The University News A Student Voice of Saint Louis University Since 1921
Vol. LXXXI: NO. 5
14 PAGES www.unewsonline.com
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2001
SLU joins nation, world in mourning By Maria Baran
Timeline of Events
OF THE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania left millions around the globe shocked and asking the still-unanswered question: “Why?” The events unfolded rapidly: Within 20 minutes, two hijacked airplanes hit the towers of the World Trade Center, eventually causing their collapse in the streets of New York City. The third plane crashed into the ground just outside the Pentagon, sliding into it. The final plane crashed into the ground near Pittsburgh. Officials said that the target may have been Camp David. At Saint Louis University, students and other members of the community reacted and attempted to deal with their mixed feelings. Memorial services were conducted, class discussions were held and campuswide e-mails were sent. “This will take days to really absorb” [bold] As details of the events spread across campus, many planned to attend the Mass for Peace at noon and the evening prayer service at St. Francis Xavier College Church. Others mourned silently. If not in class, students remained glued to television screens. Every second gave a bit more information, a hint more of what was actually happening in America on Tuesday. “It’s so scary,” said junior Maureen Kenney, who attended both the noon mass and the evening prayer service. “People flying those planes like they were fighter jets.” After watching television for a good portion of the day, Kenney echoed the idea of many others that these acts of terrorism on U.S. soil didn’t seem real. “It was seriously like watching Independence Day [italics],” she said. Students and professors expressed their feelings in class. Brenda Markovitz, political science professor, commented on the economy. “Obviously, at least for a day, the economy is shut down,” she said. “This will take days to really absorb. “If Bush is smart, he might be able to get support from some Arab nations,” Markovitz continued. “I think that Bush will avoid an immediate reaction, at least a week is needed to figure out who is responsible.” “A great majority of Arabs do not want to go to war,” said Chad Kreikemeier, junior political science major. “This could push us closer to Israel if we realize these are only a small number of extremists.” Some question whether more funding for the missile-defense system ould have helped make the U.S. immune to such attacks. Continued on page two
7:45 a.m. American Airlines Flight 11, carrying 92 people from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into the north towr of the World Trade Center. 8:03 a.m. United Airlines Flight 175, carrying 65 people from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center. 8:40 a.m. American Airlines Flight 77, carrying 64 people from Washington to Los Angeles, crashes into the Pentagon. 8:48 a.m. The U.S. Capitol and West Wing of the White House are evacuated. 8:50 a.m. The south tower collapes. 9 a.m. United Airlines Flight 93, carrying 45 people, crashes just southeast of Pittsburg. 9:29 a.m. The north tower collapses. Cory Weaver/The Uniersity News
Approximately 1,500 people filled St. Francis Xavier College Church Tuesday afternoon during a mass held for victims of the terrorist attacks in New York, the Washington, D.C. area and Pennsylvania. A prayer service was also offered at 8 p.m.
7:30 p.m. President George W. Bush addresses the nation for a third time that day, stating that, “Today, our nation saw evil.”
