Students, staff encouraged to attend ceremony

To commemorate and remember the lives of those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon one year from today, IU will hold campus-wide gatherings and programs all day today to create a sense of caring and community at IU and within Bloomington.\nThe day's events are focused around a 4 p.m. remembrance ceremony held at Showalter Fountain, with Chancellor Sharon Brehm, IU President Myles Brand and Student Body President Bill Gray scheduled to speak. Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez is also planning to attend.\nAll professors who hold class during the ceremony were sent a letter by Chancellor Brehm and Professor Robert Eno, president of the Bloomington Faculty Council, asking them to be lenient on students wishing to attend the commemoration.\n"The campus will not officially cancel classes, but we ask that those of you who teach Wednesday at the hour of the campus ceremony make every effort to accommodate students who wish to participate," the letter said.\nEno said he realized there may be classes that are tightly scheduled, with professors not able to let their students attend the ceremony.\n"We left it to the faculty members to make their best judgment," Eno said.\nDean of Students Richard McKaig was placed in charge of organizing the remembrance ceremony along with creating a committee of faculty, staff and students to plan the event.\nMcKaig said the ceremony will be similar to the commemoration that took place soon after the terrorist attacks last year.\nBill Stephan, IU vice president public affairs and government relations said he hopes the ceremony will take the tone of last year's commemoration, which had a good response from IU's students and the community.\n"These are the kinds of moments and experiences in one's college life that can have an impact for a lifetime," Stephan said.\nGray said he believes the day's events will help in the healing within the IU community.\nGray and others will be joined by faculty, students and community members in presenting remarks, readings and music.\nThe ceremony will also recognize the first three recipients of the new Sept. 11 scholarships, established earlier this year through proceeds from the 2002 Little 500 bicycle race as well as private gifts.\nThey were created to commemorate the fathers of three IU students who died in the terrorist attacks.