-: i:rd*i.l J.e

as well as sera'e as an added measure of support for our capital campalgn.

The importance of the capital campaign is now greater than ever'

2. Convene a National Svmnosium on Student Safetv. In the afternath of 9lll'

" ""tt"*t ""--t.rt"r was established to both dissect the event and to

recommend actions steps for congress and the President to implement inorder to reduce the chance of another such tragedy to occur. I suggest we do

something similar-and do it quickly. Agenda topics, suggested participants

and timing considerations could include:

Mental Health--Invite top medical experts from around the country to

participate in a wide ranging effort to discuss the current state of the

art in mental heath and highlight research initiatives and other

efforts to advance our knowledge and abitities. Discussion topics

would include mental health in general, diagnosis' treatment

alternatives and efforts to help people before they become destructive.

Legal Review-As in the above, invite leading legal experts toreviewthe myriad of state and federal laws to which university officials must

adhere. This would cover such topics as anti-discrimination lawst

privacy laws, and the restrictions regarding communicating between

and among institqtions, with parents, and other such issues'

Participants-In addition to experts fron various fields, include

presidents from the nation's leading colleges and universities both

iarge and smatl. Doing so will add credibitity to the initiative as well

"a I""* in much oeed.esources such as Hanard Medical or Stanford

Law, etc. If we invite these academic leaders it is an almost certainty

they wiil come---because every academic institution in the country is

hoirified that an event such as hit us will fall on then --and they

simply do not know what to do about it.

organization---Recruit a top level penon to head the overall effortand appoint an Executive Director to do the heavy lifting oforg"rriri.tg, planning and executing the initiative. create a business

ptin along with a proposed budget and seek funding --which sho-uld

Le easity iaised, qoicLty and efliciently. The cost could be $l-2millionor more.

Initial Timing-- we should move fast -certainly within the next 6 - _

weeks as our window of opportunity will fade quickly and along withit, our opportunity to differentiate Virginia Tech'

b.

d.

. -.-..--. -!dL. , -

f. Time Frame---I can envision hosting an initial conference inBlacksburg and perhaps hold hearings at various other universities to

listen and gather diverse views. These would be followed by several

distillation meetings conducted by the executive staff and then a finalmeeting in Blacksburg duringwhich final recommendations are

made. It will probably takeg'L2 months for a completed proiect'

3. In an

e"tt""ty dtff.r"nt vein from the above topics--and at the risk of appearing

crass at such a sensitive time, I suggest we consider innovative ways to use

Internet technolory to supplement our fund raising efforts. In a presentation

at wA's Miller center, I learned that a number of vT related blogs have

been set to for persons to share their experiences ofthis tragic week. The

presenter reported that 4 btogs registered over 300,000 persons within 2 days

ottne event. The presenter, a w&M graduate, was Howard Dean's Internet

advisor during l)ean's brief presidential campaign. Dean failed in the

primaries but raised over $30million via Internet solicitations. All of the

major presidential candidates are now using the Internet as a major source

of iunding and I recommend we invite this expert to our campus to discuss

what, if any, of his ideas might be appropriate for us.

These are but three ideas that will surface but in the spirit of moving from general

conversation to specifrc actions, I submit them for consideration'

Comments bv David R. Ford. Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

llay 21,2007

Topic: Emergency Policy Group Process/Action for April 16,2007

Chairman Massengill and Members of the Review Panel,

I am David Ford, and I ser-ve the university as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. One of the

responsibilities I have by virtue of my position is to be a member of the university's Emergency Policy

Group. It is in that capacity that I share with you today my account of tlre processes used and actions

taken by the Policy Group related to the shooting incidents in West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall and

in Norris Hall on the moming of Monday, April 16, 2007.

Shortly after 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 16, I was informed that there had been a shooting in West

Ambler Johnston Hall and that President Steger was assembling the Policy Group immediately. By

approximately 8:30 a.m., I and the other members of the group had arrived at the Bumrss Hall Board

Room and Dr. Steger convened the meeting. I learned subsequently that as he awaited the arrival of other

group members, hesident Steger had been in regular communication with the police, had given direction

to have the Governor's offrce notified of the shooting, and had called the head of University Relations to

his office to begin planning to activate the emergency communication systems.

