51ԹϺ is four months removed from Dec. 6, 2023 — the day a gunman entered Frank and Estella Beam Hall, killed three beloved faculty members, and left thousands frightened and confused during lockdown. But, of course, the reverberations will long continue.
The days that followed brought concern for the recovery of a fourth seriously injured professor (he wishes to have his privacy honored while he continues to recuperate). Classes and finals were suspended. Impromptu memorials and a campuswide vigil marked the start of the grieving process. Two weeks later, Winter Commencement brought joy back to campus as we celebrated student achievement. Then, many faculty and staff dispersed for winter break. They returned in January to a campus forever changed.
“We’re not going to forget Dec. 6, but it will not define us,” President Keith E. Whitfield said in his recent annual State of the University Address. “We’re not there yet, but we’re doing better. I honestly believe that it’s because we’ve come together as a community — that’s our strength, and it will propel us to continue to recover.”
In January, Whitfield launched the Rebel Recovery Program to communicate regularly about the investigations, efforts to expand mental health resources for students and employees, address campus safety and infrastructure, and begin planning a permanent way to honor those lost.
Broken Doors and Building Plans
Some 500 doors were damaged as law enforcement officers swept through buildings to methodically clear thousands of people from lockdown. Temporary repairs were soon made, but supply chain issues, insurance filings, and the bidding process for vendors mean full repairs will take time. That also gives administrators time to fully consider upgrades.
A newly formed Committee on Campus Security and Safety was formed to develop ideas for immediate security enhancements. To supplement the University Police Department, for example, a highly visible team of security guards is now patrolling campus until 10 p.m. every day. Going forward, the committee will help ensure people have a forum to share their concerns about safety on an open, public campus.
Meanwhile, Beam Hall has been closed for classes and to the public, though some employees chose to return to their offices, finding comfort in that normalcy. The administration will soon decide when classes and other operations might return to the 115,000-square-foot space. More space is a constant quest for the always-growing student body.
The building has long been home to the Lee Business School and a variety of other 51ԹϺ departments, including World Languages and Cultures. The business school had already begun fundraising efforts to build a new space. A new business building is at the top of 51ԹϺ’s capital funding request for the next Legislative session, along with facilities for the colleges of Education and Fine Arts.
The Community's Embrace
Rebel Recovery also acknowledges the outpouring of community support. There were many small businesses and restaurants on the outskirts of campus who took in scared students during the lockdown. The Strip responded with the messages of solidarity on their marquees and offers of food and rooms for students and families in need. In social media, students shared gratitude for the individuals who helped them — faculty, staff, fellow Rebels, and complete strangers.
The support continued in the weeks that followed, hundreds of people have contributed more than $400,000 to 51ԹϺ’s emergency fund and to the scholarship funds to honor professors Jerry Cha-Jan Chang, Patricia Navarro Velez, and Naoko Takemaru.
To start the spring semester, Tribal Nations members traveled from throughout the region to hold a private cleansing ceremony in Beam Hall before sharing traditional song, prayers, and a smudging ceremony for all. The event culminated with a communal circle dance in which more than a hundred faculty and students joined hands with the tribal members. The event underscored the power of gathering together to heal.
“I’ve seen a community shine bright with love, support, and encouragement,” Whitfield said. “As I’ve said since I arrived at 51ԹϺ more than three years ago — and it’s as true as ever today — this is a very special community. Together, we are 51ԹϺ Strong.”