U.S. reacts, investigates terrorism By Maria Baran
OF THE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 will be marked in history books. Four U.S. airplanes were hijacked. Three of the four hijacked planes ended in disastrous crashes into American landmarks all four ended in massive fatalities and casualties. At 8:45 a.m., eastern-standard time, American Airlines Flight 11 flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Confusion and hysteria had no time to settle in before people attempted to flee the building and almost-certain death. Firefighters and rescue teams attempted to save the survivors inside the building. Minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center and exploded. From the Trade Tower, people had already jumped out of windows more than 100 stories up, plummeting to their deaths, as opposed to waiting
inside the burning building. Just when people were trying to escape danger, media coverage was being broadcast all over the world. President George W. Bush, while beginning to give an education speech in Florida, announced that these flights were “apparent terrorists’ attacks.” Immediately after the announcement, the Federal Aviation Administration halted all flight operations at U.S. airports. At 9:43 am., American Airlines Flight 77 hit the ground next to the Pentagon and slid into the building. The remainder of the building began to be evacuated immediately. At 10:10 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Penn., southeast of Pittsburgh. It is believed that this plane was on its way to Camp David. By lunchtime, both the south and north towers of the World Trade Center, along with a portion of the Pentagon, had collapsed. All federal buildings in Washington, D.C., along with
others across the nation, had been evacuated. Later in the evening, the 47-story Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex collapsed. “Today, our nation saw evil,” Bush said in a four-minute speech to the nation tuesday evening. The death estimate is unannounced, but on a typical day the Trade Center alone is filled with 50,000 workers. Americans were glued to television screens all day to find out what had happened, how America could be the victim of such acts of terrorism and who had created them. After the shock of terrorism, the economy virtually shut down for the remainder of the day. Flights were canceled for the day as the FAA shut down the naton’s airports. In Washington, Congress, the Supreme Court and most departments and agencies closed down. Federal courthouses and offices and businesses were closed nationwide or put on tight security. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are not expected to
open before Friday. Wednesday morning, Pope John Paul II opened his weekly address with a statement condemning Tuesday’s attacks,
saying, “Evil and death will not have the last word.” Continued on page three
Eric Holthaus/The Uniersity News
Students lit candles during Tuesday evening’s prayer service held in St. Francis Xavier College Church.
Senate passes resolutions offering support, prayers By Beth Fortune OF THE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Cory Weaver/The Uniersity News
SGA Presdient Mike Cappel addressed the senate as it passed resolutions regarding Tuesday’s terrorist acts.
During the first Student Government Association meeting, senators passed two bills about the terrorist attacks. The first expressed the “prayers, compassion and support to the families and loved ones of the vicitms of the Sept. 11 attack.” The second resolved that the SGA would “stand firmly against all forms of racism, ignorance, violence and inhumanity.” Both bills were passed without dissent. “Let’s not just pass it, let’s live it,” said DeMattias Senator
Nick Sarcone. Business School Senator Nicholas Fagan said, “Let us take extraordinary care with our words and actions.” Other Senate Bills seated committees, including the Committee for External Affaris, the Finace Committee, the Commuter Concerns Committee, the Taskforce for Civic Affairs and freshmen members of the Great Issues Committee. In addition, the SGA standing committees were expanded to reflect the expansion of senate seats enacted last year. During pass the gavel, other senators expressed their concern and sympathy for the vic-
tims of the attacks. BMC Renovations In about 105 weeks, Saint Louis University can celebrate the opening of the renovated BMC. Kathleen Brady, vice president of Facility Services and Civic Affairs, gave the timeline for renovations of the BMC during the SGA meeting. The report was the first monthly report from the SLUnion Advisory Committee. The committee, which meets every other week, represents the users of the BMC. Brady said that their primary work at the moment was listing ideas for uses and needs in
a student union. She said the Committee had developed a “comprehensive, well thought out list of things we want to see in the building.” Those ideas are given to architects, who then plan the size and feasibility of the center. Once this step, referred to as “the program,” is finished, Brady said the architects would need about 27 weeks to develop plans, finalize costs and obtain permits. During this time, the architects would be checking in with the committee to verify and approve costs and plans. Continued on page four
Inside News
SLU ranking drops in U.S. News & World Report; former Colorado Restaurant to house new restaurant, lease will be signed soon; House of Governors holds first meeting of the year, proposes issues currently facing students; future for chartered student organization funding remains uncertain...............3
A&E
Classical music returns as the Saint Louis Symphony opens its 2001-2002 sesaon at Powell Hall; reviewing last Friday’s Centro-Matic performance here on Saint Louis University’s campus; Keanu Reeves stars in new film Hardball; reviewing Ozomatli’s performance at The Pageant.....................................9
Sports
Men’s soccer defeats Rutgers and UNC last weekend at Nike Classic; Golf finishes third in first meeting; Women’s soccer drops two against WVU, Auburn; women’s volleyball canceled Tuesday night due to recent national events; SLU Challenge aims to improve student attendance at sporting events.........................................12
2011 Editor’s Note: This page is a recreation of the front page published by The University News on Thursday, September 13, 2001 after the events of September 11, 2001. Page 2 provides the jump from the lead story and the page was created with elements from the same edition. The University News covered this new event for the next three issues in 2001.