When he convened the meeting, President Steger informed the Policy Group that Virginia Tech Police

had received a call at approximately 7 :20 a.m. on April L6,2007 , to investigate an incident in a residence

hall room in West Ambler Johnston. Within minutes of the call, Virginia Tech Police and Virginia Tech

Rescue Squad members responded to frnd two gunshot victims, a male and a female, inside a room in the

residence hall.

Information continued to be received through frequent telephone conversations with Virginia Tech Police

on the scene. The Policy Group was informed that the residence hall was being secured by Virginia Tech

Police, and students within the hall were notified and asked to remain in their rooms for their safety. We

were further informed that the room containing the gunshot victims was immediately secured for evidence

collection and Virginia Tech Police began questioning hall residents and identifying potential witnesses.

In the preliminary stages of the investigation, it appeared to be an isolated incident, possibly domestic in

. . -j:ir.-..-,]r ;,

nature. The Policy Group leamed that Blacksburg Police and Virginia State Police had been notified and

were also on the scene.

The Policy Group was fi.rther informed by the police that they were following up on leads concerning a

person of interest in relation to the shootings. During this 30 minute period of time between 8:30 and 9

a.m., the Policy Group processed the factual information it had in the context of many questions we asked

ourselves. For instance, what information do we release without causing a panic? We leamed from the

Morva incident last August that speculafion and misinformation spread by individuals who do not have

the facts causes panic? Do we confine the information to students in West Ambler Johnston since the

information we had focused on a single incident in that building? Beyond the two gunshot victims found

by police, was there a possibility that another person might be involved (i.e. a shooter), and if so, where is

that person, what does that person look like and is that person armed? At that time of the moming, when

thousands are in transit, what is the most effective and efficient way to convey the information to all

faculty, staff and students? If we decided to close the campus at that point, what would be the most

effective process given the openness of a campus the size of Virginia Tech? How much time do we have

until the next class change?

And so with the information the Policy Group had, at approximately 9 a.m. we drafted and edited a

communication to be released to the university community via email and to be placed on the university

website. We made the best decision we could based upon the information we had at the time. Shortly

before 9:30 a.m., the Virginia Tech community - faculty, staff and students - were notified by email as

follows:

,.A shooting incident occurred at West Ambler Johnston earlier this morning. Police are on the scene and

are investigating.

The university community is urged to be cautious and are asked to contact Virginia Tech Police if you

observe anything suspicious or with information on the case. Contact Virginia Tech Police at23l-6411.

Stay tuned to the www.vt.edu. We will post as soon as we have more information."

The Virginia Tech Emergency/TVeather Line recordings were also fransmitted and a broadcast telephone

message was made to campus phones. The Policy Group remained in session in order to receive

additional updates about the West Ambler Johnston case and to consider further actions if appropriate.

At approximately 9:45 a.m., the Policy Group received word from the Virginia Tech Police of a shooting

in Norris Hall. Within five minutes a notification was issued by the Policy Group and transmitted to the

universify community which read:

,.A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings until further notice. Stay away from all windows."

Also activated was the campus Emergency Alert system. The voice message capability of that system was

used to convey an emergency message throughout the campus. Given the factual information available to

the Policy Group, the reasonable action was to ask people to stay in p1ace. The Policy Group did not have

evidence to ensure that a gunman was or was not on the loose, so every precaution had to be taken. The

Virginia Tech campus contains 153 major buildings, 19 miles of public roads, is located on 2,600 acres of

land, and as many as 35,000 individuals might be found on its grounds at any one time on a typical day.

Virginia Tech is very much like a small city. One does not entirely close down a small city or a university

campus.

Additionally, the Policy Group considered that the turiversity schedule has a class change between 9:55

and 10:10 a.m. on a MW.F schedule. To ensure some sense of safety in an open campus environment, the

Policy Group decided that keeping people inside existing buildings if they were on campus and away

from campus if they had not yet arrived was the right decision. Again, we made the best decision we

could based on the information available. So at approximately 10: 15 a.m. another message was

transmitted which read :

.,Virginia Tech has cancelled all classes. Those on campus are asked to remain where they are, lock their

doors, and stay away from windows. Persons offcampus are asked not to come to campus."

At approximately 10:50 a.m., Virginia Tech Police Chief Flinchum and Blacksburg Police Chief Crannis

arrived to inform the Policy Group about what they had witnessed in the aftermath of the shootings in

Norris Hall.

