HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES

Harvard University
Office of the President
Massachusetts Hall
October 16, 2001

Dear Faculty, Students, and Staff,

Our community has shown remarkable strength, resilience, and compassion during these past few difficult weeks. Many of you have offered much-needed support to people directly touched by the September 11 attacks. Others of you have joined in the effort to understand the implications of those terrible events, and to respond in ways that affirm Harvard's commitment both to thoughtful inquiry and to public service. All of you, simply by carrying on with the basic tasks of daily university life, have done much to help our community through this trying time.

The headlines of the past several days have added to the sense of unease that many people across the country have experienced since last month's tragic events. Responsible public health officials have helped to put the reported incidents in perspective and have sensibly cautioned that we be vigilant but not overreact. I have every confidence that all of us here will carry forward energetically with our professional and personal lives, alert to any unusual occurrences but determined not to let anxiety get the better of us.

We are fortunate to have within the university a variety of individuals with experience highly relevant to situations such as the one now before us. I have asked several of them - including a number of faculty members with specifically relevant scientific expertise, the Director of University Health Services, and the Deans of Arts and Sciences, Government, Medicine, and Public Health - to serve as an informal advisory group. They will advise me and other Harvard officials, as needed, on any communications or precautions that would advance our paramount interest in the well-being of all members of the University. Meanwhile, Harvard remains in continuing contact with the appropriate public authorities, and we have no information to suggest that anyone within our community is at particular risk.

In addition: