Provost Ed Bonahue: Compassion for Our Students Connected to Haiti

January 13, 2010

Dear Colleagues:

As news from the devastating earthquake in Haiti continues to roll in, we are already beginning to hear from students with personal connections to the disaster, and we will likely hear from more. Some of these students are Haitians, and others are Haitian-Americans, many of whom have come to Santa Fe from South Florida. As some of you already know, they are communicating heartbreaking accounts of the loss of family and friends. Today's news suggests that the death toll from the earthquake in the area around Port-au-Prince could easily surpass 100,000.

Under these circumstances, I feel certain that everyone at Santa Fe will respond with understanding and compassion to students who ask for some flexibility with class attendance or class assignments, or who just need someone to talk to. Dr. Mardell Coleman tells me that the Counseling Center is ready to support any students needing help.

If you know of a student who needs help locating a family member, the U.S. State Department has set up a hotline at 1-888-407-4747 to assist Americans trying to locate family members.

Thanks very much to all,

~Dr. Ed Bonahue