Chief Flinchum reported that the scene was bad; very bad. Virginia State Police was handling the crime

scene. Police had one shooter in custody and there was no evidence at the time to confirm or negate a

second shooter. nor was there evidence at the time to link the shootings in West Ambler Johnston to those

in Norris Hall. The police informed the Policy Group that these inifial observations were ongoing

investigations.

Based upon this information and acting upon the advice of the police, the Policy Group immediately

issued a fourth transmittal which read:

"In addition to an earlier shooting today in West Ambler Johnston, there has been a multiple shooting

with multiple victims in Norris Hall. Police and EMS are on the scene. Police have one shooter in custody

and as part of routine police procedure, they continue to search for a second shooter.

A11 people in university buildings are required to stay inside until firrther notice. All entrances to campus

are closed."

Information about the Norris Hall shootings continued to come to the Policy Group from the scene. At

approximately 11:30, the Policy Group issued a planned faculty/staff evacuation via the Virginia Tech

website which read:

"Faculty and staff located on the Bumrss Hall side of the Drillfield are asked to leave their o{fice and go

home immediately. Faculty and staff located on the War MemoriallEggleston Hall side of the Drillfield

are asked to leave their ofhces and go home at 12:30 p.m."

At approximat ely 12:l5p.m. the Policy Group released yet another communication via the Virginia Tech

website which further informed people as follows:

"Virginia Tech has closed today Monday, April 16, 2007. On Tuesday, April 17, classes will be

cancelied. The university will remain open for adminishative operations. There will be an additional

university statement presented today at noon.

All students, faculty and staff are required to stay where they are until police execute a planned

evacuation. A phased closing will be in effect today; further information wili be forthcoming as soon as

police secure the campus.

Tomorrow there will be a university convocation/ceremony at noon at Cassell Coliseum. The Inn at

Virginia Tech has been designated as the site for parents to gather and obtain information."

,". r., *-ir|J&r' . ,1ec^- ., .r

A press conference was held shortly after noon on April 76,2007, and President Charles W. Steger issued

a statement citing "A tragedy of monumental proportions." Copies of that statement are available on

request.

The Policy Group continued to meet and sfiategically plan for the events to follow. A campus update on

the shootings was issued at another press conference at approximately 5 p.m. University employees began

immediately to provide counsel and care for the families of the deceased and injured victims. Before Dr.

Zenobia Lawrence Hikes, Vice President for Student Affairs, briefs you on those ongoing activities, do

you have any questions?

.{+t:r:;*s}*-:-.; -.-. ", ..!,q

aI

President Steger's remarksAppreciation RecePtion

Sept. 10,2007

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. We are very pleased that you have again come to

Virginia Tech, and we are honored by your presence.

while many days and many sleepless nights have passed since April 16th, our minds

continue to reel from the violence, and our hearts still ache for those slain and injured and their

families and friends.

I would now like to ask fior a moment of silence as we remember the 32 members of our

community who were lost that daY.

IPAUSEI

Thank you.

With the shock and grief we suffered on April 16th, it would have been nearly impossible

for this university to have coped without your invaluable assistance'

Many organizations and thousands of people responded immediately in our hour of

greatest need and in the many days that have followed.

Today, we want to recognize and honor you. I believe we have abotjt 400 people here

tonight, representing themselves and more than 70 organizations.

while we are very happy to have so many of you with us, there are many more who were

unable to be represented this evening. You will find a full listing in the "Admiration and

Appreciation" flyer. Looking at that gives you an idea of the size and scope of the support that

was offered on behalf of our community. we are indeed humbled and thankful.

a4d.rs--.!A,--,,, -. -r.:-;-,- .. . ..:,. r -.

2

As you can imagine, the events of April 16 continue to consume immense amounts of

time, and we are still in active crisis recovery. Yet, we want to recognize your extraordinary

efforts. Please accept our apology that we have not been able to have this event sooner.

In the darkest days of our suffering, we saw the term "Hokie Spirit" take on greater and

deeper meaning.

It is one of a community coming together- yes, to moum and pour out our collective

grief, but also coming together to help each other. Millions around the world have witnessed and

been touched by the Hokie SPirit.

