University extends counseling
to students
By Laura Pelner
Campus Editor
In addition to increasing campus security and maintaining
a normal business schedule, Purdue officials are urging all students,
faculty and staff to seek counseling and support.
"Our first instinct is a human impulse to try and
reach out and help anyone who's been affected by this personally or
indirectly," said President Martin Jischke of the alleged terrorist
attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.
He said the University is in a state of shock and
disbelief. "We're very, very concerned for the people who were in the
World Trade Centers and the Pentagon, for those in the airplanes involved,"
Jischke said.
 University
officials met Tuesday morning to assess the national happenings and
what the University should do locally. In response to the disaster,
Purdue Police and officials were put on "high alert," said Joe Bennett,
vice president for University relations.
Bennett said on-campus security groups are "actively
looking for any signs of suspicious activity, for packages and objects
that are a potential threat."
He said the University increased its night patrols,
did safety sweeps through buildings and towed all vehicles parked in
unauthorized areas. Safety checks were also conducted at the Purdue
Airport using bomb-sniffing dogs.
"We are staying on top of this to the extent we
can and reassuring students to our best knowledge there's no indication
that (Purdue's) people are under any threat at all," Jischke said.
 On
Tuesday, all students should have received an e-mail from Jischke expressing
these sentiments. In the e-mail Jischke urged the community to remain
calm and not let Tuesday's events ruin America's spirit.
University business is carrying on as normal and
Jischke said classes have not been canceled campus-wide. Certain extra
activities have been postponed and canceled though.
Bennett said Purdue is trying to get a handle on
what the overall reaction to this tragedy will be.
"What is happening is, essentially the University's
normal business is still being conducted," Bennett said. "But we've
been calling off things that seem inappropriate."
There's been some concern about Purdue students
who are currently abroad, but Bennett said the Office of International
Programs is communicating with these students now.
 "(I've
been told) we do not have any students in areas that are particularly
vulnerable or targeted," said Bennett.
Students on campus who need help or support can
contact the office of Counseling and Psychological Services. Susan Prieto-Welch,
acting director of the office, said it is on-call for anyone who needs
it.
"Students (or faculty and staff) can walk in and
speak with a counselor at any point in time to help them deal with any
kinds of reactions or concerns they may be having," Prieto-Welch said.
She said the office is open daily from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. and a counselor is available via phone through Urgent Care from
5 to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
Prieto-Welch also said people should contact their
families and friends. "I think it's pretty important for not just students,
but everybody to go back to the network we take for granted — family
and friends," she said.
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