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January 14, 2005
TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Dear Colleagues:
Our UCSB family is united in sorrow by the recent
tsunami in South Asia, and the devastating losses inflicted by this
tragedy. The international disaster is of such a magnitude that
it almost defies our imagination. Our hearts go out to all the people
whose lives have been forever changed by these terrible events.
While we might feel powerless in response to this
awful tragedy, there are things that we all can do to help, and
I am proud that members of our campus community have already begun
organizing such efforts. We encourage, applaud, and support all
these efforts. I know that we all will find ways to respond to this
humanitarian crisis.
Our campus was immediately in touch with our Education
Abroad Program students living in the affected areas, and I am glad
to tell you that they are all accounted for and safe. We have also
made contact with all of our international students from the region.
For our students who may have friends or family members in these
areas, or who perhaps just need to talk to someone about the tragedy,
I want you to know that we are here for you and we have counseling
services available.
Our UCSB Web site now has a link under "Campus
Topics" to a special Web page that has information on campus
fund-raising and other events to benefit the disaster victims. Last
Sunday, our students organized a day-long action forum and a candlelight
vigil in honor of the tsunami victims. At these events and in countless
other ways, I have been tremendously touched to see the outpouring
of compassion from our students, staff, and faculty members.
After meeting with representatives from across
our campus community, we have formed a Tsunami
Response Task Force. The group's first priority is to provide
humanitarian help, and to serve as a clearinghouse for the many
fund-raising relief efforts already underway on our campus. The
task force will develop a formal link with Direct Relief International,
the highly regarded relief agency here in town. Efforts will be
made to channel funds raised by groups on campus to Direct Relief
as well as to the American Red Cross, United Way, and other agencies.
Another way our campus can help is through the
research expertise of our faculty. The task force will bring together
campus experts on earthquakes, tsunamis, and the impact of such
disasters on local people and their cultures. This will help shape
possible long-term responses to the tragedy.
Finally, we will be asking the task force to look
into UCSB's own emergency preparedness. We have very good plans
in place to help our campus community in the event of an earthquake,
tsunami, or other emergency. In the months ahead, we will work aggressively
to find effective ways to communicate these plans, as well as to
make improvements.
I would like to thank our task force members for
their willingness to take up this important endeavor. And I again
thank all of you who have reached out in so many ways to help those
in need. I am humbled and grateful to be part of such a caring community.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
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