I am honored to work and live among such wonderful people, and I will always remember

your devotion to each other, to this universi$, and to these families. You have my highest

respect and deepest appreciation.

I hope that each day, the good that you've done and the healing that you've helped to

bring about will, in turn, bring you a measure of peace and some increment of renewal.

Grief counselors - some of whom are here this evening and bless them for all the work

they have done to help us heal - tell us that when we become overwhelmed with negative

feelings, we should remind ourselves of people and events that are meaningful and encouraging.

we have seen many such people and acts in the past weeks and months, and we are

forever thankful to all of You.

As people around the globe watched this tragedy unfold, they were amazed as you

repeatedly demonstrated what strong bonds link this community together. Indeed, in their visits

here, Governor Tim Kaine and President Bush both noted the incredible strength of the Virginia

Tech community. We are truly the Virginia Tech Familv.

We are eternally grateful that you voluntarily came to aid and protect us, to mend our

wounds - emotional as well as physical - to provide food to sustain us, and most especially that

you cared enough a.bo.ul us to care for us.

It is truly amazing what willing hearts and hands can do. You are all heroes.

your selfless compassion and conscientious concern was a gift of pure light in the midst

of the dark days and continues to bolster our spirits and resolve.

-4t. -:r+:ritd;

3

And with your help, we are determined to find the will and the means to recover and

begin moving along the long road of healing. As you know, moving on is not the same as

forgetting. We shall not forget. Yet, one horrible burst of violence cannot be allowed to turn us

from our essence.

We are determined to renew our commitment to this community and to rededicate

ourselves to being productive, caring and giving citizens of this great nation and the world. . 'and

to show the world once again that We. . .are. . Virginia Tech!

It is our hope that you again will join with us, as a community, to seek the paths that lead

to recovery.

We can never adequately repay you for the care, concern and compassion that you have

so generously bestowed upon us. But, on behalf of Virginia Tech and all those touched by the

calamities of that terrible day, we offer you our deepest and sincerest thanks and appreciation for

your selfless supPort.

Now, we would like to take a few minutes to present to you Certificates of Appreciation. I

ask Larry Hincker to come forward to read the names of the recipients.

{president Steger moves to right-rear of stage to make presentations. At the end

of presentations, President Steger retums to the podium')

Ladies and gentlemen, again we are most honored by your attendance this evening, and

l, from the bottom of my heart, do thank each of you for your assistance and support.

This concludes our formal program but I hope you will stay a while longer, enjoy the

refreshments and each other's company. Thank you.

;..,

Comments by Charles W' Steger, President of Virginla Techo

to the Virginia Tech Review Panel

N'4.ry 2L,2007

Introductory Remarks and Overview of Virginia Tech's Presentation

Colonel Massengill and distinguished members of the panel. I am pleased to have this opporhmity to

welcome you to the campus of Virginia Tech. During the past week, we have been working with

representatives ofTri Data Corporation. to develop our portion of the agenda, which I hope will be

helpful to you as you pursue this most difficult task. I might note that your visit to our campus coincides

with our first day of summer school. Although our student population over the summer is only about one-

fourth of what it is during the regular year and our teaching faculty who are on 9-month appointrnents are

not here, you can get some sense of the vehicular and pedestrian haffic flow on a tlpical Monday

morning at Virginia Tech-as April 16 was before the shootings began.

To begin, I would like to infioduce to the Panel Mr. Lenwood McCoy, who has agreed to serve as the

liaison between the university and the Review Panel to ensure that the Panel receives a thorough response

to all requests for information. Mr. McCoy retired several years ago after more than 35 years with the

university, during which he served in a vaiety of roles, including Director of Intemal Audit and

University Controller. He will ensure that all your requests are met.

As you will hear during the presentation, we have devoted our energies over the past month primarily to

helping those families who lost their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, as

well as the victims who survived. Let me note here that out of respect for these families, the university

has denied requests by the media and others to enter Norris Hall. We made an exception to enable the

Panel to tour the building this morning because of its relevance to your work. We will continue to restrict

access until the families who indicate a desire to do so have had an opportunity visit the building. At the

appropriate time, access will be provided to the media and other mernbers of the public.

Our presentafion to the Panel today is in four pads:

1. Existing systems for emergency waming and building security.

2. What the university knew about Mr. Cho prior to the event. What steps were taken prior to the

incident.

