Campaign to Stem
Societal Violence

Community -- Introductory Letter from Brian Hemphill, Northern Illinois University

During the first full week of April, campuses across the country -- in partnership with communities and local schools -- will speak out, engage in dialogue, and take action to stem the tide of societal violence. DOWNLOAD COMMUNITY RESOURCES (481 KB PDF) How Can Your Community Participate in Enough is Enough? By visiting this website, you have already taken the first step. Please let us know of your interest in holding events in your community by sending an e-mail to enough@naspa.org. This will also ensure that you are kept up-to-date regarding the campaign. and additional resource materials, as they are made available. Contained on this website are suggestions for events during "Enough is Enough" Week, as well as tips on how to organize and publicize your events. Do as much or as little as is appropriate for your community.

In March 2008, my good friend and esteemed colleague Zenobia Lawrence Hikes gave the closing keynote address at the NASPA Annual Conference. Speaking to her colleagues in student affairs, Zenobia, who was the vice president for student affairs at Virginia Tech during its unprecedented shootings, shared what happened and what was learned through the tragedy. Dr. Hikes reminded us that no one is immune to terror and that we must all prepare for the unimaginable. Declaring "Enough is Enough," she called on us to act with a "fierce urgency" and stem the tide of societal violence before students reach our nation's campuses.

Just prior to the conference at which Dr. Hikes spoke, my campus experienced its own shooting. The support and advice Dr. Hikes was willing and able to offer were invaluable as my staff and I responded to the unthinkable and began to facilitate the healing process for our campus community. Indeed, upon her untimely passing, student affairs administrators from across the country attested to how her willingness to share lessons learned from Virginia Tech had made their campuses safer.

The "Enough is Enough" campaign initiated by NASPA President Diana Doyle in response to Dr. Hikes' call to action is in many ways Zenobia's legacy, yet it is much more than one person's vision. Unfortunately, violence in the academy -- where students should feel safest -- has been with us for decades. Just as Columbine proved a tipping point for shootings in secondary schools, Virginia Tech proved to be that wake-up call for our higher education communities.

Recognizing the great work secondary schools have already accomplished in addressing violence in schools is what makes the "Enough is Enough" campaign unique. Through the efforts of this campaign, NASPA has intentionally engaged administrators and educators from secondary schools, as well as those serving institutions of postsecondary education. Furthermore, we recognize that parents, students, and community partners are critical allies who will further propel the initiatives encompassed by the campaign. It will take all of us working together to declare "Enough is Enough" and bring an end to school and campus shootings.

The materials that follow are designed to get you started in hosting an Enough is Enough campaign on your campus. This can be a day- or week-long event, whatever your campus is able to support. It is critical that students, faculty, administrators, parents, community members, and others take time to consider the threat of violence that exists on every campus.

NASPA and its partners are preparing further resources to assist you with your local campaign, as well as resources specific to our secondary and community partners. These resources can be found at: www.EnoughisEnoughcampaign.org. Do not allow the memory of those we lost at Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University, and too many other campuses to fade and leave us unprepared. I, too, thought it could never happen on my campus.... I was wrong.

Sincerely,



Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Northern Illinois University