Student Leaders Reunite to Plan Relief Efforts

"The purpose is to formulate a plan for a long-term response to the terrorist attacks," said Liza Potter, co-president of the Campus Y.

Raj Panjabi, Campus Y co-president, said the two goals of the group, are "fund raising for the victims ... and battling ignorance and hate ... both on campus and in the community, here and elsewhere."

Lounging on couches in the basement of the Campus Y, the group discussed several projects that are under way as well as those that have been completed during the past two weeks.

Students raised about $7,500 at the UNC-Florida State University football game last week to donate to a scholarship fund for children who lost parents in the tragedy, said Maneesha Agarwal, Campus Y special project coordinator.

Residence Hall Association President David Cooper said his organization collected $1,106 on Franklin Street for the American Red Cross.

The group also is working on additional fund-raisers. They plan to sell T-shirts at the upcoming home football game against East Carolina University that say "UNC for USA." The shirts will sell for $10, and the money will go to victims of the attack as well as to the Muslim community.

The other fund-raising event the group is planning is a combined date auction and benefit concert, which is planned for Nov. 9.

But there was concern at the meeting that too much focus was being put on the terrorist attack at the expense of other things. "If we spend all our time and all our effort focusing on one thing, other things get pushed to the back burner," Potter said.

Other students at the meeting seemed confident that campus organizations can handle these projects in addition to their regular activities.

"The reason five groups are getting together is so it doesn't take over (any one group)," said Cooper, who noted that the RHA is managing five programs related to the tragedy and 36 that are unrelated.

Also planned is a Muslim solidarity event with a theme of "Islam means peace" and a forum presenting different religious perspectives, both with dates yet to be determined. Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Arun Gandhi, is scheduled to speak about non-violence on the steps of South Building at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 3, Panjabi said.

There also was talk of getting involved in education at local schools.

"One of the things to combat hate crimes is educating people," said Nadia Siddiqui, president of the Muslim Student Association.

Other groups represented at the meeting were student government, Campus Crusade, the Graduate Professional Student Association and the Peace and Reconciliation Network, which is a new group formed to work for a peaceful response to the attacks, said Kristin Rawls, the group's founder.

The student leaders also hope to get other students involved, said Young Democrats President Chris Brook.

Brook said,"We've taken great pains to make sure all campus organizations have been invited to the events."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.