Tsunami relief efforts at EMU

The December 26 tsunamis in Asia have been devastating to all those who live in the affected nations, and all those who have family and friends in this region of the world. This web site has been established to help the EMU community respond to the tsunamis, and to assist those members of the EMU family who have been personally affected by this disaster. Please return to this site for continuing information.

EVENTS:

Give a Dollar - Save a Life, a campaign to raise $1 from every EMU student, ran February 21 through March 19, Colors in Harmony Day. The effort was sponsored by Student Government, International Student Association, McKenny Union and Campus Life, Residence Hall Association, Alpha Phi Omega, and the Office of International Students. For more information about the $25,000 relief effort, click here.

<-- Red cross blood drive: On February 2, EMU Athletics sponsored a six-hour blood drive at the Convocation Center. All blood donors received two free tickets to see the women's basketball team defeat the Ball State cardinals 76-63 that evening.

A campus memorial service was conducted Thursday, January 13 to remember the victims of the December 26 tsunami disaster. President Willis led a procession from Pease to the McKenny Ballroom, where a program with speakers, including international students, occurred. Donations were accepted for UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders, and solidarity ribbons were distributed.

<-- President Willis (shown here leading the procession prior to the memorial service, and receiving a solidarity ribbon) sent a letter to the University January 7, in which he expressed the following:

"The New Year also has brought sorrow, which is being felt in every corner of the world, from Ypsilanti to Bangladesh, for the victims of the December 26 tsunami disaster. The magnitude of this calamity seems to grow by the hour. Nearly 500 current EMU students and hundreds of alumni call this region of the world home, whether Sri Lanka, India, Thailand or Indonesia.

Already, an intensive effort is under way across campus to determine the well being of those individuals, particularly the 75 or so students who left Michigan for visits home during the holiday break. Students, faculty and staff will volunteer many hours in the days ahead to make calls, send emails and visit homes to ensure the health and safety of each and every affected international student.

This web site has been created to communicate this progress and to provide additional resources, such as names and contact information of agencies taking part in the colossal relief efforts. The web site URL, created and posted only yesterday, is at www.emich.edu/tsunamirelief and will be updated in the days and weeks ahead.

During this time, University counseling services have been placed on heightened levels of operation to address student questions, concerns and emotions. Greg Peoples, the University Ombudsman, is available to work with students if this event has affected their class attendance or financial status or if they need help navigating the processes. All of these efforts will be coordinated with the Office of International Students, as well as the Indian Student Association, the Thailand Student Association, and EMU's Office for Alumni Relations.

It is equally important that faculty take every step necessary to properly accommodate those students missing or temporarily unable to return, as well as students shaken by the event.

Planning has started on a memorial service to take place early next week. It will formally allow the entire University community to express in unison its feelings and hopes for the people of this region. And fundraising efforts are being discussed that will further allow the campus to express its support.

The EMU community has always rallied together in times of both great sorrow and joy. We are doing so again, and as president it makes me very proud. I urge all of you to set your personal and collective goals high as we embark together on this newest semester-long journey."

As EMU continues its relief efforts in the wake of this tragedy, relief information will be posted here.

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