Vigil to be held at Showalter Fountain

IU administrators and student leaders have planned a gathering today to mourn the loss of thousands of lives and to come together as a community two days after the worst terrorists attacks in U.S. history.\nEveryone is invited to the program, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at Showalter Fountain in the Fine Arts Plaza, organizers said.\n"Sorrow and Solidarity" is a joint effort of Bloomington Chancellor Sharon Brehm and a variety of student groups, including the Residence Hall Association, Eigenmann Residents Association and IU Student Association.\n"This is a time for us to come together and gather as a community and mourn for the victims of this tragedy," said junior Erin Ransford, RHA's vice president for programming.\nThe board of trustees, who will be in Bloomington for meetings, are expected to attend the gathering.\nThe program will begin with brief remarks by the chancellor, followed by music and spiritual readings.\nBanners will be assembled for students to come write their thoughts or prayers for victims and family members of the attacks. Each residence hall will be given a piece of material for their residence to sign, along with an addition banner located in the Indiana Memorial Union, to be assembled at the event.\nThe focus of the event will be unity. Orange ribbons and white carnations will be distributed as a symbol of unity and solidarity, said RHA President Ken Minami, a senior.\nWednesday, students prayed and sang together in Dunn Meadow at one of several night-time vigils on campus and around the community. IU President Myles Brand and his wife, Peg, joined the gathering.\nTrustee Sue Talbot said she feels coming together is the best thing to do in this time of grief.\n"It's appropriate anytime students come together in solidarity," Talbot said. "It's not only good for the University, but good for the community as well."\nToday's event will do just that for the University, said Bruce Jacobs, vice chancellor for administrative affairs.\n"I think that anytime something like this goes on, you need to take the necessary steps to make things better," Jacobs said. "... I really think we've taken the right steps."\nThough unity will be the focus of today's program, Minami said that glimpses of unity can already be seen through the organization of the event.\n"All this week, all the student organizations have stepped up communication a thousand percent. We've all come together on an organizational level, and have set aside some of the politics that existed before," Minami said. "None of that matters now. Our job is making the campus the best it can be"