Let me take a moment here to explain that disclosure of certain information is complicated by the laws

that relate to what information can and cannot be shared with the public, as weil as what can be shared

between various rmits within the university.

As many of you know, the Attomey General's Office serves as the university's legal counsel. Ms.

Heidbreder is our University Legal Corlnsel and a Special Assistant Attomey General. As such, she is

charged with providing me legal advice on behalf of the Attomey General. We will provide all

information we can within the law.

3. What hanspired in the Emergency Policy Group when advised of the first shootings in West Ambler

Johnston Ha11 and immediately thereafter.

4. lwhat is being done for support and healing of the families as well as the broader rmiversity

communltv.

In addition to the Emergorcy Policy Group, there is also an Emergency Response Resource Group' which

works in parallel to ensure necessary resources are deployed to whatever goup or part of the university is

in need. They were able to respond in hours, and in some cases minutes, to provide counseling, meals for

the 500 increased security personnel, etc. We will provide some detail as to what has been done later this

morning. I have also appointed a task force to provide to me by the end of this month a recommendation

for an interim memorial that can be put in place in a short time. Subsequently, a proposal for a permanent

memorial will be developed.

As we work to recover from the evants of April 16, we also want to leam from them, Two After-Incident

Reports are being developed for each of the shooting incidents. And as noted in my comments to you in

Richmond last Thursday, we have established three working groups that will focus on: 1)

telecommunications; 2) security infrastructure- locking systems, alarms, etc.; and 3) the interface between

counseling services, judicial affairs, academic affairs, and the legal system.

This is being said to note that what we will share with you today is what we know to the best of our

knowledge at this point in time, but as our own intemal review and examination continues, other facts

- -

*..! a*! ; !1r i-ir,-,;

may come to light. Therefore, what we offer today is preliminary in nature and might be revised based on

the emergence of additional information. We wiil certainly keep you apprised as additional information

becomes available.

That concludes my introductory remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions the Panel might

have.

If there are no (further) questions, I would like to call upon Mr. Jim McCoy, from our Office of Capital

Design and Construction, to provide an overview of the systems in place.

. __ "*_i-*L!,n;-.iinea:*,j_!r il

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Virginia Tech Review Commission MeetingMay 10,2007

Notes

Overview of SPC/TriData Support-Philip Schaennan

Process will include face-to-face interviews, literature review, and public comments

through the website, letters, and calls.

Panel Members; Biographies and Initial Thoughts Expressed During Meeting

Dr. Marcus L. Martin

Dr. Marcus L. Martin is the Assistant Dean for the School of Medicine at the Universityof Virginia. He is also a professor in the Depadment of Emergency Medicine. Martinpreviously served as the Chairman for the Health System at the University of Virginia,Departnent of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Martin is interested in the response time of emergency medical services as well as

patient care on the scene, during transport, and in the hospitals. He mentioned that one

student had died during transport to the hospital. He wants to know more about the

psychological services available to CHO, students at Virginia Tech, as well as institutions

statewide. He thinks the Commission may make recommendations on the involuntarycommitment process. He wants to know what type of training we had in dealing withmass casualties and whether or not their was an incident command center established. He

wants the EMS after action report and to know whether or not the scene was safe.

In regards to gun laws, he is interested in learning about semi-automatic weapons and the

access to so much ammunition. He questioned how you "lock down" an institution-maybe with a siren to tell people there is an emergency and to look to communication

soruces for more inforrnation. He thinks the Arlington County after action report after

9/l I might be useful for the Commission.

Dr. Aradhana A. "Bela" Sood

Aradhana A. "Bela" Sood, M.D., FAACAP is Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

and Medical Director of the Virginia Treabnent Center for Children at VCU Medical

Center.

Dr. Bela Sood believes she can bring neutality of opinion. She recognized that what

happened could have occurred anywhere.. .i.e. Mall, sporting event, etc. She is interested

in the tension between public safety and the mental health system, commitnent laws, and

access to treatrnent.

Dr. Roger L. Depue

Roger L. Depue, Ph. D., has over 20 years experience at the FBI, most recently as

Administrator at the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime. Depue is the

founder, past president and CEO ofThe Academy Group, Inc., a forensic behavioral

sciences services business for consultation, research, training, and investigation ofaberrant and violent behavioral problems.

