By Shauna Mecartea
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
As students and faculty return to UCLA and try to resume
normalcy after the terrorist attacks in New York City and
Washington, D.C., changes on campus will force them to remember the
tragedy.
Increased police presence, new academic discussions and benefit
concerts are among the additions they will notice.
Throngs of North Campus students headed toward Dodd Hall and
Dickson Plaza may notice the flag in Royce Quad lowered to half
mast to honor the victims.
While finalizing the Fall class schedules, students may notice a
new seminar series, developed to discuss the attacks.
The series, “Perspectives on September 11,” is
composed of one-unit courses that focus on such issues as
tolerance; terrorism and civil liberties; trauma and its aftermath;
and religion and politics in global society.
University police officers will also be more visible on and off
campus to watch for suspicious activity and hate crimes, said Nancy
Greenstein, director of community service for UCPD.
“Some people are fearful, and I think it gives them
comfort to see officers patrolling,” Greenstein said.
As more of the missing victims from the attacks are identified,
and depending on whether the situation escalates into a full-blown
war, campus members may experience heightened emotions, said Dr.
William Parham, associate director of student psychological
services.
“We anticipate with school starting it’s going to
get real busy,” Parham said, noting that many students have
already visited the center.
“There is lots to come that can, over the long haul,
foster feelings of being overwhelmed and depressed on top of
starting school,” he continued.
In particular, he said, first-year students having to adjust to
college, and international students facing potential racial
tensions, may experience a vast array of emotions.
Performance in school could be affected, depending on how
certain students cope, Parham said.
Most of the reactions, in terms of what a person thinks and
feels, are normal and should be discussed with others to relieve
the stress, he added.
As unforeseen events unfold in America’s “war on
terrorism,” people grabbing lunch in Ackerman Union may tune
in to news instead of watching the usual music videos playing on
the elevated televisions.
Kerckhoff Coffee House supervisors said the blaring music would
also be exchanged for news radio.
This year’s Welcome Week in Westwood Plaza, which feature
activities by many student groups, will include public speakers and
benefits that will raise money for the Red Cross in response to the
attacks.
Khe Nguyen, a fourth-year communication studies and sociology
student and campus events representative, said many of the
week’s previously planned events had to be changed because of
the circumstances.
Nguyen said concerts that benefit various charities will be set
up throughout the year.
“Speakers will also have a lot more to do with campus
events this year,” Nguyen said. The speakers would focus on
how the tragedy affects students and how they can deal with racial
tensions, she continued.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council is planning a
candlelight vigil for the Tuesday of Welcome Week, and other
student groups say they have plans to address the incident
throughout the year.
For information on coping with traumatic events, visit the
American Psychological Association Web site at www.apa.org or call Student Psychological
Services at (310) 825-0768.