Dr. Depue does not want the Commission to rush to judgment because he thinks law

enforcement responded the best way they could with the information they had. He

suggested that training of students and faculty on how to handle these types of situations

might be necessary. He also mentioned the need for early warning systems in order tobetter identiff people who have mental illness and provide ways to intervene. He wants

to look at our crisis management plan.

Gordon Davies

Gordon Davies served as Director for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginiafor20years (1977-1997).HepreviouslyservedasPresidentoftheKentuckyCouncilonPostsecondary Education (1998-2002), and recently directed a project to improve state

higher education policy making.

Mr. Davies reminded the Commission that the university is a free space and that this willbe important to consider moving forward.

Canoll Ann Ellis

Canoll Ann Ellis is Director of the Fairfax County Police Department's Victim Services

Division, and frequently provides communities with training and technical assistance on

the impact of homicide on family members. Ellis serves as a faculty member at the FBI's

National Academy, the National Victim Assistance Academy, and Northern VirginiaCommunity College.

Ms. Ellis wants to know how the death notices were delivered and what type of training

these individuals had in this area. She asked ifthe localjurisdictions were contacted to

provide services to the families and what type of support in being planned for when

students retum. She mentioned the need for local community support as well as the

importance of continuity of services in the local communities providing support to the

families of the victims.

Even though there will not be a trial, justice will be important to the victim's families.

Ms. Ellis wants to make sure they have a voice. She does not think people reallyunderstand tauma and its' impact. She also asked about the care and treatment of lawenforcement offtcers.

The Honorable Diane Stickland

The Honorable Diane M. Strickland served as a judge of the 23rd Judicial Circuit Courtin Roanoke County and the cities ofRoanoke and Salem between 1989 and 2003. Prior tothat, she served two years as a General District Court judge. After l5 years on the bench,

Judge Strickland now works for The McGammon Group, a leading mediation and

arbitation firm. Recently, she co-chaired a two-year study by the Boyd-Graves

Conference on issues surrounding involuntary mental commitrnent.

Judge Strickland is interested in the relationship and communication between the mental

health system and the courts.

Govemor Tom Ridge

Tom Ridge served as the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (2003-2005). He

previously served as Govemor of Pennsylvania(1995-2001) and a member of the U.S.

House ofRepresentatives (1983-1995). He currently consults on a variety ofnational and

international issues.

Govemor Ridge wants to reduce the risk of this happening again. What other ways are

there to detect problems with students?

Next Meetings:

May 2l-BlacksburgJune I l-Northem VirginiaJuly I 8-Charlottesville

Major Kemmler from the State Police provided an extension overview of the process

for purchasing a firearm in Virginia.

Public Comments:

A representative from the Virginia Center for Public Safety wants the Commission tolook at the loopholes in Virginia's gun laws where guns can be purchased with no

background checks. She believes that it is too easy to get a gun in the Commonwealth.

A woman who had been in New York during 9/l I told the Commission that they needed

to think broadly about impact of trauma. She emphasized that campuses needed to be safe

for students but also for faculty, visitors, continuing education students etc. She brought

up the need to look at HIPPA which allowed parents to be involved in their children'shealthcare. She also mentioned the need to include clergy in the discussion as well as

youth. She asked for a public awareness campaign so more people could participatein the public hearings.

A man representing some PAC spoke about the effects of video games, in particular,

Counterstrike. He mentioned a V/ashington Post article that appeared the day after the

shootings which quoted some of Cho's high school acquaintances talking about his

interest in this game which is very violent. He referenced work being done at Iowa State

University and that these types of games should be banned.

A representative from the Virginia Citizens Defense League mentioned the guns on

campus bill. He said the higher education community "laughed" at them saying that

students felt safe on campus. He wanted the Commission to look into the matter ofallowing students and faculty to carry guns on campus'

The last person who spoke during the public comment period was a cameraman fromPBS who said that kids don't have any choices. He wanted to know where was God and

Iove.

April22,2007

Our University has suffered a tragic event of monumental, unforeseeable, and unimaginable

proportions. Our sorrow is limitless. Our hearts ache for the families of those lost innocents.

lndeed, they are our family. We reach out and pray for our students and colleagues still recovering

and we pray for a speedy return to the campus.

As we understand the depth of our losses and process our grief, there are also countless questions

and the concerns of so many involved. lf we are not to be defined by this event, we musi, with the

utmost sincerity, analyze; and then together with the world learn from our experiences

understanding becomes wisdom, and from wisdom becomes again, a bright future.

We fully expect the official commissions own intemal comprehensive review to yield answers to

benefit Virginia Tech and society at large. These findings will begin the difficult endeavor to

understand this tragic event.

At this point and time, it is too premature to draw conclusions. The quest for answers must come

from a thoughtful analysis of so many roles, communications, procedures, privacy issues. We ask

that our colleagues in the university refrain from public discussion until we have all the facts.

During this review process, our focus will be on our students, and the University community at

large. We have a noble vocation and sacred trust for those we were responsible to serve.

Our responsibilities are manifested in doing what we do best. We are Virginia Tech. We are

immersed in a special sphere of leaming, discovery and engagement. This is what defines us.

This is what drives our spirit. This is what drives our quest for knowledge, to understand ourselves

and the world around us and to make this planet a befter place,

It is important that we tell the world our story, Indeed, if there is one thing that sets us apart from

other distinguished top research universities, it is our sense of family, Last week proved that. Call

it a Hokie Spirit - call it a deep sense of caring- call it a love for one another'

We have seen the world respond to our spirit with countless expressions - large and small--a

worldwide moment of silence at noon April 20ttt or an impromptu student memorial - Hokie Stones

on the Drillfield. Donning the orange and maroon in all corners of the glove begins to memoralize

the legacy of our lost Virginia Tech family members.

Now is the time to being the healing process, Virginia Tech will not be defined by this event. As so

eloquently delivered at the convocation, "we will prevail."

With these and so many other expressions, we not only leave a legacy; we start fresh today,

because we are Vtrginia Tech.

Larrv Hincker

Post "POOL" Interview Svnopsis

At 3r00pm on Aprii 23,2AA7 we heid a "pooi" interview. This inciudeci a panei of 3 Faculty

and 1 counselor from Virginia Tech as well as 4 Student leaders.

This panel was interviewed by 3 organizations:

Radio:NPR

Television: NBC

Print media:AP

The central theme of the event WaS, "The first day back to class, here We are".

The team we selected to represent Virginia Tech was incredible. They followed the

coaching session instructions beyond excellent. Time after time they refened back to our 3

major frames for this engagement:

1. We will not be defined by this event. lt is something that happened to us' lt is not

who we are. They said this numerous times, frequently in their own words and their

own way, as instructed. They constantly talked about the history and tradition of

Virginia Tech. They constantly and with awed reverence, honored and showed

respect for those affected by this tragic event.

All showed respect to the history and tradition, spoke boldly of the future and

understood who we really are what we really represent.

The most powerful message they sent was their commitment to the Virginia Tech

family and community at every level.

lf we had scripted this entire event, we could not have done a better job than these folks did,

spontaneously. One of the professors, who did not participate, made a comment that if we

got our participants from central casting, we would not have had better players. Both from a

style standpoint and a content standpoint, they were phenomenal.

L

2.

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. f ,lJ- ) VaaP' l/'lwr" | |

O/- .t/'" l'HY L /Discussion Agenda I rr trr Y

1. whv are we here? w, *ffi to help you understand the

nature of the relationship we will have with the media and how to best serve this

situation.

2. WHAT ARE WE DOING ...

3. Approach and Tone

a, Honest

b. Inteqritv

c, Ernestness

d. Real

4. 3 Key Messaqes

a. We will not be defined by this event. This is something that happened to us, lt

is not who we are

i, 0ur Principles of Community remain our values

ii, Tradition, community, history, the future, will prevail, Ut Prosim - That I

may serve

iii. Everything we do in the future will commemorate, honor and respect

those individuals most affected by this tragic event.

b. lnvent the Future - WORLD RENOWNED RESEARCH INSTITUTE Hokies

do and always will embody learning, discovery and engagement, THAT lS

WHO WE ARE!

c. Embrace the Virginia Tech Family

i. We are a unique, special family, more enduring and closer to another

than a typical community.

ii, Assisting families and friends of those injured and bereaved is our

focus.

5. Potential lssues

a. Family lssues

b. Time lines

c. Cho issues and questions

d, Details on what happened

e. Family issues/lawsuits, etc.